#not to mention all of the padawans they turned into child soldiers during the clone wars

[imogenkol]

In the year of our lord, 2024, some of the fandom is still approaching the Jedi Order with zero nuance

[smokeybrandreviews]

Incorrect

Pardon this deluge of Star Wars content but Ahsoka has me reeling. Episode five really recontextualized so much about the Clone Wars (and the prequels, themselves), it’s incredibly difficult not to reexamine my previous perceptions of that part of the mythos. The realization that the Jedi Order effectively sent children to their deaths, that they gave actual teenagers command of entire clone units, is absolutely horrifying to properly understand. Sure, when it’s a cartoon, it’s all in good fun. But seeing all that carnage in live action, teenage Ahsoka standing there next to Hayden’s Anakin? That was a lot. The realization that Ahsoka Tano, one of the most powerful Jedi, trained by THE most powerful Jedi, is little more than a weapon to be used for some Republic trade dispute, is so goddamn bleak, I can’t stand it. Coming to terms with the sheer brutality thrust upon Tano, and every other Padawan at the time, is something which has skewed the very morality of the Jedi for me. I can’t see these cats as the “good guys” anymore. How can they be? The Jedi Council committed war crimes! Like, they’re no better than the Sith in that regard and that’s so weird to say out loud. I grew up with the OG trilogy so, for me, there was a stark delineation between Jedi and Sith. Luke and Obi-Wan were Jedi. Upstanding, wise, and compassionate. Good guys. Vader and Palpatine were Sith; Straight up space fascists with anger problems and a mean-streak that could destroy planets. Bad guys. There was a quaint black and white to the dynamic of the galaxy far, far, away. After that episode of Ahsoka, the child soldier thing paints the Jedi just as atrocious. Sending children to die strictly for Republic interests, is the worst kind of imperialism. It’s staggering to me that more people don’t see that. If the Jedi judged sending children to war morally correct, how can you trust that judgment? How can you not question every choice they ever made? Hoe can you not question their treatment of Anakin?

Anakin mentioned to Ahsoka that he was trained to be a peacekeeper but was he really? I mean, Obi-wan probably did his best to bring the kid up properly but let’s be honest; That was a losing fight. Qui-Gon plucked Anakin from a planet where he spent the first eleven years of his life as a proper slave. No one knows what little Annie endured during that time. Tatooine was a hellscape of violence and depravity, ruled over by the Hutts. This crime family had free range on that planet, a fact the Republic turned a blind eye toward until they needed an alliance against the Trade Federation. How f*cked up is that? Anakin wanted off of that world so bad, he wanted to be free, and he believed from the bottom of his heart, that the Jedi would deliver he and his mother from bondage. But, when Jedi actually show up, it’s not as liberators but as middlemen. F*cking negotiators on behalf of the government, trying to cut a deal with the crime boss who allowed the cruelty of slavery to ensnare Anakin. On a whim, he catches Qui-Gon's interest and they take Anakin. Alone. They left his mother in bondage and at the mercy of that debauched world. They don't even send anyone for her because that's not the Jedi way. Emotional attachments lead to the Dark Side, so sayeth the wise and moral Jedi Code.

They fly to Courasant on the promise Anakin will become a Jedi, himself, probably in hopes of gaining enough power to free his still enslaved mother, only to be dismissed as too old by the Council. Because he was too old for the indoctrination. Those first eleven years of a Jedi’s “training” are for severing the emotional bonds which make you human. It’s for “teaching” you how to suppress your emotions because, again, according to the Jedi, emotions are bad. Anakin, already wildly powerful in the Force, couldn’t be brainwashed into a Jedi zombie because that ship had chronologically sailed. He knew his mother. He was very attached to her. He was quietly crushing on Padme. It was far too late to install those mental blocks of control. But, Qui-Gon being Qui-Gon, opted to train Annie anyway. Until he was murdered by a Sith Lord the Council refused to acknowledge as real. So it fell on Obi-Wan to do the job, even though there was a very strong chance that the eleven year old Anakin was just as powerful as he was. Kid was set in his ways and probably wildly traumatized from a life of bondage. Doesn’t help that, during a crucial time in his adolescent life, a f*cking cold war started and Anakin spent his teenage years “peace keeping” throughout the galaxy at the behest of the Republic; Not at all the enforcers for a government so corrupt, an entire Sith Lord had risen through its ranks like it was nothing.

A decade of this sh*t later and Anakin gets promoted to Jedi Knight out of reluctant desperation, forgoing the actual trials necessary to test the mettle of his character, because the cold war he grew up in got real hot, real fast. So now he’s one of the preeminent muscle men of the Republic and, arguably, their best weapon to boot. The Council recognizes this and instead of getting him the, you know, counseling needed to deal with that life long trauma, they saddled Anakin with a Padawan who is just as precocious as he was. Now, don’t misunderstand me. Ahsoka was good for Anakin. She forced him to mature and become more than just “The Chosen One.” Dude had to set an example for his kid sister and he did just that. But then she walked away from all of that Jedi nonsense, disillusioned and conflicted, much like her Master. He tried to get her to stay, pleading with her on behalf of the Council, but if we’re being honest, that was just Anakin trying to convince himself that Ahsoka wasn’t right to leave. That was Anakin trying to convince himself to stay in the Order. That Dooku wasn’t right. That Palpatine wasn’t right. The brainwashing didn’t take. He was too old. The trials were skipped. He wasn’t tested. Anakin Skywalker, the slave plucked from the Syndicate planet, Tatooine, thrust into the world of space wizards, political espionage, backdoor dealings, and war, at the age of eleven. Expected to be some grand savior of a cosmic unknown, never fully trusted or accepted by his peers. He was rejected by his heroes, had his father figured killed by a maniac, and then became a glorified goon for a Republic that had no qualms with sending people to die over trade tariffs. And you wonder why he fell.

We didn't get to seem eleven year old Anakin on missions. We didn't get to see teenage Anakin slaughtering across the galaxy in the name of keeping the Republic's definition of peace. There isn't a movie for that. But I did see a teenage Ahsoka, standing next to her adult Master, in the middle of an active battlefield and that f*cked me up. She was a child. A teenager, sure, but a child nonetheless. And Anakin was even younger than that! Seriously, let's not mince words here, Anakin Skywalker has been in the field with Obi-Wan Kenobi since he was probably twelve or thirteen years old. It's canon that Anakin is one of the best duelists in history. You don't get that food from practice. You get that good practically, out of necessity. That's how Ahsoka became as skilled as she did and Anakin is even moreso. If the two mirror each other, as they very obviously do, that means Sky Guy was just as honed and sharpened to be a soldier, as Tano was. Only Anakin was honest about it to his Padawan where as Obi-Wan, and the greater Jedi Order, were not. They sold Anakin a lie, preyed on his youth and immaturity, ignore his pain and vulnerability, then went full shocked Pikachu when he turned up to slaughter all of the Younglings. Like, What the f*ck did you expect to happen? You turned the most powerful Jedi to ever live, a slave for the first decade of his life, and instead of showing this kid compassion and patience, you thrust him into a cold war as an enforcer for ideals he can't possibly understand. You let his mom die, tell him he can't love his wife, and chase away his little sister even after proving her innocence. Anakin had a choice, of course. We all do. But, if we're being honest, from his perspective, knowing the life he has led, how is the Jedi Council any better than Palpatine's Galactic Empire? What;s the difference between a absolutist regime who sends children to the front lines of war “in the name of peace”and an intergalactic fascists state?

[xaracosmia]

ꕥ — WELCOME TO EXO COSMIA, ANAKIN SKYWALKER. 🌑

ꕥ — OOC INFORMATION;

name / alias: sonica! age: 25! pronouns: she/her ooc contact: kagemiyas on twt other characters in xc: aqua

ꕥ — IC INFORMATION;

name: anakin skywalker age: 23 pronouns: he/him series: star wars ( including the clone wars animated show ) canon point: post order 66, pre confrontation on mufastar

app triggers: child soldiers, child death, genocide, murder, enslavement, war

personality:

emboldened by his natural talents and ironically dubbed the hero with no fear, anakin skywalker is best known for his cocky, reckless, restless, willful, and cavalier behaviors. confident and bold, he has no need for subtlety, and often disobeyed orders in favor of his own ways of dealing with problems. his relentless determination was rivaled by none — except perhaps by that of his padawan!

despite the fratboy disease, anakin is equally selfless as he is selfish, evident in his willingness to lay down his life for others and the commitment he shows to things greater than himself, like the jedi, the republic, his friends, the 501st legion, and most importantly, his wife! however, it’s his big bleeding heart that leads him down the path towards the dark side; anakin has an incredible inability to let go of his past, heightened by his fear of losing loved ones, and his devotion can border on possessive, overprotective, and jealous tendencies. easy to anger, quick to trust, and able to justify all of his actions, his fall from grace is a trainwreck you can’t look away from.

something your muse struggles with: attachment

your muse’s greatest strength: loyalty to a fault

history / background:

born on tatooine to shmi skywalker, anakin spends his early childhood building droids in a mechanic shop, podracing, and caring for his mother until he’s discovered as ‘the chosen one’ by jedi knight qui-gon jinn. ( slavery mention ) anakin goes on to win enough credits as the victor of a major podracing match to free himself to become a jedi under qui-gon’s wing; however, he’s extremely distressed to leave his mother enslaved, in spite of her wishes for anakin to seek a better life. at age 9, he vows to one day return as a jedi and free his mother.

upon qui-gon’s death at the hands of darth maul, obiwan kenobi fulfills his master’s wishes and takes on anakin as his apprentice. anakin’s exceptional skills grew into unwavering sense of confidence under obiwan, as did his attachment to his master — living a life apart from his mother and freshly losing qui-gon, anakin spent his first year as a padawan one step behind obiwan at all times, going as far as sleeping on the floor besides him to ensure his master would never leave.

ten years later, anakin and padme are reunited on coruscant after an assassination attempt was made on the monarch-turned-senator of naboo, prompting the jedi counccil to dispatch anakin and obiwan as her protectors for the time being. it’s on his very first solo mission of safeguarding padme on naboo where anakin begins to chafe against his duties as a jedi and who he is; though he and padme swiftly fall in love, padme refuses him in the name of their career paths. at the same time, anakin is troubled by visions of his mother suffering, which leads the two to back to tatooine where it’s revealed shmi has been abducted and likely dead. when anakin finally finds her in a tusken camp, she dies shortly after their reunion, and his grief and rage causes him to slaughter the entire village. he never reveals this to anyone.

the death of shmi skywalker sows the very first seeds of anakin’s decline — in vowing to become so powerful in the force to prevent his loved ones from dying, anakin begins his path towards the dark side.

the next step in his fall is definitely his secret marriage to padme amidala on naboo in between the events of attack of the clones and the clone wars!

during the early days of the clone wars, anakin serves as a jedi general in the grand army of the republic, commanding the clone troopers of the elite 501st Legion against the confederacy of independent systems. after receiving his knighthood, anakin is given his own padawan, ahsoka tano!!! he’s very resistant to the idea of an apprentice at first, but predictably, he forms another deep attachment to his padawan by the end of the clone wars.

the deteriorating faith in the jedi council and his responsibilities as a jedi knight causes anakin to retreat from all allies into the folds of chancellor palpatine (aka darth sidious). not only does anakin receive orders in direct opposition to jedi code and his loyalty to palpating, he’s tormented by nightmares of losing his loved ones by death and betrayal. it is only when anakin is backed into a corner that such fears become self fulfilling prophecy — the galaxy is plunged into darkness by his delusions of grandeur. to anakin, he sincerely believes he can single-handedly bring about and maintain peace through an iron will. to everyone with eyes and ears, he secures the final victory needed for palpating’s long awaited plan for power and domination.

we next find him on the planet of mufastar, slaughtering the separatist council before meeting with padme and obiwan for the last time.

powers / abilities:

force powers

*telekinesis —* to move or otherwise manipulate objects using only an application of the force.

*mind tricks* — to influence the thoughts and actions of another individual, often to the user's advantage. notably only works on weak or weakened minds. includes *****************mind probing,***************** which is the ability to search through weak minds.

*force choke* — read the tin. includes twisting, crushing, and snapping.

inherent abilities:

- force sensitivity — force sensitive people can consciously sense the force (defined as an energy field created by all life that connected everything in the universe) in all organic lifeforms. it can be used to feel another being's feelings, the future, ripples in the Force caused by momentous or traumatic events, impending danger and the presence of the dark side.

most notably, the force augments anakin’s natural athleticism, allowing for speed, coordination, resistance to harm, and acrobatic maneuvers beyond natural limits, and minor acts of precognition, often taking form in the ability to determine what lay ahead in the immediate future.

items / weapons:

R2D2 — anakin’s sidekick droid that could take over the galaxy if it wanted

lightsaber — an elegant weapon for a more civilized age (laser sword)

replacement robotic arm

starting ability: telekinesis starting item: NOTHING

extra:

great aptitude for piloting, mechanics, and engineering

midi-chlorians are not real

do not approach me about the sequel trilogy for our collective safety

discord: anakinamidala

[smokeybrand]

Incorrect

Pardon this deluge of Star Wars content but Ahsoka has me reeling. Episode five really recontextualized so much about the Clone Wars (and the prequels, themselves), it’s incredibly difficult not to reexamine my previous perceptions of that part of the mythos. The realization that the Jedi Order effectively sent children to their deaths, that they gave actual teenagers command of entire clone units, is absolutely horrifying to properly understand. Sure, when it’s a cartoon, it’s all in good fun. But seeing all that carnage in live action, teenage Ahsoka standing there next to Hayden’s Anakin? That was a lot. The realization that Ahsoka Tano, one of the most powerful Jedi, trained by THE most powerful Jedi, is little more than a weapon to be used for some Republic trade dispute, is so goddamn bleak, I can’t stand it. Coming to terms with the sheer brutality thrust upon Tano, and every other Padawan at the time, is something which has skewed the very morality of the Jedi for me. I can’t see these cats as the “good guys” anymore. How can they be? The Jedi Council committed war crimes! Like, they’re no better than the Sith in that regard and that’s so weird to say out loud. I grew up with the OG trilogy so, for me, there was a stark delineation between Jedi and Sith. Luke and Obi-Wan were Jedi. Upstanding, wise, and compassionate. Good guys. Vader and Palpatine were Sith; Straight up space fascists with anger problems and a mean-streak that could destroy planets. Bad guys. There was a quaint black and white to the dynamic of the galaxy far, far, away. After that episode of Ahsoka, the child soldier thing paints the Jedi just as atrocious. Sending children to die strictly for Republic interests, is the worst kind of imperialism. It’s staggering to me that more people don’t see that. If the Jedi judged sending children to war morally correct, how can you trust that judgment? How can you not question every choice they ever made? Hoe can you not question their treatment of Anakin?

Anakin mentioned to Ahsoka that he was trained to be a peacekeeper but was he really? I mean, Obi-wan probably did his best to bring the kid up properly but let’s be honest; That was a losing fight. Qui-Gon plucked Anakin from a planet where he spent the first eleven years of his life as a proper slave. No one knows what little Annie endured during that time. Tatooine was a hellscape of violence and depravity, ruled over by the Hutts. This crime family had free range on that planet, a fact the Republic turned a blind eye toward until they needed an alliance against the Trade Federation. How f*cked up is that? Anakin wanted off of that world so bad, he wanted to be free, and he believed from the bottom of his heart, that the Jedi would deliver he and his mother from bondage. But, when Jedi actually show up, it’s not as liberators but as middlemen. F*cking negotiators on behalf of the government, trying to cut a deal with the crime boss who allowed the cruelty of slavery to ensnare Anakin. On a whim, he catches Qui-Gon's interest and they take Anakin. Alone. They left his mother in bondage and at the mercy of that debauched world. They don't even send anyone for her because that's not the Jedi way. Emotional attachments lead to the Dark Side, so sayeth the wise and moral Jedi Code.

They fly to Courasant on the promise Anakin will become a Jedi, himself, probably in hopes of gaining enough power to free his still enslaved mother, only to be dismissed as too old by the Council. Because he was too old for the indoctrination. Those first eleven years of a Jedi’s “training” are for severing the emotional bonds which make you human. It’s for “teaching” you how to suppress your emotions because, again, according to the Jedi, emotions are bad. Anakin, already wildly powerful in the Force, couldn’t be brainwashed into a Jedi zombie because that ship had chronologically sailed. He knew his mother. He was very attached to her. He was quietly crushing on Padme. It was far too late to install those mental blocks of control. But, Qui-Gon being Qui-Gon, opted to train Annie anyway. Until he was murdered by a Sith Lord the Council refused to acknowledge as real. So it fell on Obi-Wan to do the job, even though there was a very strong chance that the eleven year old Anakin was just as powerful as he was. Kid was set in his ways and probably wildly traumatized from a life of bondage. Doesn’t help that, during a crucial time in his adolescent life, a f*cking cold war started and Anakin spent his teenage years “peace keeping” throughout the galaxy at the behest of the Republic; Not at all the enforcers for a government so corrupt, an entire Sith Lord had risen through its ranks like it was nothing.

A decade of this sh*t later and Anakin gets promoted to Jedi Knight out of reluctant desperation, forgoing the actual trials necessary to test the mettle of his character, because the cold war he grew up in got real hot, real fast. So now he’s one of the preeminent muscle men of the Republic and, arguably, their best weapon to boot. The Council recognizes this and instead of getting him the, you know, counseling needed to deal with that life long trauma, they saddled Anakin with a Padawan who is just as precocious as he was. Now, don’t misunderstand me. Ahsoka was good for Anakin. She forced him to mature and become more than just “The Chosen One.” Dude had to set an example for his kid sister and he did just that. But then she walked away from all of that Jedi nonsense, disillusioned and conflicted, much like her Master. He tried to get her to stay, pleading with her on behalf of the Council, but if we’re being honest, that was just Anakin trying to convince himself that Ahsoka wasn’t right to leave. That was Anakin trying to convince himself to stay in the Order. That Dooku wasn’t right. That Palpatine wasn’t right. The brainwashing didn’t take. He was too old. The trials were skipped. He wasn’t tested. Anakin Skywalker, the slave plucked from the Syndicate planet, Tatooine, thrust into the world of space wizards, political espionage, backdoor dealings, and war, at the age of eleven. Expected to be some grand savior of a cosmic unknown, never fully trusted or accepted by his peers. He was rejected by his heroes, had his father figured killed by a maniac, and then became a glorified goon for a Republic that had no qualms with sending people to die over trade tariffs. And you wonder why he fell.

We didn't get to seem eleven year old Anakin on missions. We didn't get to see teenage Anakin slaughtering across the galaxy in the name of keeping the Republic's definition of peace. There isn't a movie for that. But I did see a teenage Ahsoka, standing next to her adult Master, in the middle of an active battlefield and that f*cked me up. She was a child. A teenager, sure, but a child nonetheless. And Anakin was even younger than that! Seriously, let's not mince words here, Anakin Skywalker has been in the field with Obi-Wan Kenobi since he was probably twelve or thirteen years old. It's canon that Anakin is one of the best duelists in history. You don't get that food from practice. You get that good practically, out of necessity. That's how Ahsoka became as skilled as she did and Anakin is even moreso. If the two mirror each other, as they very obviously do, that means Sky Guy was just as honed and sharpened to be a soldier, as Tano was. Only Anakin was honest about it to his Padawan where as Obi-Wan, and the greater Jedi Order, were not. They sold Anakin a lie, preyed on his youth and immaturity, ignore his pain and vulnerability, then went full shocked Pikachu when he turned up to slaughter all of the Younglings. Like, What the f*ck did you expect to happen? You turned the most powerful Jedi to ever live, a slave for the first decade of his life, and instead of showing this kid compassion and patience, you thrust him into a cold war as an enforcer for ideals he can't possibly understand. You let his mom die, tell him he can't love his wife, and chase away his little sister even after proving her innocence. Anakin had a choice, of course. We all do. But, if we're being honest, from his perspective, knowing the life he has led, how is the Jedi Council any better than Palpatine's Galactic Empire? What;s the difference between a absolutist regime who sends children to the front lines of war “in the name of peace”and an intergalactic fascists state?

[siennahrobek]

Prompt

In a new attempt to turn Anakin Skywalker to the darkside, Chancellor Palpatine orchestrates the disappearances of heavily pregnant Padme Amidala and Master Councilor Obi-Wan Kenobi. It backfired.

Nobody really won.

It had been ten years.

Knight Anakin Skywalker and Knight Ahsoka Tano were sent to a distress call far out in the outer rim, almost in wild space. Anakin didn’t mind the long journey. His former padawan was good company and sometimes, sometimes, it was nice to get away from the Temple for a while. Away from the sympathetic and pitying stares and lingering theories or rumors.

Things hadn’t been the same for many reasons.

Ten years ago, the two most important people in Anakin’s life disappeared, the man who raised him and his heavily pregnant wife. Eight years ago, they had found what was left of her body. Five years ago, the Order declared Master Kenobi one with the Force.

Anakin never truly stopped looking, but he was becoming dim in ability and stamina. It had been so long and there were no leads to follow. No trace or evidence of his old masters presence anyway. Nowadays, it was pretty much just research and keeping an eye out for anything that vaguely resembled him. He was trying to have the life Obi-Wan always wanted for him, balance and happiness. He tried to connect with others, with Jedi. He spent quite a bit of time mediating, walking the gardens, helping as many as he could throughout the galaxy. He was a good Jedi, he thought, at least on the outside. He was working on the inside. He had a jedi’s life.

It was all he had now. And he would do his best to make Obi-Wan proud.

But being happy, truly happy, Anakin wasn’t sure if he could truly achieve it anymore. Being balanced with that type of hole in your heart, it was difficult. He could accept loss better now; there was no stopping that sort of thing. When it was one’s time to leave the planes of this galaxy for the Force, it was something to rejoice. It was supposed to be home. It wasn’t so easy when there were no answers.

Ahsoka had been knighted several years earlier and Anakin could not have been more proud. Her friends had been there, had congratulated her and she was happy, he had to believe that. But even she missed the presence of another who should have been there. Obi-Wan would have wanted to be there, to witness such a great occasion. They did their best and afterwards, they had a good time, were happy with the rank that came with her knighthood. It wasn’t that either of them were mourning during the time. It was just, they could feel the missing piece. It has been a few years but lately, they had found themselves partnered up quite frequently for missions. He hoped Ahsoka didn’t mind too much but there was never going to be an easy way out of this. Around it. Because this was the type of thing he and Obi-Wan did. They were the Team. They did everything together, even after knighthood.

The Council was trying, he gave them that.

He didn’t know if it really helped, though. It was nice, though, that they cared. They kept an eye on him. Years before, he would have read that as they didn’t trust him. It took him a very, very long time to realize that wasn’t always the case. And partnering him up with someone he was close to, someone he trusted above most else, it was some way of caring. He still struggled with those thoughts, even years later, but he was easier now.

The mystery however, was not any easier. There was an abysmal void where his loved ones should have been. A tear in his heart from the mystery. The lack of answers. He still found himself grieving for Padme but it was easier now. Although no one was entirely sure exactly what had happened to her, at least they had found a body, they had a storyline about what had happened and how it happened. It wasn’t sometime Anakin liked to think about particularly, but it was easier to grieve knowing. She was gone and eventually, he had accepted that. Let go, so to speak. She was with the Force and Anakin could feel her in some of the things he did, some of the objects and people and actions he witnessed and saw. There was grief, but there was also knowing.

The same could not be said for Obi-Wan.

No one knew what happened to him. There were no clues, no evidence. He had disappeared one day, alongside Padme and no one ever could figure out how it happened or why or anything. Although they had found a body for her, they never did for him. Not even a glimmer of anything.

Some darker rumors, cynical beings, spread that he had abandoned the Order. That the war had made him go mad. That he had kidnapped the senator or worse, was the one who slaughtered her. Anakin had quickly put a stop to it. Everyone had felt it the moment he knew about these ideas and theories, diminishing and tarnishing Obi-Wan’s name that was atrocious. He was not the only one who felt this way, but he was the strongest and most determined and the most furious…

No one said anything now.

No one dared.

The Jedi kept him in high honors. He was mentioned in classes, with his thoughts and theories on the Force, his research on all the things he loved to learn; animals, plants, cultures, languages. His strategies from the war were taught. His negotiation fame was spread; everyone knew the stories of the Negotiator. He wasn’t just a war hero. He was a Jedi, and a great one at that. His faith in the Order, his faith in people, his faith in the Force, was incredible and Anakin hadn’t really come to realize how that was until years after.

Obi-Wan loved in such a way that Anakin hadn’t understood since he was a child. He wished that he could talk with him one more time, just to show his old master that he was right, that Anakin was okay. That Anakin knew how much Obi-Wan Kenobi loved him.

That Anakin was doing his very best to be the Jedi and person he knew he could be.

The clones continued to think of him; believe the best in their General Kenobi. They always had liked him. He was a high general, one that appreciated and valued their input and their lives. He was their finder, all the cadets – former and current – had been told the stories about how he found them like a true Jedi searcher. Even if it was by accident, it had jumpstarted their journey into being free. He had worked to help and protect them alongside other council members and the few politicians who saw them more as canon fodder. It amazed Anakin how long and intense the memories of the former soldiers were because he was still brought up.

Cody and a lot of the 212th had taken it hard; harder that most of the rest of the military. He was their direct general, someone they followed personally up until the very end of the war. Some of them had been friends, even. They had helped Anakin search for a long time, but it was getting harder for them. They had jobs now, they had to start lives, be citizens. Things were expected of them, like for some reason, they had to catch up to the rest of the citizens. It was a struggle and a fight but luckily, they did have allies for assistance.

Many clones got adopted into or employed at the Temple. There weren’t many force-sensitive ones, none enough that they would have made an actual Jedi knight, but the Order was loyal to them as they had been to the Jedi. Many troopers filled in other roles, of teachers, sparring partners, cooks, guards, and researchers. Waxer and Boil had made it from being aides to a creche master to being crèche masters themselves, with leading their own clan of initiates.

Obi-Wan would have loved that.

“Coming up to origin of signal,” Ahsoka announced from the pilot’s seat, flipping a few switches as she began the sequence for landing and attachment. In the middle of nowhere, Anakin noted. There wasn’t a planet near here, in sight or on the scanners. He wondered how they even got out here. Hopefully this wasn��t a mortis situation all over again. He did not want to deal with something like that again. The ship in front of them was small and broken down, floating aimlessly in the abyss of space.

He doubted anyone survived.

“You never know, master,” Ahsoka tried to keep herself upbeat as she shot him a grin, sharp teeth showing unabashedly. “Perhaps we will be pleasantly surprised,” she suggested with a bit of a shrug. The ship had made a thud as it hit the abandoned one and the latches untangled themselves to strike into the hull of the ship.

Oh. He had said that out loud. Oops.

“Latch engaged,” she added and turned to smile at him, tentatively once again. “Come on master. Let’s see what adventure awaits us.”

“I’m no longer your master, Ahsoka,” he reminded her, idly.

She shrugged once more. “Right,” she replied with a small smirk, her voice laced with sarcasm. It was practically oozing out of her. She remained him of his former master sometimes, with her humor and quick wit. With a mischievous side eye, she continued, slyly. “Let’s go, master.”

Anakin rolled his eyes and followed her out, making their way through their ship’s hatch and towards the abandoned one. He still didn’t think that anyone survived but this was their duty. And the calm silence of their journey and the nature of the mission was a bit of a relief from the fast-paced ones that he was normally sent on. Usually, it was a good way to keep his mind off of everything else. This was a nice reprieve.

As the two of them got into the derelict ship, Anakin started talking and he had absolutely no idea where it came from. It was like his mouth had started moving and his brain had not given it permission. “I’m sorry, Ahsoka.”

She glanced at him, curiously. “What for?”

He couldn’t quite meet her eyes, as they waved a flashlight around, searching the cockpit for life or anything else that could give them an idea into what had happened and who may have been there. “I know I haven’t really been…the same since…”

“Since Padme and Master Obi-Wan disappeared,” she supplied with a frown. It had been ten years since it happened and several years since she had been knighted and she still remembered. It was almost always the reason.

He nodded and swallowed heavily. “I…I got through Padme, to some extent at least. I knew what happened to her. But Obi-Wan…I still wonder.”

“Wonder…?”

“What happened. I know everyone says he wouldn’t leave me, not like that but…” he drifted off, looking down, his light flickering towards the floor, near useless. “I was a pretty terrible person around the time he disappeared, unbalanced and in a bad place. Listening to the wrong people, making terrible choices,” Anakin shuddered at the thought of what Palpatine nearly got him to do in his desperation and fury. It had been a dreadful time and everyone else had nearly paid the price for his mistakes, for his foolishness. Ten thousand Jedi, millions of the clones, all the people in the galaxy. He feared now what would have happened if he had not been pulled from the edge, if he had made that leap into the dark side, into the fear and anger and hate. “Perhaps…. maybe it was just too much for even the great and infinitely patient Master Kenobi.”

Ahsoka scoffed good-naturedly as she rolled her eyes, finding the sliver of humor to work through. “One, Master Obi-Wan was not infinitely patient,” she pointed out, glancing at him pointedly. She wasn’t completely wrong. Obi-Wan had a lot of patience but even he had his limits, generally with those he didn’t care for. His patience with Anakin though, that was legendary. Not that he would ever really admit that. “And two, they are right. He would never leave you out of choice. I mean come on. Master Obi-Wan.”

“Yeah. You’re probably right,” he replied half-heartedly and tried shooting her a smile. It wasn’t very convincing, but it was all he had at the moment. After a suggestion of splitting up, the two of them went to opposite ends of the ship, Anakin towards the living quarters and Ahsoka towards the cargo bay. Perhaps Anakin could find some clues with the former inhabitant’s belongings or Ahsoka with whatever they were travelling with.

It was a bust. There was very little there, aside from some blankets. Anakin imagined there were a couple of people stuffed within the quarters, perhaps a man and a child or two, with the toys he found. There were some handmade wooden carved ship toys laying on the bed and Anakin picked one up. It was a Jedi star fighter, he realized. It wasn’t the most amazing rendition of the ship, but he was probably a little bias, considering he had not only flown one of these during the war, he still had one.

What was really interesting about it was the feelings imbued with it. The signature felt familiar, like he should know it, but it was weak. Whoever made this toy was filled with so much love, for the recipient, for those in general, that he cascaded off the toy in waves.

He wondered if the former inhabitant had been force sensitive. It might explain the feelings in the ship and the toys, especially.

“I don’t see anything!” Ahsoka shouted from the opposite end of the ship. He could hear her just fine, even though she was on the other end, but Anakin was still a bit entranced with the toy and the feelings coming off of it. “You?”

There was a brief silence and a clatter. Not big enough to be her body but it had sounded like she had dropped her flashlight.

Anakin glanced back towards where she had headed. He couldn’t see her but it was more instinctive than anything. “Ahsoka?”

Silence.

“Ahsoka?! Answer me?” Anakin started to panic, his heart beating faster and faster as he moved towards the door, calling her name.

She sounded scared and small, like back in the early days of the war and casualties were high. When she was worried about those she cared about, troopers, jedi, citizens. She sounded like she was in tears. Anakin couldn’t really remember a specific time where had sounded so fearful, so worried, so sad. Not in a way that was as blatant as this. “Skyguy?” Her voice called out. That was a name he hadn’t heard in a while. “You…you have to come see this.”

Anakin raced across the ship, panicked, and leaping over crates and objects. She didn’t make it sound like she was in danger, and she didn’t appear to be, but he didn’t stop until he was right next to Ahsoka. He had nearly crashed into it. She was standing in front of a large gray slab, some kind of relief sculpture of some kind. At least, that was what it looked like, although he hadn’t gotten a very good look at it. His attention was on Ahsoka. But he could tell what it was made out of. He had never seen such a large slab of carbonite before.

“What is it?”

She was crying, he could see a multitude of silent tears. They were running down her face in a cascade and although he couldn’t hear them, he could almost hear her sobs in the Force. But she just pointed up and Anakin followed her hand and gaze.

The face was distorted, like it had been looking down when the carbonite had been applied. The slab was huge and only made bigger by the cloak the figure wore. It was sweeping and wide, like he was trying to cover, hide or protect large objects underneath. Possibly, he was. But even with the odd, defensive pose and the face not looking straight on, even after ten years, Anakin knew that face.

He always knew that face.

Frozen in carbonite.

Obi-Wan Kenobi.

[evabellasworld]

Storm of the Republic

Chapter 6

AO3 Link | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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Summary:  When Tup murdered General Tiplar during a battle, Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex dispatched Ahsoka, Fives, and Yara to solve the mystery that was plaguing the Clone Army. Meanwhile, Senator Padme Amidala contacted Commander Fox, Commander Tori, Riyo Chuchi, and Dipper to help her continue investigating the death of Palpatine, suspecting that Dooku was behind the evil plot. But when Dooku send an ISB agent to stop them, the team had to race against time to search for the truth, which could alter the course of the galaxy.

————————————————————————————

Arriving at the medical base, Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex, Fives, Yara, and Tiplee entered the room where they were greeted by Kix, who was watching over Tup’s condition.

“Fives, Yara, what’s happening to me?” Yup asked, realising that he was strapped to his bed.

Fives and Yara exchanged a brief glance with each other as they focused on Tup. “You don’t remember?” the former raised his eyebrows.

“No,” he denied, unsure of what he meant.

“You murdered General Tiplar,” Yara told him the truth, much to his surprise.

“What? No, that’s not possible,” Tup shook his head, as he tried to wriggle free from his current position. “I would never, I could never…”

“Tup, you did,” Fives grabbed his hand, stopping him. He wished it never happened, but unfortunately, there was nothing he or Yara could do to change the past.

“I don’t, I don’t understand,” he expressed his agitation, prompting the medical droid to reach for a syringe beside him. “How could this happen? What’s happening to me, Fives?”

His body was jittering as the medical droid injected the syringe on the right side of his neck, causing him to scream for help three times until his pulse level decreased. Yara looked at her younger brother, crushed by his conditions.

She had never seen him like this before. Usually, Tup was shy and quiet, but he put on a brave face and fared well in battle. The closest thing Yara had seen to Tup’s fearful face was on Umbara, where he was struggling to execute her, along with Fives and Jessy.

Poor Tup, she pitied him. I’ve never seen him like this before.

“What do you think happened?” Rex raised the question to Anakin, who was rubbing the back of his head.

“I wish I knew,” Ahsoka hoped for answers.

He turned to Kix, who was holding a datapad. “Did you check all of his scans?”

“Well, all of his scans are clear,” Kix answered his general. “As far as I can tell, this is combat-related stress. It seems he’s had some sort of breakdown.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” Yara slapped her forehead, hearing that from an experienced medic. “Combat-related stress? Is that what you came up with?”

Rex couldn’t believe it either. “Kix, you should know better. We were designed to withstand any stress.”

“I agree,” Fives chimed in, shifting his focus towards them. “He doesn’t seem to remember what happened. It’s like he’s sick, or drugged.”

“Well, it could be a virus, a toxin,” Kix shrugged, speculating about the potential cause of Tup’s odd behaviour. “I can’t be certain.”

Looking at Tup, who was dozed off, Anakin gestured to his team towards the exit. “Let’s talk outside.”

“Yes, master,” Ahsoka acknowledged, as they headed outside the medical bay. As Fives was the last to walk out of the room, the door hissed behind him, prompting Anakin to continue with what he wanted to say back then.

“You mean the enemy could have made him do this?”

“It’s a possibility,” Tiplee shrugged. “There have been rumors that the Empire has been trying to develop an anti-clone virus, biological warfare.”

“It could be possible,” Yara said. “That could explain why Tup killed Master Tiplar on the battlefield.”

“Listen,” Kix calmed them down. “We aren’t equipped for this type of situation. He’ll have to be taken back to Kamino. Only then, you will have your answers.”

Ahsoka shook her head in disagreement. “The Empire shut down the cloning facility on Kamino. Going there wouldn’t be the best idea.”

“I agree with Commander Tano,” Yara acknowledged. “For all we know, the Empire would ambush us there.”

Anakin groaned, figuring out a better solution for Tup. Both of them made a good point. Since he suspected the Empire was behind all of this, it would make perfect sense if they found an alternative treatment for his men instead.

As the Jedi pondered, he thought about Jedi Healer Cinta Kaarim back at base, who could treat her patient. Before that, she helped Commander Tori’s child, Frieda, with her speech therapy and also assisted Obi-Wan with a stomach bug as well. Master Kaarim is our only hope right now.

“I have an idea,” Anakin spoke. “And it’s a superb one.”

“It better be,” Ahsoka crossed her arms, knowing that her master’s plan worked half the time.

“Trust me, Snips, it’s a good idea this time,” he assured his Padawan, placing his hand on her shoulder. “We could send Tup back to base instead. Master Kaarim can handle it from there.”

She smiled at him. “I have to admit, that is a good idea. Besides, Master Kaarim is the only medical doctor we can trust right now.”

Kix nodded in unison with General Skywalker’s solution. “Alright, we’ll send Tup back to base and hopefully, we’ll get answers from there.”

“Can Yara and I come along?” Fives volunteered. “Tup is our friend, and right now, he needs someone to watch his back.”

Anakin and Ahsoka glanced at Rex, who then let out an exhale. “Alright, but everything must be done by the book,” Rex stated. “You both need to stay by his side at all times. I don’t want anymore slip-ups.”

“Yes, sir,” saluted Yara. “We won’t let you down.”

***

Marching through the base, Tori held Frieda as the little girl's eyes wandered around, looking at the Republic soldiers working around the base. Some of them were refuelling their ships for the next battle, while others were walking in and out of the base, reporting their status to their superiors.

“Mama, look,” the child pointed at the Jedi Cruiser hovering above them, making Tori’s lips curled upward.

“That’s a ship up there,” she described to her. “It’s protecting us from the bad guys.”

Hopefully, it’s protecting us, Tori fancied, not wanting Frieda to succumb to cynicism like her.

Tori never felt alone since the Battle of Coruscant. No matter how much she fought in every battle, the galaxy turned their backs on them. No one is coming to save the tide of the war. They had to rely on each other for support instead.

So far, with General Arin Sallis leading the 101st Battalion, their luck seemed to improve. Being an experienced soldier, Arin has proven herself to be an effective leader towards her troops. Despite her strictness, Arin has a soft spot for the clones and children, which shows in her attitude.

Odd Eye could also say the same towards her new general, Erina Almarez-Guttierez. Unlike Arin, however, Erina was temperate and calm, just like how Erhan was. Her partner, General Raul Antonio Gomez, who led the 197th Battalion, was supportive, which depicted the relationship between the two battalions.

The Coruscant Guard is entrusted under the care of Marshal Commander Fox himself, with supervision from General Nara Brinks, who worked for the Galactic Republic long before Palpatine was in office.

Though Nara was hard, Fox got along with his new boss well. She was straightforward with her command and cared about the clones under her wings. As he entered the main headquarters, the elderly Palliduvan woman greeted him with a grandmotherly smile on her face, making Fox feel at ease.

“How’s my favourite commander doing?” she asked him, giving him a hug. “I hope you have plenty of rest for yourself.”

”I’ve rested in an adequate amount, sir,” he said honestly. “Thank you very much.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Riyo spoke, much to Fox’s delight. “He tends to overwork himself too much.”

“You know what they say, old habits die hard,” he teased her, gazing at her with loving eyes. “But what’s this all about, anyway?”

“We intercepted a call from Coruscant,” Arin stepped out of the shadow, her hands guarded behind her. Tori straightened her posture and gave her a salute in respect.

“General Sallis, to what do I owe you for my pleasure?”

The red half-Twi’lek glanced at Frieda and shook her little hands. “Hello darling, how are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Frieda said, making her beam with joy.

“Anyway,” the general cleared her throat, shifting her focus towards Fox. “Senator Amidala had reached out to us through a secure line. It appears she had requested for Commander Fox’s help.”

Fox’s eyes widened when he heard Padmé’s name mentioned in the briefing, switching him into bodyguard mode. “Senator Amidala had tried to contact me? Is she alright, General? Is she safe?”

“She is, Fox,” Erina comforted him. “But it won’t be long before the Empire finds out. I will play the message for you.”

Gesturing to Arin and Nara, the hijabi woman played the message, though the Naboo senator’s face was not visible. “Commander Fox, if you’ve received this message, then my life is in danger,” Padmé relayed. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time in our hands. Ever since Count Dooku had taken control of the Senate, he had been restricting our rights to exercise as a citizen of the Galactic Empire, including the freedom of speech.”

“With the Chancellor gone, his death has been covered up by the current administration. He promised he will be transparent about the case, but so far, there was nothing mentioned about it so far. There are senators demanding answers on Palpatine’s death, but all Dooku did was to deprive them of their voices.”

“Commander Fox, as someone who was in charge of the case, I need you to return to Coruscant and help me find the murderer of Chancellor Palpatine. The clues that you have found would be useful to connect the dots. This investigation is the only way to defeat Dooku and end this war as soon as possible. Padmé, out.”

As the transmission ended, Fox blinked twice as he tried to process her speech. This is insane, he thought. I have to return to Coruscant to continue the investigation? This is suicide.

“Well, that was intense,” Tori expressed her opinion. “I mean, what are the odds that Foxy has to return to Coruscant undetected?”

“He won’t be alone,” Riyo said. “I’ll be accompanying him on his trip to Coruscant. He needs all the help he can get.”

“Riyo, you shouldn’t-”

“Padmé is my friend, and I’m willing to risk it to help her out. Besides, we can get her out of Coruscant. It’s safer here.”

Fox relented to her determination, knowing that there was nothing he could do to convince her otherwise.

“Tori and Dipper will also join you as well,” Arin disclosed, leaving Fox rolling his eyes in despair.”

“Is that really necessary? I can just take Thire and Hyewon with me instead.”

“They have proven themselves useful before,” Nara defended her choice. “Besides, I’m dispatching the rest of the Coruscant Guard on Hucora with the 212th, 197th, and 666th.”

”So that’s where we’re going,” Odd Eye spoke, crossing her arms.

“Mina, Cody, Raul, and General Kenobi will be here soon,” Erina noted. “They’re currently on an errand.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I guess I’ll tell Dipper everything after this,” Tori shrugged. “So, what’s the plan for getting there?”

“You will be disguised in your civilian attire,” Arin briefed them. “Once you arrive on Coruscant, any form of long-range communication will be cut off.”

“So we’re on our own?” Riyo raised her doubt.

“Unfortunately, yes, Senator, so you’ll have to stick together and make sure your presence isn’t known by Imperial authorities. If compromised, you’ll have to leave as soon as possible, with or without Senator Amidala. Am I understood?”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Fox replied.

“And don’t trust anyone,” Nara advised. “We don’t want any trouble for all of us.”

“I understand, generals,” Tori responded.

[annoyedfanfiction]

Callida

(6) obi-wan x reader

He lit his lightsaber in a trembling hand. “General, you shouldn’t be standing,” the medic scolded, even as the troops circled around him. The mighty 212th, reduced to tatters. “I won’t be for long,” Obi-Wan assured him, stepping up to Cody’s side. A troop carrier whirred overhead, and suddenly there was the 501st. The bombers. He stumbled back, sank into the sand. Troops rushed passed him, blasters already firing. Then there was Anakin. Ahsoka. “Can you stand?” Anakin was asking, Ahsoka covering them both. “No.” His answer was cut off by your firm response. “He shouldn’t.” Your eyes travelled over his wounds then up to Anakin. “I can heal him, but not here.” Anakin met your gaze, then looked over the battlefield. “You can carry him?” he asked, turning back to you. You nodded, easily, carefully jostling Obi-Wan into your arms. He was too tired to protest. “Snips, cover them to the ship.” Ahsoka nodded, once, and you stood, racing across the sand, Ahsoka deflecting blaster fire behind you, as though she was a veteran soldier and not just a child thrown onto a battlefield. His eyes faded closed as you entered the ship.

“That was... that was dark transfer,” Ahsoka breathed, as Obi-Wan’s breathing steadied, wounds beginning to heal. You slumped, where you had been kneeling beside him. “On Jedha,” you explained, tiredly, “It is just another part of Force healing. Our five best healers have all mastered it and one of them passed it on to me during my training.” The battle ended and the Clones returned to the ship. Obi-Wan opened his eyes. “She used dark transfer,” Ahsoka blurted out, suddenly snapping out of the blank shock she had been staring at Obi-Wan with after he clicked in front of her face. Obi-Wan’s jaw dropped. “Jedha will not be ruled by the Sith, huh?” Obi-Wan asked, but his eyes didn’t hold any of the harsh judgement he tried for in his voice. “It is not a Sith practice,” you corrected. “On Jedha, it is practiced by our most skilled healers.” His stance relaxed. You didn’t mention that Qui-Gon had obviously elected to keep this from them and the Council.

“How is he?” Anakin and Cody asked at once, appearing at your side. You gestured to him, as Ahsoka robotically helped him sit up. “He should be fully recovered within the hour,” you told them, letting Anakin steady you as you climbed to shaky feet. “But I recommend rest. Not because of his injuries, just because I can see that neither he nor you,” you pointed an accusing finger at Anakin, “Have been sleeping.” “Well, you know,” Anakin began, and you realised you’d let yourself in for trouble as soon as he opened his mouth. “The only way to ensure we rest is to stick around.”  “I should get going,” you disagreed, “It is a long journey to the port before sundown.” “You walked here?” Ahsoka questioned, incredulously. “You’re barely standing,” Obi-Wan pointed out, dryly. “I wouldn’t be inclined to release you into the desert.” “Release? Am I a prisoner now?” you asked, haughtily, even as you leaned on Anakin’s shoulder. “Prisoner of your humanity, perhaps,” Anakin snarked, giving you a light push and watching you flop into a seat beside Ahsoka. “Stay there.” He turned and pointed at Obi-Wan. “You too. Ahsoka, keep an eye on them.” “Why do I have to babysit?” Ahsoka grumbled, folding her arms. “When you are a Jedi Knight, you can run the debrief,” Anakin smirked, repeating the familiar line from his own training. Ahsoka glared at him, then at Obi-Wan, but sank into her seat anyway. “Besides,” Anakin continued, walking away. “You’re not babysitting. You’re ensuring the safety of a Jedi Councillor and the Queen of Jedha.” “Rewording it doesn’t make it more fun, Anakin,” you informed him, leaning back in your seat and closing your eyes. “Just let your Padawan join the fun. I can’t exactly sneak past all of you to get off the ship.” He sighed, but you heard Ahsoka whoop, getting up from behind you and following him out of the makeshift medbay.

Silence settled in around you. Tense, exhausted. “Thank you.” Your eyes flew open at Obi-Wan’s words, staring up at the roof of the ship. “For healing me. And the tip off about the Clones’ chips.” “I couldn’t let you die,” you answered, quietly, still not looking at him. “My health is not your responsibility.” It was intended to sound scolding, you were sure, but there was a tender curiousity behind it. “That is true,” you shrugged, finally looking over to him. “But I have chosen to make it so.” You looked away again. “You have much left to do here, Master Kenobi. The Force is not ready to claim you yet.” “Is it hard?” Obi-Wan asked, after a long pause. “Knowing the Force so well? Jedi are attuned to it, of course. We can use it. But it runs through you – there was never a path for you that was not tied to its whims.” You hummed, thoughtfully. “It is painful, at times. To disagree with it. To know it is taking someone too soon. To know it is killing as many as it saves.” You turned your gaze back to him, with a sad smile. “Though you may not feel it as I do, Master Kenobi, there was never a path for you that did not bring you to the Force and its guidance. Your path lies far deeper in the Force than even you may know.” “That’s ominous,” he muttered, earning a quirk of humour in your smile.

Tags: @treestarrrrrrrr​, requested by @ladylizziesficsaves

[dgcatanisiri]

Yes, it’s that time again.

Welcome to DG’s Listing of Wish These DLC Existed, where I theorize, speculate, and just kinda generally throw ideas at the wall about DLCs for games I love that never happened and never will happen, but damn, I’d like to see them anyway.

Because I have ideas, I can’t get them made as mods, I don’t have time to make them into fic, and they’re never going to happen anyway, so why not put them up in a public place? After all, they’re tie ins to games I have no control over anyway, so it’s not like I’ll ever make money off of them anyway.

A review of the format: There will be a name for the DLC, a brief synopsis, a reference to when this hypothetical DLC would become available/if and when it becomes unavailable, and then an expansion/write up of the ideas going in to them. Some ideas will have more expansion than others, because I’ve just plainly put more thought into them - in a lot of cases, I wrote them down just on the basis of ‘this idea seems pretty cool,’ and then gave them more context later on.

Feedback is welcome! Like an idea? Don’t like an idea? I welcome conversation and interaction on these ideas. Keep it civil, remember that these are just one person’s ideas, we can discuss them. Perhaps you’ll even help inspire a part two for these write ups! Because I do reserve the right to come up with more ideas in the future - these are the ideas that I’ve had to this point, but the whole reason this series exists is because I come up with new ideas for old stories.

Our installment today is the natural follow-up to our last installment. That was Knights of the Old Republic, this is Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. 

Housekeeping matters here are simple: We all know this game shipped in an unfinished state, and mods have been a major step in the way of getting to play this game the way it was intended. So we’re going to assume that the effects of the Restoration Mod are to be considered base game so far as this is concerned. 

There would likely be other ways of cleaning up the game from this point, but that’s a bit beyond the scope of this series. We’re sticking to DLC proper.

The Forgotten Ones

The Jedi Civil War left many lost. But none were quite as lost as the children of the Jedi, the ones promised to the Order, yet left aimless with the Jedi’s disappearance. Several have found their way to the planet Bandomeer, where an Agricultural Corps outpost was established. These children are particularly vulnerable, not only to the dark side, but to those who would exploit their abilities...

(Available after leaving Telos)

The Disciple is just one of the many people who were hurt by the loss of the Jedi as an establishment. And while I certainly, absolutely, entirely, and wholly take issue with the fact that the Jedi are, in effect, taking children with a promise of them having a “grander destiny” to indoctrinate them in the Jedi’s way of life, a way of life that is easily viewed as child abuse... What happened to these children when the Jedi Order fell apart in the wake of the Jedi Civil War? Hell, based on the Disciple, what happened to them during and after the Mandalorian Wars?

This is a tie into one of the core themes of KOTOR 2, which is that on the ground level, no one cares who won the war, because they’ve lost. Whatever side you’re supporting, once your home has been burned to the ground, it doesn’t matter who wins. And the next generation are always the ones left with the pieces to reassemble.

With the Jedi gone, there are countless kids out there who were taken from their homes, and so have nowhere to go, and, like the Disciple, get none of the training that they were promised would come their whole lives. Given how powerful Jedi can be, this is potentially very dangerous.

Throw in the resentment that can easily come from a Jedi recruit who ended up being washed out... You get one of our antagonists for this. A student who had various issues preventing the Jedi from letting them be taken as a Padawan, grew up in the aftermath of the various wars, and now thinks “the Jedi are gone, the Sith are still out there... Don’t we have a responsibility to assemble what knowledge we can and protect the Republic?” Which is a noble goal.

But it’s easily twisted by those who’d take advantage of them to create their own force of soldiers, imposing their idea of “order” to the galaxy (think Goto with... well, I’d say “less noble motives,” but I can’t exactly say Goto operated out of the goodness of his processors...), not to mention their own failings – they weren’t selected for Jedi training for a reason, because they’re vulnerable to the temptation of the dark side, particularly on the ideas of noble intentions leading to questionable actions.

If KOTOR 2 is a deconstruction and reexamination of the Jedi Order as a whole, then a vital part of this has to be examining how they treat not just the children who come to them, who they proceed to effectively indoctrinate into their ways of thinking and beliefs, but also the children who don’t live up to their standards, to expound on why, if the Force is so valuable and rare a gift, these children are dumped because someone decides they’re not worth the effort.

Plus, imagine the companion conversations to be had here once they become Jedi – they managed to slip through the cracks and not be located “in time” for the Jedi training (or, in the case of the Disciple, chose to leave, or the Handmaiden, who wasn’t given the chance, despite her heritage). Not to mention the tearing a new one that Kreia could do about the fact that the Jedi act as a cult, brainwashing these children into their way of thinking, one that rebels against the critical thought of the Jedi themselves.

 The Empty Temple

The Jedi Temple on Coruscant has been abandoned. As a symbol, it means much to the Jedi Order. As a beacon, it could bring the surviving Jedi out of their hiding places. The Exile and company journey to the former home of the Jedi to find an answer to the question: Where do the Jedi now dwell?

(Available after leaving Telos)

The Jedi Temple gets an appearance in the game as it is, and is there for all of five minutes, in the recording of the Exile’s trial. It’s this major location from the movies, but we don’t actually get to explore it. From a personal standpoint, I want to see more of it – the Room of a Thousand Fountains, the Jedi library and the busts of the Jedi Masters considered “lost” for having left the Order, the various spires and countless spaces that were completely unseen by us as an audience (except if you’ve played other video games that came after KOTOR 2, like the Force Unleashed, showing the temple in ruins, or the adaptation of Revenge of the Sith or the original Battlefront 2, which showed the actual assault on the temple by Darth Vader and the clone troopers – nothing of it in its heyday).

And, realistically, it’d be a place to go to find out what has become of the Jedi – where have they gone, are there any other Jedi Masters, those who weren’t on that recording, out there, or even just those Jedi who have turned off their lightsabers, who could rebuild the Order – whether or not the Exile is out to kill the Masters who exiled them or reunite them to fight the Sith, it’s easy to justify a belief that SOME FORM of the Jedi should be ensured to be kept alive. Just because the leadership need to be removed, the head lopped off, that doesn’t mean that the whole thing needs to die.

Honestly, this is one of the more “concept” level ideas on this list over something with serious substance in terms of being fleshed out – I don’t know what I want to happen here, beyond an exploration of the more day-to-day Jedi, considering that we usually only get the chance to see Jedi mid-adventure.

Maybe the idea here is more about understanding why the Jedi decided not to rebuild in the wake of the Jedi Civil War. Sure, the ostensible answer is that they were threatened by the Sith, but the Sith are always a threat for the Jedi. That’s no reason to switch off all the lightsabers and run away (I have issues with Yoda adopting this strategy – at least Obi-Wan had the excuse of acting as Luke’s guardian on Tatooine). So for me, I want a greater explanation to exist of WHY this was the solution so many Jedi saw, even before Katarr happened. They might be concerned about a repeat of that, but for them to just completely go silent in the five years between games, when the galaxy actually kinda depends on them...

I mean, this was the Jedi effectively leaving the whole galaxy in the lurch. The same crap they did in the Mandalorian Wars, now on such a scale that they withdrew entirely from the greater galaxy. The Jedi keep falling into this pattern of withdrawing at times they’re needed, and only excusing it with some BS about waiting for a sign from the Force. If, as Kreia says, the Jedi Order did this because they no longer had faith in the Jedi Masters... Why vanish entirely? Why are none stepping forward to act in their stead?

That feels like a mystery that the main plot of KOTOR 2 is a little too focused in on itself to spend time on – we’re busy with understanding the Exile’s story and their focus on the Jedi Masters who declared them to be exiled, rather than what the story of the Jedi metaphorically on the ground was. So that would be the focus here, getting this chance to explore things on a different scale.

 Ashes

Katarr was where Jedi gathered and were consumed by Darth Nihilus. Katarr was Visas Marr’s homeworld. In order to find a way for the Exile to stand against her former master, Kreia tells the Exile to journey there, to discover more about their enemy, and to learn about just why the Jedi Council must face this damning hunger.

(Visas has joined)

The problem of Darth Nihilus in the game proper is that, because he has no voice that is understandable by the player, we never really get to comprehend him. All exposition regarding him, all explanation about who and what he is, comes from Visas, Kreia, and Colonel Tobin. Now, I understand the concept here – Nihilus is no longer a man, just a hunger, a hunger that Visas views as a god, with her arc revolving around him being brought to earth (hence her statement upon looking upon him, that he is “just a man”).

The problem is that the first two have their dialogue locked by approval gates, while the later can be missed on the Ravager. As he exists in the game itself, Nihilus is a lot of mystery – which is part of the character himself, as he is a god Visas must see brought down to earth, the man he once was is gone – and, unfortunately like much of the base game proper, no solutions or pay off.

So we journey to Katarr, to the site of the Jedi gathering that led to the deaths of so many Jedi. This also shows us the results of Nihilus consuming life – this is something of a vague and unexplored threat as it is, Katarr was created for this game, so its devastation means nothing. It’s also a Miraluka COLONY, not their homeworld, so it’s not even like this has caused the Miraluka as a species to become endangered. So Nihilus is a vague threat that really doesn’t feel like it has an impact on us as players.

So we walk upon the ashes of Katarr. We see the devastation he brought. We see the ruins of life so brutally snuffed out. We see the hollow shell he left behind. And we know the horrors he inflicted once and will again. This gives Nihilus a more tangible existence in the game itself, someone that exists in the player’s experience, and get a more full idea of what the threat that he poses actually is.

There does need to be more, of course, some goal, some hope from all this. How can life endure, right? So I’m thinking some major Sith creature, or a series of them – the dark side is trying to claim Katarr for its own in the aftermath of Nihilus consuming its life, and, in an effort to heal it, the Exile faces a gauntlet of creatures that formed by dark side powers and try to kill them. Even ties into the central concept of the base game, by showing a wound left by the Sith, and trying to heal it. Banish and slay the Sithspawn that crawl over the planet, and you leave room for something new to grow in its place, or allow them the strength to grow and take the planet as their own, snuffing out a light in the dark.

And Visas? I say that she needs to be a requirement for getting this particular story, since the Exile has no reason to suspect Katarr has any relevance without her appearance on the Ebon Hawk, but... Honestly, I think that she’d be unwilling to walk the ashes of her once home. That this pain is still too raw, too real for her at the time. But without Visas joining the crew, the Exile has no idea that Katarr has any connection to matters involving the Sith, so she must join in order to let the Exile know to travel to Katarr in the first place. And, indeed, I see her as feeling that the Exile needs to go to Katarr, needs to see it, needs to understand why she serves her master, why she fears for their safety, why she lost all hope when she heard him speak.

I also see this as an opportunity to clean up Visas’s characterization a little – let me just quote Scorchy’s Let’s Play of KOTOR 2: “I don’t really know what’s going on with Visas’ writing. 10% of the time she’s hopelessly naïve, as Kreia points out; another 10% of the time, she’s more worldly and Sith-ish. The other 80% of the time she’s mumbling something about Force echoes. Her confused characterization carries over to her influence gains as well; she and Atton are the only ones who get influence increases from both light side and dark side actions. Make up your mind, woman!” So having a story segment that offers her some highlights can help to clear the fog that surrounds her characterization. Plus more opportunities for Kelly Hu’s phenomenal performance is never a bad thing.

 Planet of the Droids

M4-78 considered is a myth, a planet of only droids, hostile to all organic life. Yet a mystery signal lures the Ebon Hawk here, as the droids of the planet are coming to life. HK-47, T3-M4, and G0-T0 are called upon to defend the crew, before the droids of this world come to execute them for defiling their home.

(After Nar Shaddaa and gaining Goto as a companion, must have activated HK-47)

Was there really any doubt that this would make the listing of DLCs? The lost planet of KOTOR 2, and I already said back in KOTOR 1 that I wanted to include that game’s lost planet, which didn’t even have much in the way of remaining content. M4-78 has enough to get a rough idea of the plan involved here, but, considering that the core concepts were removed from the planet’s data and transplanted, it’s probably best to keep it from the realm of main plot, right?

Obviously, there are some details that seem like they’d still be able to fit – droid companions going out into the toxic atmosphere (since the planet looks industrialized, and was supposed to have this toxic haze, giving the impression of a planet with out of control industrialization that drove off all organic life), reactivating the planet and its droid intelligence, the basics. But the puzzles have to be replaced and as for Master Vash... Well, we’ll get to her later, so suffice to say, she’s not gonna be here.

I almost want to say I want to bring in elements of the HK factory into this. Working with the idea that most if not all of the Restoration Mod is to be considered “base game” here, I think I’ll leave the factory on Telos where it is, but perhaps feature an offshoot element here – perhaps this is where the HK-48 and 49 models have been relegated, dubbed equally “obsolete” as their progenitor among our crew, and show the ways that the programming went from “single target assassination” to “wanton slaughter.” I mean, the HK factory has nothing that includes that particular change in priorities, and in the span of three models, we went from Revan’s personal assassin to what could almost be dubbed droid supremacists. Big jump, is what I’m saying.

That would, in fact, give a clearer light/dark path – because reactivating the droid intelligence seems to be something of the endgame scenario, especially with being drawn in (like the synopsis says), it would be a question of what kind of intelligence is activated. Do we go with the peaceful droids who simply want to live alone – perhaps setting up some kind of defense network in orbit that would block their planet from recognition in navicomputers and such – or the malicious droids (like HK-48/49) who’d offer a pledge of working with the Exile (a dubious offer, most likely, but one they’d make) and be a potential threat to any future organics who entered their airspace.

I’m still debating this one in terms of its story, but that seems like a reasonable approach to take the pieces that remain of this quest that was cut out of the game entirely, and the only thing we have to show for it are unfinished maps and scattered dialogue, with the actual content shifted around. It obviously can’t be what it was planned to be, can’t house our Jedi Master and lead to the conclusion of the reuniting of the Jedi Council, but it can be adapted into something new.

 Mandalorian Rage

Mandalore has called for the scattered clans to rebuild. Not all of his fellows, however, believe such a thing is possible, instead planning a suicide rush on the weakened Republic, one lacking a Revan to stop them, perhaps even to take the shattered remains of the Republic and rule with an iron fist, staging from the conquered world of Serroco. They weren’t counting on the Jedi Exile, however...

(Post-Dxun/Onderon)

Call this a reaction to the fact that Mandalore’s influence in the game is screwed up and you basically have to hack the game to get a lot of his dialogue because the influence gains just aren’t there. Obviously we could just add some more influence gains for him, but why go the simple route when this whole business is about adding story DLC ideas, not to mention the fact that the whole game is set in the aftermath of the Mandalorian Wars and utilize that?

The Mandalorians prize battle and combat. They can accept an honorable defeat, which was given to them – by Revan. By Jedi who turned to the Sith. I think it’d be pretty easy for there to be Mandalorians left unsatisfied by that, because they’d wanted to test themselves against Jedi and the Republic, then ended up facing what amounted to Jedi heretics, who then turned on the Republic. Maybe, they figure, those weren’t actually the Jedi, maybe they didn’t get a proper test.

I mean, this is all rationalization, and Mandalore would be sure to dismiss the rhetoric as such, but it’s still the reality that they have to deal with. If the Mandalorians are massing again, then he has a vested interest in doing something about it. If there’s a pretender, attempting to claim that they are the “true” Mandalore, he DEFINITELY needs to do something about it. It’s a threat to his authority. And if we want to keep a connection to the Exile, the leader of this group of Mandalorians can be someone who they personally clashed with during the war, someone with some kind of relationship variable with the Exile – were they a worthy adversary, a pain in the rear, someone that the Exile doesn’t even remember... I think there’s an interesting way to come at a character who can be responsive to how well we want to play the Exile remembering him.

I think actually that’s no less than three birds with one stone – more content/characterization for Mandalore, who is sadly lacking it in the game as is, exploration of the Exile by way of presenting an element of their past, AND a tie in with the themes of the game. Not to mention some exploration of the site of a battle of the Mandalorian Wars. Dxun offered some, but it was basically overrun by the jungle reclaiming things and the Mandalorians setting up shop. This would be set in the midst of a wound still festering.

I also see a place for Mira in this (I take Dxun after Nar Shaddaa, personally, so that’s got some influence here). Considering she was raised by Mandalorians, went from slave to a soldier, picking up their skills, I can see some exploration of her past here. Especially considering Kreia’s cryptic remark about her: “She was not born to be a predator, despite her true father.” This is something that doesn’t even come up until Kreia’s fortune telling at the end of the game. Let’s explore this some – is Canderous supposed to be her father? Another Mandalorian leader? Someone else? This is something worth exploring.

As for Canderous, Mandalore, whatever you call him, this is his chance to really get to shine as a character, considering that he decides to join the Exile’s crew, then pretty much just stands around until the endgame and the Mandalorians joining the fight at Citadel. Especially to explore who he is in the face of Revan’s departure, how they impacted him and how he has changed because of their involvement in his life. (Remember, in my KOTOR 1 DLCs, he’s a romance option – yes, you should expect that sort of thing to carry over here.)

Actually, throw in Bao-Dur into the mix, as well. He barely gets any sort of response to the Mandalorians in game as it is, despite how he blames himself for the horrors of Malachor V. I’m reminded of an episode of Star Trek The Next Generation, “The Wounded,” where recurring character Miles O’Brien faces a Cardassian, a species he fought against in a war prior to the series proper, and says “It’s not you I hate, Cardassian. I hate what I became because of you.” That sounds a lot like what Bao-Dur should be experiencing while travelling with a Mandalorian, but aside from a banter that may or may not trigger, this isn’t explored, not even with a dialogue option with him. Sometimes I almost get the feeling Bao-Dur was forgotten about halfway through. This would be an opportunity to put some more tangible interactions into his character arc.

If KOTOR 2 proper is about exploring the wake of the Mandalorian Wars, the aftermath of war, this seems like an opportunity to examine that head on.

 The Path of the Exile

The Exile’s wanderings were far from the Republic’s heart. Yet in those wanderings may lie the answer to the new question – where now does Revan wander? The Exile leads the Lost Jedi on a journey into their past, their journeys through the Outer Rim worlds – in particular, one called Kerobas - far from civilization to create a path for the future!

(Available after Korriban)

Hey, I said I was curious about the Exile’s past, right?

Seriously, though. One of the things that comes across as important (to me at least) is that the Jedi Council could not truly enforce the Exile being exiled. The Disciple points this out, the Jedi have no real mechanisms in place to make sure that those they exile (a rare punishment in the first place) remain exiled. And the Exile wandered, apart from galactic civilization for ten years. Considering that, it seems like they not only followed that ruling, they didn’t just exile themselves from the Jedi but the galaxy as well.

I may have my issues with being a part of society, but I don’t know about spending ten years in self-imposed isolation. Apart from anyone, not even interacting with them through a screen (because we have to imagine that the Exile was not connected to the HoloNet or anything in that time). And, ultimately, what drove them to break this isolation and return to the Republic? After all, they were cut off from the Force at the time, so it’s not even like we can say “the Force moved them.”

In some ways, I suppose this could be an extended version of the Tomb of Ludo Kressh, where the Exile sees visions of their past, but I’m not sure about that – the visions there told of the Exile’s choice to go to war and a major conflict where they risked themselves, which are pretty key things about their decisions. Though there are still other things – how did they feel about the war itself, once in the thick of it, interactions with Bao-Dur in the past (because why would I pass up the chance to expand on this relationship that should mean more in the game proper?), see what led to the Mass Shadow Generator’s construction, why did the Exile return to face judgement when all others followed Revan to the Unknown Regions, get to explore why the Exile followed the exile, and what made them return.

Kerobas is a complete fabrication of my own, by the way. If the Exile was wandering the unknown corners of the galaxy, then I’m gonna give them their own place to do that in. I envision here a planet that was abandoned – perhaps it’s one of the war-torn places from the Mandalorian Wars that was never reclaimed in the aftermath, a place ceded by the victorious Republic and ignored by the defeated Mandalorians. A planet of ghosts, a planet where what surrounds the Exile is the empty voices of the dead.

Not that I think they’d have spent all their time here, but it would be a place that connected to the Exile, more than just some place they passed through randomly. Like we mere mortals without the Force often feel drawn to certain places, so this would be a place that the Exile felt drawn to.

Those lingering ghosts are also a way to have more flashbacks like the Korriban Tomb visions, where we get to have the Exile reexperience their past and speak their opinions then. Yeah, it’s running over the same gimmick and attitudes from there, but they were GOOD gimmicks and attitudes. Why not give them more time in the sun?

 Broken

Darth Sion has revealed himself. Held together through sheer force of will, he is a powerful foe. Kreia knows him, as a teacher knows a student. To that end, she encourages the Exile to seek out his origins, taking them to the planet Eriadu. He may be able to restore himself in a fight against a blade, but the cruelest cut can come from the knowledge of his greatest source of pain – himself.

(Available after Korriban)

Hey, we gave Nihilus a focus in DLC, it’s only fair that Sion gets it too. And in this case, I see it as stripping away the mystique, something that, really, we could use thematically.

Sion’s a mystery, but he really shouldn’t be – that’s Nihilus’s purpose. Sion is the brute force, the guy who really should need no explanation, but, let’s be real, a guy who’s holding himself together through sheer force of will, there’s a lot to dig in to there. Especially because, if we examine the Sith Triumvirate as different reflections of the Exile themselves, some element of who he was before coming into play seems like it’d be important.

That’s why I picked Eriadu for where this takes place. Whether or not he once called this planet home, I feel like it could be a place of significance for him. This is an industrial planet, one its inhabitants have tried to make “the Coruscant of the Outer Rim.” I feel like that kinda ties into Sion’s characterization – to Kreia, he is the pale imitation of the one student who truly embodies her teachings, as really any planet in the Outer Rim would be considered in direct comparison to Coruscant.

But how did he and Kreia cross paths? Kreia has lived a long time, and Sion could easily have lived just as long. Was he her first student? Was he cut down for the first time during the war against Exar Kun? (This is apparently part of what little backstory he was given in the Campaign Guide for KOTOR.) How did the alliance between the “Sith Triumvirate” even come to be in the first place?

These questions linger through the game, and this would be some of the kinds of things that I’d see included here – not just his past before he became the Lord of Pain, but his history in the time since taking that “Darth” title. I mean, you’d think a guy surviving mortal wounds for years would at least have drawn some rumors – Sith are seldom subtle.

Perhaps in finding more about him, we learn about the Force technique he’s using to channel his pain into the power that keeps him alive – this is another one of those Force abilities that would probably be of some kind of use later, and it does sound a lot like the description of some of Vader’s later attempts to heal up his body, but Vader couldn’t hold it for more than a few seconds.

As for the end result of this, I feel like it would be more a matter of a verbal joust (Obsidian does love those, especially in this game – battlegrounds are as much a verbal minefield as a straight up brawl). Perhaps even one with Kreia herself – the Exile knows that Sion and Kreia share a history, so this is a confrontation between the two of them about the things she hides, the secrets she’s keeping. Because if she wants the Exile to be her prize pupil, they SHOULD have a point where they can stand against her teachings, argue with her in a true fashion.

I mean, that’s one of the problems in the base game, that Kreia, after all this time talking philosophy, ends up in just a straight up brawl at the finale, so let’s learn about Sion, about her former student, and see a confrontation between her and the Exile, one that, unlike normal, we might actually manage to win against her. Because it’s the same lesson she wants to teach to the Council – there is often some element of failure that the teacher must own when the student fails.

Yeah, okay, I’m moving off of Sion at this point, but you can’t really explore Sion’s past and character without exploring how Kreia plays in to that. And whatever sort of history they have will be important for the ultimate confrontation on Malachor – the Exile’s dialogue in their fight shows an understanding that I don’t know if I feel is fully earned in the game as is, isn’t fully justified where the Exile’s insight comes from. Let them learn about Sion, this to an extent expands on that.

 Prophecy

They will be known as ‘the Lost Jedi,’ the ones who followed the Exile after the Jedi Civil War denied them their birthright as Jedi. Yet there are those strong in the Force who would sooner see them dead than to bring about a new path for the Jedi, and attempt to stop them before they can even make the attempt.

(Available after making two of your companions Jedi)

If there’s one thing that reviving the Jedi will do, it’s stir up the ideas that the Jedi failed and need to be stopped before they plunge the galaxy into war yet again. We see it plenty on Dantooine, and Atton brings it up himself, to the galaxy at large, the Jedi Civil War was just that, a civil war, a fight between two factions of Jedi, and they were caught in the middle.

More than that, you bring back the Jedi, you bring back the same Order who sat out the Mandalorian War. It’s not just about not wanting the Jedi to not go down a new path – for some people, this is going to be as much about not wanting the Jedi period. The Jedi have been blamed for the state of the galaxy, sometimes as a scapegoat, sometimes rightfully – if the Jedi are the ones who can face these threats, someone’s bound to think that the reason that the Jedi existing are the reason they happen.

To use Sera’s words about the Grey Wardens in Dragon Age Inquisition, they’re the good thing that means something bad’s about to happen.

And the Exile is collecting Jedi Potentials, training them, making them the Lost Jedi, the ones who rebuild the Order after the Exile’s departure. That should set off alarm bells.

What I’m picturing, in fact, is that the source of the threat here is from former Jedi themselves. Perhaps even people the Exile knew, people who stayed among the Jedi, through the Mandalorian War, only realizing that they didn’t approve of how things were going after Revan, after Vandar announced that Revan was the Prodigal Knight (or, alternatively, that the Jedi hadn’t actually slain the threat they’d unleashed on the galaxy... Yeah, there’s a reason I refuse to touch on the possibility of Revan or the other KOTOR 1 gang appearing in these DLCs for KOTOR 2 – I ain’t dealing with the headache of accounting for light side/dark side endings, and you can’t make me).

These Jedi have decided that the Jedi have had their time, and that, ultimately, what comes next in this galaxy should exist without them. The Sith Empire Revan and Malak built up has collapsed either way, so to the galaxy at large, the Jedi have vanished, the Sith are gone... These former Jedi have come to believe that this is the best state for the galaxy. Go back up and reread about The Empty Temple DLC. This is the counterpoint – that was “why did the Jedi still alive just shut off their lightsabers and walk away?” This is “why should anyone pick up a lightsaber again?”

Because what value is there in bringing back the Jedi? I mean, in-universe. Out of universe, there’s a massive market for “space wizard-ninjas with a big glowstick that hums.” But to the denizens of the galaxy far, far away, the simple fact is the Jedi are easily painted as a menace to the galaxy they claim to protect, with the ideological civil wars devastating the galaxy practically once a generation. If the Jedi try to come back, then eventually, the Sith will come back too.

I’m setting this on Ossus, a planet that has a lot of connection to Jedi history – it was featured pretty heavily in the various Tales of the Jedi comics (where we get Onderon and Freedon Nadd and Naga Sadow and Exar Kun and the like), and I figure this connection would make it a natural place for the Exile to take the newly minted Jedi of their crew to learn. Because we should also see the Exile acting as a teacher to the others that they’ve led down the path of the Jedi. It would also be why these former Jedi are here – if you’re going to recreate the Jedi, go somewhere with a strong connection.

Ultimately, it’s another story about the consequences of the wars that preceded the game – this is a question of how can we do and act as we did before now that everything has changed? How do we return to the status quo after it was upended, and why should we pretend we even can?

 Shadows and Light

Rhen Var is the planet that fallen Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma retreated to after Exar Kun’s war on the Republic. It is a site of great reverence to the Jedi. If any Jedi have survived the Jedi Civil War, this is a place they would retreat to. But also drawn to this place are adherents of the dark side, looking to test themselves against Jedi, prove themselves to the Sith spirits that speak to them...

(Available after meeting two Jedi Masters)

Remember in my KOTOR 1 list, I said to stick a pin in Ulic Qel-Droma and how he lost his connection to the Force? Time to take that pin out, we’re here. Ulic Qel-Droma is someone I would think would have some resonance for the Exile, considering that he has such a mirror to their situation. Hell, I’d think that, with Ulic’s own redemption in the eyes of the Force (his body vanished upon death, like Obi-Wan and Yoda), it’d be something that would actively draw them in. Yet surprisingly, Ulic’s not mentioned except as flavor text, not as someone who went through something similar to the Exile’s experiences.

Nomi Sunrider, and her daughter Vima, have a connection here. Vima was even originally going to have Bastila’s role in the first game, but there were some copyright issues revolving around the Sunrider name that resulted in that changing. Since that’s not a concern for me, I’d like to see her play a significant role here, that she has gone to Rhen Var in the wake of all the things that have happened since Ulic’s death, attempting to re-center herself and reconnect after all the chaos, find guidance in the place that she started as a Jedi.

Since I brought up the Campaign Guide a while back, I should note that it says that the canon Exile trained under Vima for a time, which I’m willing to go along with here – not just as a canon tie, bridging some of the gap of the comics and the games, but also to see the butting of heads between two of the Exile’s teachers, in Vima and Kreia, and to also have the Exile play up some of the parallels to them and Revan, who the Disciple says returned to their “first teacher” to learn how to leave the Order – this is the Exile returning to their first teacher to learn how to rebuild the Order (broadly speaking, anyway – yes, yes, light side/dark side alignment, bladdy blah).

But, of course, if we’re addressing Ulic, let’s address that other bantha in the room – the Krath, the dark side cult that Ulic initially infiltrated and then joined. According to Wookieepedia, Chris Avellone didn’t include them in KOTOR 2 because “Krath” has a bad translation in French. Good reasoning, but it DOES make for a very big gap, considering they were associated with Freedon Nadd, whose tomb we loot, and the Onderon system, where we spend a good amount of time. And, since I’m not bound by the French language here, we’re bringing them back.

So the Krath show up here – maybe they still admire the dark sider that Ulic was, while considering the redeemed hero their villain, maybe they view him as a traitor to their cause. Either way, though, the remnants of the Krath have come to Rhen Var, and they’re emboldened by the absence of the Jedi, want to gain new prominence now. They aren’t Sith, they just follow the dark side, which means they’re not the capitol-E enemy that the Sith forces are – maybe there’s a way to forge an alliance with them, given the fact that the Sith will wipe out all life if they get the chance, surely they see the value in survival, right?

The Krath view the Exile as a potential ally – they may even see them as Ulic reborn, considering that they do have such a mirror. And that leads to the conflict – Vima, knowing the Krath from Ulic’s history, her mother’s enemies, doesn’t believe they’re worth allying with (a fact with Kreia can easily pounce on – Ulic redeemed himself in her eyes, yet she won’t offer those who follow the same doctrine he did that same chance?). Allying with the Krath would surely repel any Jedi who’d be drawn to the Exile’s banner. All things considered, they’re probably not the most reliable group to join forces with... But the Exile could use any port in the storm against the Sith. Alliance of convenience, a chance to draw them to the light... There’s some good reasons for the Exile to believe they deserve the opportunity.

I don’t know how this situation would resolve itself, though – this is all still a bit off the cuff. I can accept the idea that we wouldn’t be allowed to kill off Vima Sunrider, considering this is a previously established character of significance, so that’s off the table. But perhaps we could end up, based on our choices, driving a wedge so deeply between the Exile and Vima that Vima would refuse to be associated with any Jedi Order that the Exile would rebuild, which, while not necessarily the worst possible resolution in the greater scheme, it says that the Exile would be changing the Jedi into something that one of their biggest names refuses to associate with, so having serious optics solutions, and speaks to the motivations of the Exile – rebuild and reforge the Jedi into a stronger order, or shatter the Order to pieces so small it can never be restored.

 Before the Fall

Jedi Master Lonna Vash managed to escape the Sith Academy on Korriban. Her survival has led her further into the Sith held worlds – following her trail leads the Exile and the Ebon Hawk to Ziost, a long dead world. Her path has the potential to lead even the strongest of Jedi into the dark side. To find this missing Jedi Master, the Exile and their crew must risk the fall...

(Available after Korriban)

I also said above that we’d get to Lonna Vash.

What a waste of a character she is in game as is. I mean, yeah, I get it, tied to a cut planet, crunch time meaning that they couldn’t restore her somewhere else... But still, what a waste. Especially when that cut dialogue seems to sound like she was an advocate for the Exile (even though on finding her body, the Exile can say she was quickest to reject them – maybe it’s just part of the abrupt cutting of her involvement in the game? *shrugs* I don’t know, but that’s not the take I’m gonna go with anyway, so we’ll just ignore that one line).

So instead of her body on Korriban, we get a clue that took her somewhere else. I pick Ziost because that’s another one of the various supposed Sith homeworlds over the years (let’s not even start on THAT continuity headache...), another Sith stronghold that would be a place that a Jedi Master would be drawn to in order to learn more about their enemy. Plus, considering its appearance in The Old Republic, I’d kinda like to see it as a planet and a place before the ultimate destructive cataclysm that rendered it a tomb.

And, of course, there’s Lonna Vash herself. Going to Korriban? That was taking the fight to the Sith. That was actively attempting to learn and understand her enemy. That was even a little pro-active. That deserves her to get more than an off-screen death and appearing as a corpse for five seconds. So she takes the next step, and goes exploring in the heart of Sith territory. Why? Because if the Sith are the problem, let’s go to the source.

Of course, the thing about this is, naturally, that the Sith haven’t been coming from the known spaces of the galaxy as it is, but hey, we make concessions to work within the plot we have, right?

No, Ziost has hints of these “true Sith” that Kreia will later speak of come the ending. Perhaps here we have the species better known as the pureblood Sith from TOR (I may not be acknowledging the events of TOR directly here, but I can still choose to pick from it if it satisfies what I’m looking for). I mean, according to Wookieepedia, this is their adopted homeworld at this point in time.

Which provides more of the plot for this – Master Vash has attempted to infiltrate the society of Sith, trying to find any information that will act to galvanize the Jedi – she learned the lessons of the Mandalorian Wars, and is acting. Because the ground is cracking under the feet of those who would call themselves Jedi, and the simple fact is at this point, she can surely see that there will be another war, and even without the appearance of Darth Nihlius, there’s plenty of reason to believe that the Jedi will be crippled by indecisiveness after all.

Of course, searching for her is going to end up drawing attention. It’s enough to get a local Sith Lord to sit up and pay attention. Go back to the Sleheyron DLC from the last post, pull back in that mechanic of needing to keep your head down and not be seen (which I explicitly compared to Nar Shaddaa and its mechanic of getting Visquis, and by extension Goto’s, attention), at least until the time is right, that the more use of the Force you use, the more attention you draw. Same as on Dantooine, where walking among the people with your lightsaber equipped is going to get you different and colder responses from them – the Exile and company walking around with lightsabers on the belts (well, given engine restrictions, in hand, but you know what I mean) is going to mark them as someone who the Sith Lords of Ziost will want to get to.

I view this culminating in having a chance to talk with Vash before the confrontation against the Sith leader on this planet, who I’m gonna just create here: Lord Metus (Latin for – according to web translation - fear, dread, terror, apprehension, fright, which I pulled out from a synonym for anxiety), who is, if Nihlius, Sion, and Traya represent hunger, pain, and betrayal respectively, a representation of anxiety, that fear of “what if” and “what might be.” Seems appropriate for a Sith Lord to face a Jedi Council member, a body paralyzed by the thought of what they would end up facing by fighting the Mandalorian Wars.

And I say a confrontation here, but we’d of course build this Metus up (I’m seeing Metus going either way on gender, and while I did use “Lord” above, I’m kinda leaning towards Metus being female at the moment, Sith tending to use Lord as gender-neutral, but I’m not married to it), have them be a constant presence – after all, what is anxiety if not a constant weight that follows you around? Metus’s presence would be felt throughout Ziost, and we’d be fully aware of them long before they make a genuine appearance.

But this leads to fighting Metus alongside Master Vash. It’s one thing to have Kavar or Vrook join the combat at the finales of Onderon and Dantooine respectively, but I mean that she’s playable in this section, as a companion level character – I mean, I see this as a higher level unlock, even beyond just the fact that I take Korriban near the end of the game (second to last, before the return to Onderon), and I don’t think that it’s reasonable to expect the Exile to go to any major Sith held world before even the prestige class unlocks. Like, this is definite “near-endgame” level stuff.

As for Vash’s fate... Obviously, she can’t remain a party member. Likewise, the mods that restore her on Dantooine have her mostly silent, considering that the conversation in the base game exists without her anyway. Other restoration mods of her content bump her off at the conclusion of her encounter with the Exile to maintain continuity with the base game. BUT... I have grown an aversion of killing off characters for the sake of convenience. Especially factoring in how she’s now the one member of the Council who has learned anything, is willing to approach things from a new perspective.

So I’m leaning towards having her decide that she will not rejoin the Council – the Jedi have failed, and perhaps it’s time for them to forge a new path, a new direction, one free of the burdens of the traditionalist views of the Council. While their wisdom is valuable, it has come at the expense of understanding how the galaxy has changed (what do you mean, reality subtext of millennials versus baby boomers, whyever would you think such a thing, don’t be silly, I mean we’re talking about a hypothetical DLC to a game from 2004, so that’s context that wouldn’t apply then, let’s move on). Maybe the Exile can opt to kill her, like they can the other Masters, but the light side (and, in my mind, resulting “canon” choice, for a given value, since we’re talking about a non-existent DLC for an RPG... Go with it) option is that she can go, and she wants to be a part of the new Jedi, not the old structure.

 Schism

The Jedi are broken and scattered. While the Exile trained the Lost Jedi, there are many more out there, both the lost and the fallen. Now, the time comes to unite them under a single banner and be the Jedi Order once more, born from the ruins at Dantooine. But the path to that new future is not one that all will walk towards willingly...

(Post-Game)

This one is a tricky subject, mostly because I see this as something that would exist WITHOUT the Exile. The Exile has a choice at the end of the game – light side, they go in search of Revan (again, begone Revan novel and The Old Republic interpretation of events), dark side, they are seemingly rebuilding the Trayus Academy. But, like with the previous KOTOR DLC, where there the two post-game DLCs were with an assumed light sided Revan, we’re going to assume a light side ending for this game, both for the fact that the Jedi need to rebuild for this, and because this needs to focus on the way that the Jedi Order is rebuilt, and that puts us in the position of telling a post-game story without the player character.

So we are looking at a story built around the companions – Atton, Brianna, Mical, Mira, Visas, Bao-Dur – and what becomes of the Jedi after the end of the game. Because the whole idea of the game focused on the idea that the Jedi must grow, must change. Given all the philosophical screeds of the game, here’s another one: Life must adapt, or it will die.

And, in the wake of Kreia, no matter her ultimate goal, she DOES raise many actual valid points. She questions much of the Jedi as they have been, and many of her points are entirely true. As I said above, when the students repeatedly “fail” the lesson, is the problem the student for not learning the lesson, or the teachers for not imparting the right lessons. Mical brings this up in conversation, and it’s a question that the Jedi must now grapple with as the rebuilding actively begins.

Because KOTOR 2 is all about the aftermath of war. Here is where the Jedi begin rebuilding. But the problem is the fact that we must eventually get to the place where the Jedi are circa the prequels, four thousand years later, where the Jedi Council have fallen prey to the same problem as they have in the time of KOTOR, to an even worse degree, even. What brings about their ultimate doom is their stagnation, their indifference to the universe beyond the Jedi Temple.

Was this the ultimate end result of Kreia’s teachings? I somehow doubt it. The Jedi Order as it once was ends up being restored, the traditionalists win. And I don’t want this to be the fate of those from the KOTOR games.

So what I want to see here is the rebuilding of the order, and a resurgence of traditionalist thoughts – again, this is the debate that the game has not really engaged in, just allowed the platform of Chris Avellone’s calling bullshit on Star Wars philosophy, with no real room to argue against it. And here, we see that the Jedi, despite all of their efforts to resist their ultimate fate, are doomed to the same old cycle.

But, as we see in the game, Atris’s desire to rebuild the Jedi, an act that these characters are ready to do, would have been a radical change, and her change would make the Jedi into Sith. So where is the answer here, because too much change, the Jedi tip into darkness. But, not enough change, and we get the ultimate fate of the Star Wars universe, because the Jedi end up stagnating, being life that refuses to adapt.

Star Wars is, in effect, the repetitive epic, where the same lessons need to be taught to each new generation. But I want some spark of hope – that the students of the Exile ultimately decide to break away from the Jedi, form their own sect to study the Force. That the failing is not the teachings or the students, but the teachers, the teachers who will not listen. The Legends line says that there are many different sects of Force users, beyond the Jedi and the Sith, those who have broken off from the Jedi but still follow the light. And ultimately, this would be the fate of the Exile’s students.

This would not be a traditional style DLC, I suppose – there is no villain to face, no great combat to be had. Rather, this is a story, told through the player’s choices – do each of the Exile’s students roll over and abide by the Jedi Order’s old ways? I feel like even they would at least be tempted to give in, because there’s the possibility of them choosing to stay, not just because they’re giving in to the way things have been, but because they believe in the Jedi, believe that they can shape the Jedi into changing. But others cannot accept that the Jedi would turn them away – and maybe they’d turn away from the Force, as well.

Small note: Maybe this is where Vash reappears? Just a thought – I don’t know for sure, but having her return to the Jedi, perhaps ultimately becoming the first Master of the new sect... or perhaps showing the inherent flaw of allowing those with power in old systems take power in new and she is the leader of the traditionalist thoughts, believing the Jedi were only in need of minor changes, not a massive overhaul.

This isn’t a tale about physical fights. It’s about philosophical conflict. Maybe this isn’t what people generally play a Star Wars game for, but this is where KOTOR 2 shined, at least for me. And I want some content centered whole upon it.

 Miscellaneous

Romance Content – Handmaiden/Disciple as full party member regardless of gender, Bisexual Atton, Bisexual Disciple, Bisexual Visas, Bisexual Handmaiden, Atton romance culmination, romance endings at Malachor – light side and dark side

Again, we have a few little touch ups that I can’t really fit in as their own separate DLCs. First of all is one I think we all agree should have been there from the beginning, the Handmaiden and the Disciple both joining the Exile’s crew, regardless of gender. There’s no real reason they should be gated. And, of course, all the romances (well, by the standards of KOTOR 2) are now bisexual. Because space has always been gay, you fools.

Listen to Kreia.

Also, Atton never really gets a romance culmination scene – Visas and Mical have mutually exclusive ones on the way back to Telos, and Brianna’s is after confronting Atris. Atton’s was basically from the confrontation with Sion that got cut, but I’d like for one beyond that. Ideally, there’d be a clearer way of deciding between which of the romances your Exile favors, and they’d each come for a culmination between the Exile. They’d also each get their own separate romance ending, where the Exile is able to greet them after Kreia’s defeat, dependent on how they end the game.

There are probably other little tweaks and adjustments I’d make, especially considering the unfinished state that KOTOR 2 originally shipped in, but that moves outside the scope of this series.

[whorevader]

So I’ve been thinking a lot about Obi-Wan thinking Anakin was irredeemable, and it’s significance to both narrative and character. Obviously it’s indicative of his Jedi roots, but there’s more than that. It’s a contrast to Padme and Luke, and aligns him, oddly enough, with Leia. And another thing these two have in common is that they’re military leaders - actual Generals, who fight in actual wars, rather than a Senator and a farm-boy turned rebel pilot, both of whom do have experience with combat zones but unquestionably to a lesser degree. Anyways, it doesn’t seem coincidental.

Obi-Wan and Leia are more often exposed to the cost of warfare, and for prolonged periods of time. (You could say they’re overexposed, that they’re saturated in it.) There’s no question in war that you will see your men fall on the battlefield. (And there’s no question that your loved ones will disappoint you, especially in hard times.) When you get shot in the company of somebody like Leia or Obi-Wan, they’re focused on the fact that the enemy is closing in and the other men will still need a leader tomorrow. Every battle has casualties. Generals can’t afford to go back and take your pulse; there’s no point. 

But when you get shot in the company of somebody like Luke or Padme, they focus on the fact that you’re still breathing. They want to save you. They still think they can.

First instinct might be to look at the way that people like Leia and Obi-Wan think and be unnerved, but this clearly is not the result of some moral failing on their parts. It’s different from the detached, unfeeling calculations of institutional leaders like those in the Senate dealing in hypothetical battles and economic equations, or even those on the Council who never commanded troops. Those leaders get to indulge in a degree of separation between the issuing of orders, untouched from a distance, and the actual execution of them. (Not to mention that many in the Republic treat clones as weapons rather than soldiers.)

No, Leia and Obi-Wan don’t operate the same way. It’s different, because they have to decide how their men will risk their lives. Then, during the battle, if they have to retreat, or push forward, or change course, they have to decide who to leave behind. That isn’t to say they won’t try to save all they can. There will be guilt for those they can’t save (you can see Kenobi’s guilt on Mustafar for his inability to bring Anakin back as well). But commanders understand that the future depends on soldiers that can fight. This is the survival mode that people lapse into after being charged with the responsibility of military leadership. It’s a survival mode which requires one take on the care of a cause, and an army, not just oneself.

Luke and Padme have experience with the military to a certain extent (Padme more so than Luke in this regard) but they aren’t ever responsible for what happens on the battlefield, who dies and who lives. Padme has the small amount of control that being a Senator and a diplomat grants her, but again, this is different from being a military commander. Even Luke’s direct military involvement, throughout the series, is kept to being a pilot, and an independent operative, at least as far as I’m aware, and if we keep to the span of the OT. They had happy enough childhoods, with little to no impact from their respective trilogy’s wars, as Padme was an adult by the time the Clone Wars began, and Luke’s residence on Tatooine in the Outer Rim was the least of the Rebellion’s, and I’m sure, the Empire’s concerns. 

In the face of Luke and Padme, and Leia and Obi-Wan, Anakin is an outlier, which aligns with his role as the one who falls rather than the one who reacts. His situation is much closer to Leia and Obi-Wan’s, but in the face of multiple battles and the exile of Ahsoka, he doesn’t exactly show that same mentality. Sure, he’s an important leader who understood the costs of war and acted rationally (as far as he goes) in handling them. But, despite being a general, he never seemed to truly adopt that military mentality of “you can’t save them all” - he literally falls in his attempt to save his family’s lives. And I’d be willing to argue that this is largely because, unlike Obi-Wan, and unlike Leia, Anakin entered the war with a survival mode already installed - that of a child slave.

Speaking of Anakin’s military history and its affect on his character, it also offers a different lense through which to analyse Obi-Wan’s infamous “certain point of view”. After all, Anakin dying a young, Jedi war hero was, at one point, a real possibility. How does this interact with his real-life fall to the Dark Side? Well, you could claim that in both versions, Anakin was a casualty of war and institutional corruption. After all, it was Palpatine who orchestrated both environments, and in both versions, the Jedi Order failed to save him - does it matter much (outside of the OT) if he fell in combat during the war or to the Dark Side after?

It is interesting also to examine Obi-Wan’s claim that it was Vader who killed Anakin. The meaning in this is obvious - it’s discussed outright in the OT. There’s no need to go over it. However, it does hold implications, upon further inspection, to something crucial in Obi-Wan’s perspective about his former padawan’s fall. Anakin, as Obi-Wan knew and cared for him, was dead, and while Darth Vader may have finished him off, is it so unreasonable to suggest that it was General Skywalker who had chipped away at him for so many years? This is a metaphor that Kenobi could never have used with young Luke, for obvious reasons, but it is, if nothing else, something to contemplate further. Did Obi-Wan consider Anakin’s fall a decline or a sudden drop? Did he consider it inevitable or did he factor in the stresses of the war? Of dealing with Jedi culture? Of being born into slavery?

It’s so easy to forget, in the context of the films, and what we’re shown, that Anakin and Leia were generals before reaching their twenties, that Ahsoka Tano was taken from her home and raised a child soldier, that Obi-Wan was tasked with the responsibility of raising a child that he later had to watch be turned into a weapon for the powerful and unburdened, twice. It’s even easier to miss exactly how much impact their histories have on their characters and relationships. It’s brilliant though, and I suppose the point is that Star Wars, like all important works of media, is chock-full of fascinating characters with histories and behaviors that mirror the real world that we live in, and it’s a shame to see anyone reduce them to anything less.

[aion-rsa]

The Mandalorian’s Grogu: Baby Yoda’s Real Name and Star Wars Origin Explained

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This Star Wars: The Mandalorian article contains spoilers.

After a year of speculation, Chapter 13 of The Mandalorian, suitably titled “The Jedi,” has finally given fans some of the answers they’ve been searching for. Not only does the episode reveal what fan-favorite hero Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) has been up to since the end of the Rebels animated series but it also gives Baby Yoda/The Child a proper name. Meet Grogu!

The straightforward way “The Jedi” answers so many of our questions is actually a bit shocking. In the Disney era, we’ve all gotten pretty used to toybox mysteries in which answers are only ever alluded to with quick winks and passing references (and this episode certainly has a bit of that), but Ahsoka wastes no time telling Mando what he really wants to know.

Stream your Star Wars favorites right here!

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We learn from the former Jedi Knight, who can understand the little Yoda, that Grogu is not a clone or a strand-cast but simply a youngling who was training at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant before Order 66. But when the Republic-turned-Empire began hunting down the Jedi during the Purge, someone — presumably a Jedi Knight or Master — hid Grogu to save his life.

Ahsoka also explains why Grogu doesn’t use the Force most of the time, revealing that the youngling learned to conceal his powers in order to remain hidden from the Imperials who would like nothing more than to kill him. It’s no wonder she senses great fear and anger in him. He’s had to hide who he was for most of his life.

The episode doesn’t tell us who actually saved Grogu, what his connection is to Yoda (who is mentioned in “The Jedi”), or what planet he’s actually from, but we do learn where he needs to go next. Although Ahsoka refuses to train him after she senses the strong bond between the child and Mando, she does give the duo all of the information they need for Grogu to make his own choice. She tells Mando to take Grogu to the ancient Jedi Temple on the planet Tython where he’ll be able to decide whether to follow the path of the Jedi or live the life of a Mandalorian.

“If he reaches out through the Force, there’s a chance a Jedi may sense his presence and come searching for him,” Ahsoka says. “Then again, there aren’t many Jedi left.”

Fans’ ears likely perked up at this line of dialogue since we all know of at least one other Jedi operating in the galaxy five years after Return of the Jedi: Luke Skywalker himself. Is the show hinting that Luke will make an appearance on the show to take Grogu in as his student? I wouldn’t bet on that — as cool as it would be to see Sebastian Stan (The Winter Soldier from the Marvel movies) play a young Luke.

The connection between Mando and Grogu is the emotional core of this show, and it’s unlikely Disney is considering jettisoning what works any time soon. Besides, although we’re at the point in the Star Wars timeline when Luke is likely busy building his own Jedi academy and recruiting padawans, we know how all of his students ended up: either dead at Kylo Ren’s hand or agents of the dark side. Nobody wants that for our little Grogu. I’d wager that the youngling will instead choose the life of a Mandalorian, confirming that the show’s title refers as much to him as it does Din Djarin. Whatever lies ahead for Grogu, who will likely have to make his choice by season’s end, it’s clear that we’re set to uncover even more mysteries of the Jedi in the process by visiting Tython, a planet that in the old Legends continuity served as the very birthplace of the Order. It’s going to be fascinating to see the planet in live-action. Could Tython be the site of Din’s final duel with Moff Gideon in a few weeks?

We’ll keep you updated as we learn more!

The post The Mandalorian’s Grogu: Baby Yoda’s Real Name and Star Wars Origin Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2HHgywA

[queenofhelheimr]

I just had this idea of the 501st going to Fest. Or maybe the 212th. Maybe both! All rough and sharp and blue and gold, marching through the snow and wind. One of them gets hit in the helmet with a rock, hard, and jumps to turn his gun towards the attacker. Sees the tiniest glimpse of a small dark-haired child wrapped in an old coat ducking behind a snowbank just above the path they're marching down. The soldier next to him shoves his gun down. "It's just a kid!" A few minutes later, another rock. Then a bottle. It's starting to draw more attention, halting the line a bit, but no one is willing to try to actually shoot at the child that's harassing them.

And then, while their backs are turned to the other side of the road, an ambush. People, not droids. Civilians. Separatists, local ones. Fighting for their freedom. The child was a distraction, but he stays, keeps throwing whatever he has on hand. Makes himself a target for a moment while his people attack from behind, distracting troopers with small projectiles and shattered glass.

Fives has the kid in his sights for a good two seconds, a clear shot right through the wild dark hair as the boy lifts another rock and takes careful aim. His finger twitches over the trigger, but he just . . . he can't. He fires a warning shot into the snowbank next to him instead, watching the child drop the rock in surprise and duck further back, eyeing the chaos of the ambush more carefully. He's far younger than the newest, youngest Padawan that Fives has ever seen, and here he is, fighting in a war already . . . None of the clones try to fire at him again, and he retreats silently with the rest of his people.

They hear stories later though of children on Fest fighting for the Separatists, fighting their parents' war. Fives think it's disgusting, the Separatists using child soldiers.

(But to Cassian, this fight is his own. The fight for freedom. A banner he'll carry far beyond the end of the war.)

(Ahsoka doesn't make the connection until later, when the serious dark-haired teenager, already becoming a part of Rebel Intelligence, mentions he was raised on Fest. She think about the age he would have been when the War was still going on . . . about six or seven. Old enough to fight. Old enough to throw rocks and bottles at clones troopers as they marched into his home, just like the child Rex had told her about when she was still a Padawan. He never mentions anything about his life during the War, and she never asks.)

[xaracosmia]

ꕥ — WELCOME TO EXO COSMIA, ANAKIN SKYWALKER. 🌑

ꕥ — OOC INFORMATION;

name / alias: sonica! age: 23! pronouns: she/her ooc contact: kagemiyas on twt other characters in xc: N/A

ꕥ — IC INFORMATION;

name: anakin skywalker age: 23 pronouns: he/him series: star wars ( including the clone wars animated show ) canon point: mid revenge of the sith, following anakin’s vision of the future and denial to rank of jedi master app triggers: child soldiers, child death, genocide, murder, enslavement, war

personality:

emboldened by his natural talents and ironically dubbed the hero with no fear, anakin skywalker is best known for his cocky, reckless, restless, willful, and cavalier behaviors. confident and bold, he has no need for subtlety, and often disobeyed orders in favor of his own ways of dealing with problems. his relentless determination was rivaled by none — except perhaps by that of his padawan!

despite the fratboy disease, anakin is equally selfless as he is selfish, evident in his willingness to lay down his life for others and the commitment he shows to things greater than himself, like the jedi, the republic, his friends, the 501st legion, and most importantly, his wife! however, it’s his big bleeding heart that leads him down the path towards the dark side; anakin has an incredible inability to let go of his past, heightened by his fear of losing loved ones, and his devotion can border on possessive, overprotective, and jealous tendencies. easy to anger, quick to trust, and able to justify all of his actions, his fall from grace is a trainwreck you can’t look away from.

something your muse struggles with: attachment your muse’s greatest strength: loyalty

history / background:

born on tatooine to shmi skywalker, anakin spends his early childhood building droids in a mechanic shop, podracing, and caring for his mother until he’s discovered as ‘the chosen one’ by jedi knight qui-gon jinn. ( slavery mention ) anakin goes on to win enough credits as the victor of a major podracing match to free himself to become a jedi under qui-gon’s wing; however, he’s extremely distressed to leave his mother enslaved, in spite of her wishes for anakin to seek a better life. at age 9, he vows to one day return as a jedi and free his mother.

upon qui-gon’s death at the hands of darth maul, obiwan kenobi fulfills his master’s wishes and takes on anakin as his apprentice. anakin’s exceptional skills grew into unwavering sense of confidence under obiwan, as did his attachment to his master — living a life apart from his mother and freshly losing qui-gon, anakin spent his first year as a padawan one step behind obiwan at all times, going as far as sleeping on the floor besides him to ensure his master would never leave.

ten years later, anakin and padme are reunited on coruscant after an assassination attempt was made on the monarch-turned-senator of naboo, prompting the jedi counccil to dispatch anakin and obiwan as her protectors for the time being. it’s on his very first solo mission of safeguarding padme on naboo where anakin begins to chafe against his duties as a jedi and who he is; though he and padme swiftly fall in love, padme refuses him in the name of their career paths. at the same time, anakin is troubled by visions of his mother suffering, which leads the two to back to tatooine where it’s revealed shmi has been abducted and likely dead. when anakin finally finds her in a tusken camp, she dies shortly after their reunion, and his grief and rage causes him to slaughter the entire village. he never reveals this to anyone.

the death of shmi skywalker sows the very first seeds of anakin’s decline — in vowing to become so powerful in the force to prevent his loved ones from dying, anakin begins his path towards the dark side.

the next step in his fall is definitely his secret marriage to padme amidala on naboo in between the events of attack of the clones and the clone wars!

during the early days of the clone wars, anakin serves as a jedi general in the grand army of the republic, commanding the clone troopers of the elite 501st Legion against the confederacy of independent systems. after receiving his knighthood, anakin is given his own padawan, ahsoka tano!!! he’s very resistant to the idea of an apprentice at first, but predictably, he forms another deep attachment to his padawan by the end of the clone wars.

there is so much more i can write about but his deteriorating faith in the jedi council, as well as himself as a jedi knight, leads anakin to retreat from all his allies and into the folds of chancellor palpatine (aka darth sidious). anakin becomes increasingly torn upon receiving orders in direct opposition to jedi code on top of suffering nightmares of losing his loved ones. we’re one step away from the edge baby!

powers / abilities:

force powers

telekinesis — to move or otherwise manipulate objects using only an application of the force.

mind tricks — to influence the thoughts and actions of another individual, often to the user's advantage. notably only works on weak or weakened minds. includes mind probing, which is the ability to search through weak minds.

force choke — read the tin. includes twisting, crushing, and snapping.

inherent abilities:

force sensitivity — force sensitive people can consciously sense the force (defined as an energy field created by all life that connected everything in the universe) in all organic lifeforms. it can be used to feel another being's feelings, the future, ripples in the Force caused by momentous or traumatic events, impending danger and the presence of the dark side.

most notably, the force augments anakin’s natural athleticism, allowing for speed, coordination, resistance to harm, and acrobatic maneuvers beyond natural limits, and minor acts of precognition, often taking form in the ability to determine what lay ahead in the immediate future.

items / weapons:

R2D2 — anakin’s sidekick droid that could take over the galaxy if it wanted

lightsaber — an elegant weapon for a more civilized age (laser sword)

replacement robotic arm

starting ability: telekinesis starting item: NOTHING

extra:

great aptitude for piloting, mechanics, and engineering

midi-chlorians are not real

do not approach me about the sequel trilogy for our collective sanity

discord: SKYGUY8016