#outlaw!Anakin and Padme

[ladystoneboobs]

got prequels on the brain lately, and i think i can explain padme in rots, even if it might not be exactly what lucas was thinking of. see, it's not just that she loves her husband and wants to believe there must be still be some good in him, it's also that she is now not just anakin's wife, but the mother of his child(ren) too. like, literally about to pop right as obi-wan/yoda have decided anakin needs to be killed. she doesn't feel she can stay on coruscant anymore as a senator under the emperor's reign, she was already doubting doing that job as a working mom. then she learns the jedi have all been deemed traitors and their order outlawed, while she's carrying offspring very likely to be highly force sensitive since the force itself is pretty much the paternal grandfather there. so, she herself is a potential political target as someone who opposed palpatine's war efforts from the beginning in a more public way than bail organa or mon mothma, and her child(ren) would also be targeted just for existing as potential jedi before ever really using the force against the empire. being a single mom to outlawed and untrained but very powerful l'il jedi while the both of you are being targeted and hunted down on the run/in exile without the skills really needed to protect any jedi child, that's just a no-go. her only anti-palps and anti-anakin alternatives would have to include never being a mother after giving birth, whether going into exile alone somewhere or wearing a mask and playing the long game like bail organa. (even if he still adopted leia as in otl, how much time could she really spend with her without drawing more suspicion from palps? how painful would it be to watch someone else raise your child while possibly never even knowing if your other child is ok?) in that sense, knowing how wanted that unplanned pregnancy was, is it any wonder that she chose to make a last attempt to save their family instead? to run away with her husband, who happened to be the only man strong and powerful enough to protect them all from the empire, the only man she could trust and wanted to trust, with the safety of their whole unsplit secret little family. so it is only after he refuses to run away with her, when he insists that he's only interested in using his new dark powers to protect her, and when he reveals that his only idea of defying palpatine is to replace him, making padme into a new dark empress, a dictator rather than the public servant she once thought she could be, only then that she starts feeling he may just be lost to her after all. but when you've gone so far together already, brushing off his first massacre, marrying him mere days later, and then truly tying yourself to him permanently through pregnancy, it's really too late to ever go back to your ol' "normal" life either.

[preseriesdean]

happy ww svenja! time to put sam and dean in more situations. if you could make them play the main characters in a different story, in which tv series/movie/book/whatever would you put them? any specific scene you’d love to see them do?

happy wincest wednesday suzy!!

i love this question 💗 and if anyone knows anything about me at all my answer will come as no surprise, because it’s star wars. maybe a bit uninspired (considering kripke literally called spn "star wars in truck stop america") but i am just... not an au person, have never really been, so for something like that to work for me it has to be as seamless as possible, which i think it could be, and it has to be something i love already anyway. (i may or may not have thought about this before, lengthily, in my notes app) it’s very self-indulgent and mainly an aesthetic (which is one of my main sources of enjoyment anyway) change, but hear me out.

and it’s not a crossover, which i fuck with even less than aus (criminal minds being the only acceptable option. maybe the x-files if i had watched it). i don’t want samdean to meet princess leia or fight palpatine or anything like that, and i don’t want dean to be han solo or sam to be luke (which-- sam is obviously anakin, but that’s a different post that is still half-finished in my drafts somewhere). i just want to pluck them from the highway and drop them in the star wars universe and have them roam around the galaxy in their old but perfectly-working ship and be the outlaws they are, in some indeterminate era. i need their backstory to be much of the same to keep the isolation and codependency of their childhood that is crucial to them and my interpretation of them.

they’d be something like bounty hunters? the backstory would still fit: mary is killed and john makes it his goal to find the ones responsible, and then sort of just branches out and becomes a hired gun, taking his sons with him. the grit and grime and rest- and homelessness that i love about the early seasons can be found in the outer rim, and i can so see how dean would feel right at home in that dark and messy underbelly of civilization. he takes care of their ship and has known like fifty evasion maneuvers since he was twelve and is notoriously good at sabacc. sam gets attached to certain planets until he makes himself stop; lived in the core worlds for a couple of years, but that didn’t work out, obviously.

there’s also something to be said i think about him being force-sensitive (again. hello anakin) and either fated to fulfill some sith destiny or somehow tempted by the dark side. i mean, sam full of rage and energy with yellow eyes and towering over dean, rocks and debris floating or whirling around him while smoke rises from flames licking at the ground around them, and dean just looking at him on his knees and going “come back to me, sammy” and sam actually managing to find his way down from that force-induced hysteria? or NOT finding his way back, killing the one he loves most (love that little padme moment for dean)? it’d work.

and since it’s wincest wednesday (because they would be allowed to be in love on this show that’s airing inside my head, obviously) and i love cheesy things sometimes: another scene i’d love to see is them running guns blazing from some sort of enemy to their ship, dean powering it up and sam shooting until the doors close, climbing into the cockpit as dean takes off into the air, entering hyperspace a little early but he knows what he’s doing so it all works out, and them looking at each other with the lights of a billion stars breezing past, leaning across the little gap between the pilot and co-pilot seats and grinning into a kiss all high on adrenaline, riding off into a bright blue-white sunset <3

[thesmollestnerd]

Star Wars Characters + their signature Burlesque songs

This is going to be mostly Clone Wars + Bad Batch era characters in this specific post. 

Links are available by clicking the song title.

Clone Wars

Obi-Wan Kenobi | “Feeling Good” Muse

The original version of “Feeling Good” is one of the go-to songs for burlesque, it in a lot of ways, it mimics classic big-band cabaret showgirl tunes. Obi-wan has a lot of respect for tradition and those who came before him but he’s also his own jedi and deviates where he wants to. This cover by muse has that element of showy, flirty-ness and the flaunt of a song that can hold its own. The tradition of the brass overlaid with more pop-rock elements mean Obi-Wan can showgirl parade and peel to his heart’s content.

Anakin Skywalker | “I See Red” Everyone Loves an Outlaw

The lyrics are about cheating but the overall theme of this song is about being betrayed by loved ones. This could work for the fix-it timeline where he feels betrayed by someone he thought was a friend (Palpatine) or canon where he’s feeling betrayed by the order. It’s an angry, broody strong with a lot of strong beats and would mimic Anakin’s aggressive fighting, and sparks of wrath. We’re talking a LOT of very assertive, physical dance here.

Padme Amidala | “My Strongest Suit” Aida

This song is about fashion being a woman’s strongest asset, literally its in the musical. I can see Padme doing this as a tongue-and-cheek number because she gets teased for her prolific wardrobe as a Queen and Senator. Everyone knows she’s a powerhouse and this ballad, even tongue-and-cheek- is a BALLAD. The audience is going to worship at the altar of this high-energy strip-tease. And the costumes? Oh, they are encrusted in rhinestones. 

Mace Windu | “Bad News” Melody Gardot

This is very in-line with classic lounge-style burlesque. Mace likes it because its slow and he has four + a half-minutes of the audience’s time and he uses them rolling around the stage floor with a thickass purple boa, eye fucking people and they thank him for the gift of that.

Cody | “You Make My Dreams” Hall & Oates

This act was created for one person, and one person only, others get to see it by the grace of the force. Obi-Wan has never missed a performance of it, which is good because Cody spends a majority of his time flirting with the man while casually whipping around tribute fans with impressively playful precision. It’s kinda like watching a bird do a courtship dance for his mate but with body shimmer. 

Rex | “Lost Without” Shane Guerrette

Rex heard this song in a cantina in the middle of nowhere and that was the first time anyone knew the man had rhythm. The raspy, vintage-feel, simple chords, and easy percussion with a vocals that have a brass-like quality mean he’s going to toe the line of flirty classic tease, and sultry slow-burn. He’ll be in the audience, flirting and soaking up their attention before he saunters back to the stage to do floorwork that is hotter than sex..  

Fives | "Betty (Get Money)” Yung Gravy

If you don’t expect this from that absolute sentient shit-post of a vod, I’ve got news for you: He does it dressed like a Chippendale’s Dancer and always loses his merkin.

Bly | “Mr. Sandman” SYML

This is a song about longing and we know how Bly feels about his Jedi. This is a soft cover, beautiful, elegant. It’s not a tease, its a tribute. I can see some beautiful fanwork happening, a lot of peel-cover-reveal. The choreo is slow but the audience is enthralled. 

Fox | “Smooth” Santana, Rob Thomas

Fox chose this song because it was playing at 79s and he liked how easy it was to dance to. He likes to slide back and forth between a raunchy bump n’ grind with some hits and just holding the stage and staring down the audience while dragging a piece of clothing. At least once during the bridge when he’s in the audience, he steals someone’s drink and downs it.

Wolffe | “Teeth” Lady Gaga

The Tempo of this song is very driving, very authoritative but the lyrics are  assertive yet dirty which Wolffe would appreciate. He’d bump n’ grind the hell out of this and probably howl for effect.

The Bad Batch

Crosshair | “Death Don’t Have no Mercy” (Stripped Version) Esterly, Eric McSpadden

This is a slow-burn about the inevitability of death. It’s very Crosshair. The twangy-bluesy guitar with the rolling drums and choral backing vocals make this an unexpected choice for those more familiar with classic burlesque but Crosshair plays everything close to the chest but with the presence to really make this song captivate. He’ll be walking the stage, staring down the audience, and peeling off clothing, slooooowly to keep the tease alive.

Echo | “Say My Name” KNGDAVD

No one was expecting this, even even Echo. The first time he performed, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to perform. This song kicked on, the dirty verb of the guitar, the kick of the beat, the croon of the singer summoned the Domino Twin in him and he went for it. There was bump n’ grind, there was parade and peel, there were so many credits on the floor that this boy slipped and went into the sexiest split of any of the rings.

(Echo now has rhinestoned plastoid plates that snap on to his legs, not head canon, canon, I will not be accepting feedback.)

Hunter | “Desperado” (Slowed TikTok vers) Rhianna, RH Music

The man is a tracker. The audience is his prey. This version is a sultry slowest-of-the-slow burns. It’s all about drawing the tease out, the audience on the edge of their seats, not to see the skin (but also yes) but to just watch this man who has complete control over every single muscle through fluid physicality take off one garment at a time. It’s about the connection he can maintain with the audience, the presence he takes up just by breathing (which is part of his choreo).

Tech | “People Are Strange” Tribe Society

Some performers tend not to engage with their audience because they are so into what they’re doing, enjoying themselves. Others prefer to  be observed, to be art. That’s Tech. This song is sultry and smokey and slow, anyone else would be slithering across the stage and stripping. Tech is using this song to showcase the flexibility of the human body, there are alot of acrobatic poses with very slow transitions. Since Tech is an inventive mind, he also likely likes to innovate new and interesting ways to remove clothing (such as an inverted hand-stand on a chair while removing a thigh-high from one leg with his toes of the other).

Wrecker | “I Believe in a thing Called Love” The Darkness

Classic-rock with a super playful vibe. I could totally see Wrecker choosing a hair-metal inspired track. It’s high energy, perfect for a guy with little impulse control and a whole lot of love to give. He’s gonna rip his shirt off within the first 30 seconds of the song, swing it around and then chuck it into the audience and they are going to eat.it.up. He’s going to have a lot of fun on stage, that’s what its all about for him, he’ll do bump and grind, he’ll do (his version of) classic flirty, he’s gonna tease but in a delightful way and during the clapping-bridge he’s gonna gonna reveal assels (they’re tassels for your butt). 

Bonus:

Yoda | “Pour some sugar on me” Def Leopard

He doesn’t take any clothing off and still ends up buried in credits.

[neversith]

anakin taking a short break on naboo post rotj ( he almost died! he has a damn pacemaker now thanks sheev ) and while he is there he is like jabba the hutt is gone. padme is like that's good honey. and anakin is like NO NO PADME HE IS GONE I CAN FREE THE REMAINING SLAVES. and so he gets some rebels together, they go back to tatooine, and they free the slaves. and since the new senate is being formed, anakin decides to become The first senator of tatooine. he has padme to help him he's got this. he also frees other slaves. makes slavery and the slave trade harder in the outer rim. outlaws it completely on tatooine and its surrounding systems. he helps the republic wipe out imperial strongholds.

and then he retires to naboo with padme and he opens a mechanic shop. he sometimes visits luke's school as a guest speaker also to help him too.

[commic-jester]

fox one day ends up telling ahsoka how bad they all had it as cadets and they all end up protesting clone creations

satine and obi r the cutest fucking couple. leia and luke call them grandma and grandpa

anakin gets to go back to his home planet and visit his moms grave and begins to protest against slavery there and get the hutts in jail

wolffe ends up retiring but is still seen around the temples a lot talking with younglings

cody ends up working a lot with younglings and showing them how to do hand to hand combat

the jedi council and the senate end up getting together and passing a bill ending all cloning operations. it was already being discussed since the war ended and clones were no longer “necessary” but padme sealed the deal.

the republic also outlaws slavery Again (it was outlawed before but the outer rim was able to slip under radar) and uses (willing) clone forces to enforce it

satine brings peace to mandalore with the help of obi-wan who sort of doubles as a mandalorian advisor

fox retires but still hangs around the senate building to check on padme often

btw - the bad batch still get omega out of kamino. it’s before clone operations are banned but they get her out anyway bc They’re Just Like That

[blackkatmagic]

Question for you, because you are firmly pro Jedi and most takes on the issue are very anti Jedi:

Why do you think the Jedi never went back to free Shmi Skywalker?

It’s something that bothers me profoundly. I know that it’s not their duty, but at the same time they took in her child and told him to accept that she was in this situation. It seems like a lot to ask of a 9 year old…

I know that a lot of people use this as an excuse for why the Jedi are evil or why Anakin is never to blame for his choices, and that’s nonsense. But why do you think they they couldn’t just for example sick Nico on Watto?

Sorry if I’m bothering you, I have a lot of Shmi feels right now.

Because Tatooine is heavily implied to be in Hutt space, and the Jedi don't have money or authority there.

To clarify: the Jedi operate solely in the Republic, which has a political alliance with the Hutts, or at least a neutral political stance. Hutt space is not Republic space; Republic laws outlawing slavery don't apply there, and the Jedi, as an arm of the Republic government, can't operate there without causing a diplomatic incident. It's desperation that drives Qui-Gon and Padme to hide there while their ship is repaired. Even when Qui-Gon tries to do something about Anakin and Padme's fate, he's not really able to - he ends up doing something that is, objectively, really reckless and stupid, and wagering Padme's ship, basically the fate of Naboo, to get Anakin free.

On the other point: the Jedi are a monastic order and don't seem to personally control any wealth. The Republic is the one holding the purse strings, and I can't imagine them approving a very large chunk of money to free one slave in what's basically a foreign country when those funds could be used to help someone in Republic space, where the money won't help the Hutts. So that cuts out any quasi-legal way of buying Shmi's freedom. And if they wanted to do it the illegal way -

Okay. Picture: when Watto refuses to free Shmi, Qui-Gon kills him for being a slaveholder. It's not enough to free Shmi - she's passed on to a member of Watto's family. In true Liam Neeson style, Qui-Gon hunts down and murders every single person who inherits her until no one technically owns Shmi. But that's potentially a lot of death, and someone goes to Jabba, or Gardulla, or any of the nearby Hutts. They see an opportunity to wring concessions from the Republic, contact the Senate, and demand Qui-Gon's head on a platter. Maybe Shmi manages to get back to the Republic, maybe she manages to get the explosive round out of her head, maybe she makes it to safety somewhere inside Republic space. That's awesome, because Shmi deserves it. But it's a huge diplomatic incident and the Jedi are at fault for it. That's...not great.

And also. If you take the Padme novels as canon, Padme tries to find Shmi and free her. She sends Sabe to go look for her, undercover, and Sabe, who's one of the best spies and undercover agents in canon, can't do it. By the time all the dust has settled, Shmi's gone and no one knows where she is. Even if the Jedi had somehow managed to get permission to go into Hutt space and free one slave while tacitly abandoning all of the millions of other slaves sharing the exact same fate, Shmi had been sold to Cliegg and potentially freed, since the timeline is uncertain there. And then what? Tell her it's dangerous and she can't stay on Tatooine and she has to be forcibly removed to the Republic?

Like. I totally get why it's a big sticking point for the fandom, but the Jedi not managing to free her makes sense to me. The Jedi fight slavery everywhere they're allowed to, which means in the Republic. Outside of it, they have to resort to underhanded, reckless tricks like Qui-Gon used, which clearly don't work half the time.

[llewelyn-ap-arthur]

The cover for Star Wars Adventures (2020) #6 to be released on February 17, 2021.

Solicitation:

Padme and Anakin have grand plans to have a romantic night together after a long separation. But before they get a chance to get together, Anakin is Jedi-napped by a group of outlaws! Now it’s up to Padme to use all of her cunning to infiltrate the outlaw group and rescue him.

[helbertinelli]

How do you feel on au ideas of Jedi Padme and Senator Anakin from Tattoine

Ignoring the fact that Tatooine does not have a Senator, before people are gonna get up on this post like “But Tatooine doesn’t have a Senator...“ In this AU it does...

I like that idea. But... Anakin still has to act like Anakin and Padme still has to act like Padme. Like their personalities and most of their backstories shouldn’t change as well. Otherwise it’s just genderbent Anakin and Padme and it’s completely different. Also Anakin can’t be Force Sensitive at all or the Chosen One. Padme must be the Chosen One.

Here is my idea for an ideal AU and this is based on the events of Star Wars because their story was perfect, but with Anakin and Padme’s roles swapped.

Anakin was a former slave on Tatooine. He got released by Watto after winning that pod race and he gets to be Senator when he’s older. He’s mentored by Palpatine. He’s emotional and angry at the Republic that they’re not doing more and he’s trying to push for a lot of change. Then you have Padme, who met Anakin on Tatooine when she was a Padawan and he was a slave. She’s about justice and democracy and freedom for people and she’s very diplomatic, but she isn’t beyond throwing hands with someone as well. She was the Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, who died on Tatooine in the duel with Maul. Then Qui-Gon’s former Padawan, Obi-Wan, who was a Jedi Knight already when he joined Qui-Gon on his mission to Tatooine, defeats Maul and agrees to finish Padme’s training. And yes, Anakin still falls completely in love with Padme when they meet on Tatooine.

Anakin is trying to change so many things so fast and he’s also against spending money on wars when there’s so many people in need, so he’s a threat for Palpatine’s plan and the separatists. Palpatine tries to get him assassinated but his attempt fails because Anakin comes to Coruscant on a different ship. He doesn’t really have handmaidens or whatever the term would be, like Padme did. Maybe he sent a cloaked droid as a decoy on the main ship that gets blown up. I don’t know.. anyway... Palpatine says he should get protection from the Jedi. Anakin is against it at first, but then Palpatine assigns Obi-Wan and his Padawan, Padme look after him. Anakin is happy to see Padme again and he’s cool with the plan. He also meets Jar Jar on Coruscant and he talks to him about his worries about Padme not remembering him and he tells Jar Jar he’s been thinking about her everyday.

Then Padme and Obi-Wan get there. Padme is like “My goodness Ani, you’ve grown.“ And he’s like “So have you... grown more beautiful... for a Jedi.“ Padme is extremely flattered by him calling her beautiful and she starts having some feelings for him, but she tries to ignore them. Then the other stuff from AOTC happens and the council decides, Anakin should be guarded off Coruscant and Obi-Wan is sent to investigate the assassination attempt.

>>> I’m putting the rest of this + Padme’s tweaked backstory + notes about the AU under a Read More, because it got super long. So if you want to read about Senator!Anakin and Jedi!Padme in AOTC/ROTS/OT keep reading...

Padme was originally from Naboo and she was found by Qui-Gon right before she had to start her training as a Queen. The Naboo didn’t like that she had to leave to join the Jedi, but they also didnt want to get in a conflict with them. So they found another Queen. So because Padme didn’t start her Jedi training right away, she knew her family and she even kept in contact secretly with her family.

She takes Anakin to Naboo and asks her parents to stay at the Lake House to protect Anakin. All the scenes at the Lake House still happen just the same, except it’s Padme playing with the Force with food. Then Anakin reveals that he’s in love with her, but she turns him down because she’s a Jedi and he’s a Senator.

Then Anakin has a dream that night about his mom needing help and Padme has the same dream. Anakin tells Padme about the dream and she tells him about hers and they decide it’s too much of a coincidence and they go to Tatooine. They find out what happened to Shmi and they both go to find her. She still dies in Anakin’s arms. Anakin gets really angry and he gets his blaster out and starts shooting at the Tuskens who attack both of them. Padme kills some of them with her lightsaber to defend both her and Anakin and to try to leave. Anakin keeps killing Tuskens well after they aren’t attacked anymore and Padme is kinda shocked by that at first.

When they get back to the Lars farm, Anakin has his breakdown and Padme consoles him. They get Obi-Wan’s message and transmit it to the Jedi temple. Padme feels guilty about bringing Anakin to Tatooine and about what they had to do. She tells Anakin she wants to go save Obi-Wan but she doesn’t know what to do. He tells her they should go. They get to Geonosis, they get captured, Padme tells Anakin that she loves him, and they kiss.

Then the fight happens with all the Jedi and the clones. Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan go after Dooku. Dooku attacks Anakin, leaving him unconscious and Padme gets angry and starts fighting him without Obi-Wan, she then gets knocked away by Dooku. Obi-Wan has to fight Dooku by himself and he gets knocked out. Padme then attacks Dooku again and they fight. He cuts Padme’s arm. Yoda comes in and fights Dooku. Anakin regains consciousness and her runs to Padme and hugs her.

Padme and Anakin return to Naboo and they get married in secret.

>>> Now for ROTS and the OT... there will be a lot of changes!

Padme comes back from saving Palpatine and she gets reunited with Anakin. She tells him she is pregnant. She isn’t showing yet, but she’s worried about what will happen once she starts showing. Anakin reassures her and he tells her this is the happiest moment in his life. Then there’s the balcony scene where they’re super cute and romantic to each other and talk about how much they love each other. They say that they should go back to Naboo and raise the baby.

Anakin starts having dreams about Padme dying. Padme starts having the same dreams too, but also other dreams of Mustafar. Anakin becomes concerned of losing Padme.

Anakin talks to Palpatine about bringing people back after they die, and Palpatine tells him it is possible. He tries to get more information from Sheev about this and he ends up telling Palpatine about Padme. Sheev tells him that the Jedi won’t allow Padme to leave the Order and keep the baby and more stuff about how the Jedi are evil and Anakin shouldn’t trust them. He convinces Anakin, who is well-liked and respected in the Senate, to introduce and pass more legislation giving Palpatine more power so he can control the Jedi better.

Anakin figures out later on that Palpatine is also a Sith. He tries to go to the temple to talk with Padme but runs into Windu instead and he basically convinces Anakin to tell him what he wants to tell Padme. Anakin tells him about Palpatine and Windu goes to arrest Palpatine. Palpatine wins this time, though. He then uses the fact that Windu and other Jedi tried to attack him and he has Anakin backing him up (because he promised he’d save Padme if Anakin helped him), to declare the Jedi outlaws and he has the clones execute Order 66. He doesn’t make this public though and makes it seem like the clones are unstable and they should stop production. A lot of Jedi die, but some manage to escape.

Meanwhile Padme goes to Mustafar because it kept appearing in her dreams and she wants to know what’s important about it. She is attacked by the Separatist who are waiting for Palpatine there, but she defeats all of them. She is badly injured and Obi-Wan tracks her down and takes her to the medical station. He tells her that Anakin turned against the Jedi. Padme refuses to believe him and tells Obi-Wan about her marriage and about her being pregnant. Obi-Wan along with Bail, take Padme to Alderaan to recover from her injuries safely and to stay there until the twins are born. They keep telling her they’ll try to bring Anakin to her. She believes them at first, but then she gets kinda tired of waiting.

Anakin asks Palpatine to find Padme and he tells Anakin that Padme died during Order 66. Anakin is completely devastated by this. Palpatine asks him to help him rule the Empire and he uses the fact that Anakin is so popular to basically get whatever he wants from the Senate with little resistance. He gives Mustafar to Anakin as a gift for all of his help.

Padme runs away from Alderaan and tracks Anakin down to Mustafar. She’s really late in her pregnancy by this time, kinda like she was during the ending of ROTS. She’s reunited with Anakin. She tells him what Palpatine did and Anakin tells her that Palpatine said she died. Anakin leaves the Empire behind and him and Padme join the Rebellion.

The Rebels are not very happy about Anakin and they don’t trust him at first, but Padme sticks by him and Anakin proves that he’s on their side, too. Padme and Anakin have their own little Rebel cell. They have a ship, the Twilight, that they use for transportation and as a home-base basically. Padme gives birth to twins and they name the twins Luke and Leia. They raise the twins on the Twilight while they fight the Empire.

The Rebels win in the end and they make Bail chancellor of the New Republic. Padme and Anakin eventually move to the Lake House on Naboo after the war is won. The twins are about 3-4 by then.

When the twins are older, Leia trains with Bail to be a senator. Luke is more interested in the Jedi and he wants to restore the Jedi Order. He finds Obi-Wan and asks him to help. In the end, Padme and Anakin leave behind their careers and just focus on being parents and enjoying married life. They have other children too, all of them are Force sensitive as well. Luke ends up restoring the Jedi Order, but better since he takes out the rule prohibiting attachments and he makes it more of a thing to join rather than something you’re forced into. Leia ends up succeeding Bail as Chancellor of the Republic.

>>> Some notes:

- Padme and Obi-Wan don’t bicker as much as him and Anakin did. Padme is more inclined to listen to Obi-Wan. That being said, she does make her own decisions and she does goes completely against his wishes when she thinks it’s necessary. She just doesn’t try to reason with him about why her way is better.

- Palpatine tried to get Padme on her side, but she was hard to control. Anakin is much easier to manipulate since he views Palpatine as a father while he’s training with him.

- Padme’s story of joining the Jedi Order is similar to Anakin’s from the movies: Qui-Gon finds the Chosen One and asks the Jedi to train her. They’re not cool with the idea at first, but decide to let her join in the end.

[the196thbattalion]

star wars human! high school! au

i’ve seen so many headcanons circling throughout the star wars tumblr about high school au’s, so i wanted to share my bit with all of you :D

anakin skywalker

five words: REBEL CHILD ON A MOTORCYCLE.

he doesn’t like riding the school bus because it makes him feel extremely claustrophobic, so he scrapped and scavenged up parts to make his own customized motorcycle, which he lovingly dubbed artoo.

the blue and silver detailing was the joint effort of ahsoka and obi-wan, because anakin doesn’t know how to paint.

if he can catch up to the bus, he’ll ride alongside it and flip off the students on it before revving on ahead of them. (the freshmen think it’s the funniest thing in the universe)

probably one of the most well-known juniors in the entirety of temple high school (mostly because of his shenanigans but partly because he’s dating padme fuckiNG AMIDALA, PRETTIEST GIRL IN THE DAMN SCHOOL)

he always wears this worn-down leather jacket his mom gave to him before she passed away, and refuses to take it off, even though it’s somehow “a violation of the dress code and should be outlawed.”

his hair alone has seduced eight different students (boys and girls)

sometimes during study hall, ahsoka or padme will get a hold of his hair and style it into little braids or make a super rad ponytail.

he really likes iced coffee with milk and sugar. he puts in the milk to make it nice and light (it’s aesthetically pleasing, obi-wan!), and then like eight tablespoons of sugar to make it actually taste good.

his favorite class is mechanics, taught by kit fisto.

anakin spent months on a mechanical arm project to replace his clunky plastic prosthetic, and he was so freaking happy when it was finished; he almost cried. (he did cry and ahsoka got it on video)

obi-wan kenobi

a mixture of the soft™, pretty™, hippie™, grunge™, vsco™ and nerd™ tropes.

he really likes peppermint tea with lots of honey but takes his coffee black.

he has had too much tea.

someone needs to stop him.

almost all of his classes are ap courses, and if cody hadn’t been watching when obi-wan was making his schedule, all of them would be.

him, cody and padme have ap english with mace windu, and cody knows how much his classes stress him out, so he lets obi-wan sleep during class and sends him the notes

the only ap class obi-wan doesn’t take is mechanics, and he shares that class with anakin.

anakin and obi-wan are super close with each other. kenobi was there when ahsoka was adopted, and anakin was there when kenobi got his cat. (they were like 5 okay)

“NAME IT C3PO OBI-WAN, OR I SWEAR TO FUCK-” “what kind of name is that, and why would i - anAKIN PUT HIM DOWN!?”.

mr. fisto constantly has to split them up for disrupting the class, but it’s almost like they can communicate telepathically, and the teachers have a running bet

mace windu literally bet $50 on these fucking nerds so you know it’s for realsies

in reality, they’ve just gotten super creative with passing notes.

kind of off topic, but he has these brown harry potter glasses that he uses (kinda for reading???? but mostly so he can do that anime pushing up glasses thing)

cody thinks it’s the funniest shit ever

whenever cody is feeling stressed, obi-wan just does the thing™ and BOOM! happiness.

people think he’s a goodie two shoes, and honestly, it’s really easy to think that. if the iconics are trying to do something stupid, he’s usually the voice of reason.

but parties?

…

you know what, just ask anakin for the video footage.

ahsoka tano

this hs!au ahsoka tano turned me bisexual confirmed ✔

okay before i go into her style, which is mainly what made me drool over my computer, can i just put skatergirl!ahsoka out there?

spray painting of the rebellion symbol all over the bottom of her board and on items in a couple of the places where she skates the most (like the back of an abandoned car yard)

her instagram is filled with these super cool vhs-tape recorded skate videos (u know)

lots crackhead 3am visits (starring anakin, rex, kenobi and barris) to a gas station to get slushies and grind the shit out of the curb connecting the store to the parking lot

trying to teach anakin how to skateboard but he just can’t figure it out? uh yes

“try to balance skyguy!” “HOW DO I MOVE? DO I SCOOT? SNIPS THIS ISN’T FUNNY AND I WANT TO GET OFF – GUYS, STOP LAUGHING!”

okay okay okay i’m done

for now

anyway, her style???? is so???? fucking????? cool!!!!!

her genetics gave her a 80% of having vitiligo, so it really wasn’t a surprise when patches of her skin got lighter, but it still freaked her out a little bit.

basically, went like this: “DAD, I’M TURNING WHITE!” “???? oh my gosh ‘soka, no.”

she has long braided dreadlocks she dyed a super bright orange with various colored beads woven into them with the help of anakin and padme. she usually styles them into little space buns atop her head.

her entire clothing wardrobe consists of fishnets, neon bomber jackets, at least 11 bisexual beanies™, handmade patchy jeans, white tank tops, and light-up platform shoes.

she doesn’t give two flying fucks about the dress code, and – IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOST BUSY HALLWAY - punched principal sidious over whether or not she “could wear shorts that short” (anakin may or may not have cheered when she broke his nose).

the fetts (chuck have mercy)

*cracks le knuckles* i’ve put it off long enough

we have: fox (24), wolffe (19), cody (17), rex (17), echo (16), fives (16), boil (15), waxer (14), hardcase (13), jesse (12), longshot (8), kix (6), tup (3), gree (2) and boba (9mo)

wolffe is off at college - fox already graduated and moved out, that cheeky little fucking shit - but both still keep in good contact with the fam, and it’s a constant clamor between eleven of the siblings of who gets to talk to them first

fox majored in government/politics, bly is majoring in space/astronomy, and wolffe is majoring in police/law enforcement shit (i don’t know how college works, so sue me)

cody and rex are juniors, and despite their similar looks, the amount of schoolwork each of them completes drastically varies

cody is the honor roll student, valedictorian, whatever you want to call it

rex kinda just either does the work really well or 9/10 times gets distracted by anakin or ahsoka sending him some nice spicy memes

cody tried to tutor rex but it ended up almost landing tup in the hospital

“that’s really simple, actually. if you – vod? rex, are you okay? what are you oH NO TUP DON’T PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH-”

fetts on the varsity football team is like a right of passage in the family

right now, only the juniors of the fett family are on the team, but the coach has eyes on fives and echo for next years team

SPEAKING OF

echo, fives and boil are the infamous sophomore trio that pulled the milk bucket prank on the gym teacher, pong krell.

they had to help the janitor (99) clean up afterwards, but they genuinely enjoyed 99’s company, because he’s rad as shit and knows all the secret school passageways.

to be honest, not one person (except maybe sidious) was complaining

that motherfucker makes everyone run like eight laps during gym class

even mr. windu gives them a small smile in the hallways after that

boil says he was blackmailed into it

waxer is a freshman (the poor dude, i’m so sorry), and he always looks out for the nervous freshies

if someone is having a bad day, he’ll give them a lollipop (he carries around a whole bag), a place to sit during lunch, and a shoulder to cry on

all you need to do to find waxer is to locate this long ass line of children

the school counselor, plo koon, sometimes brings his niece numa into school during the day because he can’t find a babysitter, and waxer. fucking. loves. her. PERIOD.

w+n pull these tiny little pranks on teachers, and the staff pretends not to notice, but numa always giggles and gives them away.

boil has a soft spot for numa too, and sneaks her rice krispies.

bonus shit i want to add in but can’t figure out where to put it (or i’m just gonna add it on and shit)

plo koon adopted anakin after his mother died (him and anakin’s mother were good friends), and found ahsoka on the side of the street, shivering like a maniac.

he doesn’t know where ahsoka came from, but he loves her so gOD DAMN MUCH.

he’s the school counselor, and still keeps in touch with a lot of students even after the graduated (he thinks that majoring in law enforcement/police is a bit dangerous for wolffe but he still supports his unofficial but basically son 100%)

yoda is the super old but radically rad english teacher.

his entire point of existence in my mind fic is to troll the shit out of palpatine.

a recent conversation starring yoda and palps: “did you give the students the mountain of extra work i assigned them?” “for the students, that was?” i’m sorry. my bad, that is.” “this is the seventh time, yoda.”

okay but for real

mace windu violently roots for the school football team.

“BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF HIM, CODY! YOU TOO...OTHER CODY!”

“THAT’S A HOLDING! THAT’S A HOLDING!”

“REF IF YOU DON’T COUNT THAT TOUCHDOWN THEN I SWEAR TO SAMUEL L. JACKSON I WILL COME DOWN THERE AND BEAT YOUR SORRY PINSTRIPED ASS!”

[binah-lance]

does anyone else have that one ship that actually is canon, but you can’t appreciate it because it was executed really badly (their romance felt too rushed/didn’t fit the main story, the actors had zero chemistry, it was just poorly written, ect.) but the concept is actually really cool and right up your alley? so you just kinda shove actual canon content to the side and never think about it again as you read 20592 au fics and fantasize about what could have been if the writers hadn’t screwed up 

[passable-talent]

I LOVE YOUR WRITING! How about a Vader!Anakin with Jedi reader who survived order 66? 🙃

YALL ARE GIVING ME FULL LISCENCE TO BE ANGSTY AINT U

if you’ve seen the dance between Allison and Luther in season 1 of umbrella academy you’ll know what I drew from when writing this all art is derivative

just want yall to know that i do adore padme and the love that anakin has for her so i avoid mentioning her because friend zoning her kinda breaks my heart

It had been five years since you went into hiding. 

Five years since the end of the Republic, and the beginning of the Empire, and the outlaw of the Jedi. 

For that reason, you mostly left your saber attached to your hip. You went months at a time without igniting it, and when you did, it was either in the safety of your home where no one else could see, or it was for the briefest moment in defense. 

Such was the case for today. 

You had fled to one of the outer rim planets that rarely saw any activity from the empire. There was no reason for them to come out here, which was why it was the safest place for you to hide. After all- your very existence as a Jedi had been outlawed when the emperor took his throne. 

Emperor Palpatine. You loathed him.

Anger was not the way of the Jedi, you knew that, and tried to keep it in your heart, but it was hard not to feel it toward him. An evil, base, slime of a man who’d taken over the galaxy. A manipulator. You hated him especially for his connection to you- in the age of the Republic, he had taken a special interest in your best friend, Anakin Skywalker. 

You had to imagine that that hadn’t worked out for Anakin, being so close to the man who then declared the hunt of all Jedi. In the five years since you’d seen him last, during the Clone Wars, you had to assume he was killed in the same order that drove you so far from home. 

Which broke your heart. You had cared for Anakin Skywalker more deeply than perhaps anyone else in your life, and certainly anyone since.

It was when you thought of him that you opened your saber, and stared into its warm orange hue, wondering what your life could have been if you had managed to find him before running away. Would you have lived with him, out here, all this time? Would your relationship have become the something-more that you had always wondered if he felt, too?

Though your training felt like lifetimes ago, you still remembered it clearly, and when you meditated, you often tried to call to him. To hear him speak to you through the Force- to know, with even a little more certainty, what had become of him. 

It never worked. 

You’d come across plenty while living on your little planet. One type of bounty hunter that loved to visit your area was the Jedi Hunter- an agent of Emperor Palpatine that visited spots like this one where a Jedi might be hiding in order to cut them down. There used to be hundreds of them constantly passing through the area, but as time went on, the hunters visited less and less, likely thinking they had already found all the Jedi in the area. You had closed yourself off from the Force well enough that you couldn’t be sensed through it, nor was your clothing or choice of weapon an indication. For five years, you went completely unnoticed. 

Until today. 

You kept your lightsaber well-hidden among the many things you carried on your person, looking to everyone in the community just like the farmer and repairsmith that you had masqueraded as. You were glad to have it, though- like an old friend, a reminder of once you what were, and wished you had the courage to be again. 

So far removed from the empire you had been that you did not recognize the notorious and feared Lord Vader’s ship as it landed in the port nearby the village. Others reacted in fear, and so you gathered that this masked figure was from the Empire- the storm troopers looking almost like clones made you sure of it. 

Tensions were high whenever the empire did decide to pay a visit. There usually was a sinister motive behind it. 

“We’re looking for Dara Kenth,” the masked man said, his voice completely hidden behind the breathing system of the suit he wore. You paid close attention to the conversation, wary, cautious. Dara Kenth had once been a Jedi, like you- luckily she had long ago left the system. Now knowing that this man had come hunting Jedi, you just needed to lay low, or be ready to run. 

Quickly, though, the conversation between the figure and the trader, who you knew was Lerga Sion, a little old woman, turned violent. The figure grasped Lerga by the neck and demanded again. 

You were the only one who came to her aid. 

“Sir, please,” you begged, keeping your stature low and unassuming, “Dara Kenth merely passed by many moons ago. She’s long gone.” His gaze, or what you could assume was his gaze behind the black eyes of the mask, remained on you as he dropped Lerga. 

“Yes. Well, we have what we need.” 

“That’s...” you sensed danger, and kept yourself closed from the Force, just in case. Likely, this was just any other Jedi hunter, looking to gain a few bucks from any Jedi. There was no way he recognized you. “That’s wonderful.” You backed away, still low, not turning your back, the way many other people in the market would act around any imperial squadron. 

“Face me, Jedi,” the figure said, making his challenge known to you.

You froze, and for a moment pondered. But you were no coward- you knew when you were caught. 

In that moment, all of the friends you’d made over the past five years saw something happen in you that they’d never seen before. You raised to your feet, squared your shoulders, lifted your chin. You became the Jedi you once had been- regardless of the lack of saber and robes. 

“How did you know?” You asked, voice even and commanding, like a proper General of the Grand Army of the Republic. You assumed this hunter would have the honor to answer your question. 

“You walk like a Jedi,” he said, and you shook your head, taking steps away from Lerga’s booth and into the center of the square. 

“No,” you said, eyes narrowing slightly. “In five years, I’ve not been noticed by a single Jedi hunter. What’s different about you?” His answer was his silence as he faced you. “Did you know me?” 

“Don’t say another word,” he ordered, and you quirked an eyebrow. A dodgy answer, if you could even call it one. 

“So you did.” Seemingly enraged by your banter and casual nature, he revealed and ignited a crimson lightsaber. 

“A Sith?” Surprised, you narrowed your eyes, puzzling it over. “I knew no Sith.” In response to the threat that was the saber, you pulled your own, and if there hadn’t been a clearing made for the two of you, there certainly was now. 

You hadn’t known a single Sith. You’d never even come across one in the Clone Wars. And everyone you knew was dead, and even if one of your friends had survived, certainly they never would’ve been lead down the path of the Sith. 

Unless...

Anakin Skywalker, a close friend of Emperor Palpatine. Whose master disappeared, his death unreported. Whose close friend Padme died. Who you could never reach through the Force. Who had never shown to have fully bought into the Jedi way. 

“Anakin?” You said, saber falling from a battle ready stance as you tried to prove yourself wrong. But the more you looked at him, the more you saw it- though his figure had largely changed, the square of his shoulders was recognizable. As was the way he moved, and talked. 

“You will call me Lord Vader.” 

“Anakin Skywalker?” Your heart broke as you spoke the name, wondering what heartbreak had lead him to this point, what horror he had faced. You hadn’t meant it as an insult, nor disobedience, but intention meant nothing to Darth Vader- he lifted an arm and you felt the Force close around your neck, lifting you from the ground. You closed your saber out of instinct to keep it from impacting you accidentally, and lifted your other hand to your neck, as though you could claw away the grip. Your mouth hung open as you tried to take a breath, and you wondered what would come of this- would you die, by Anakin’s saber? Certainly he wouldn’t let you go at the end of this. 

He dropped you to the floor, and you took a moment to regain your breath. 

Once you had, you stood up slowly, reigniting your saber and holding it backwards in your grip, as was your style. 

“It’s been a long time, old friend,” you said, and he held his saber to you. 

You found peace, in this moment, like you hadn’t felt in years, maybe ever. If you succeeded, and destroyed Darth Vader, then you would have done a service to the galaxy and freed the spirit of your friend. 

And if you died, you thought as you bolted toward him, then at least you knew what had happened to Anakin Skywalker. At least you could join the long list of Jedi who died, fighting the Sith. 

One strike, and the world around you changed. 

Anakin always held his saber upright, like a sword of old. You held it behind your fist, so that your swings would have upward force instead of downward. Upon the impact, you were no longer on the streets of a market in the outer rim, but in a training hall in the Jedi Palace on Coruscant. 

Anakin smiled at you. Vader lunged to kill. 

You dove from his path, remembering where you were, and what was at stake. 

You struck again, first his front, then his blind side. Both, he countered with ease. 

“It’s because the lightsabers are so loud,” Anakin said, swirling a drink in the library of the Jedi Temple, his eyes bright as they reflected the soft, evening light, “that’s why the blind side makes no difference. Too easy to hear coming.” 

You shook him from your mind. You had to. 

Stabbing from behind the elbow, he knocked your strike to the side, then lifted it up in the air, pushing you backward with the Force. 

You sat up slowly from where you’d impacted the mat, groaning, wondering if his boot had left an imprint in your stomach. 

“You can’t kick me! We’re supposed to be training with the sabers!” 

“What, I can’t take advantage of an opening?” 

Darth Vader walked toward you, and quickly you gathered yourself to your feet, hair in your eyes now but no fear, certainly no fear of him in your eyes. 

“Anakin Skywalker,” you said, saber held before you, and this time it was a challenge. 

He struck down over your head, and you caught the strike with the length of your blade, then deflected it, redirecting your momentum back toward him, but it took only a step back to dodge you. You closed the distance again, striking at him, technique coming back as though you’d never stopped. 

You tossed the saber into the air and caught it, once again the blade underneath your fist rather than above your thumb. 

“If you can learn to catch it, you’ll be unstoppable!” He said, the missing tooth in his jaw making his smile no less bright. “It’ll be so cool!” 

You let out a roar and charged him again, but launched over him instead, landing on his other side and striking as he turned, severing an arm. But when the wound was revealed by his cloak, it was only metal that glowed, no flesh. 

And that angered you. You wanted to destroy him. 

“I sense anger in you,” he said, seemingly not worried about the loss of his arm. “You would be an impressive Sith.” 

“I’m no Sith!” you shouted, striking toward him again, but it seemed he had grown tired of the game, and he took hold of you again with the Force, slamming you to the ground. 

You couldn’t move, but you could glare. 

“Do it,” you taunted, expression disgusted. “Anakin wouldn’t be able to. Show me that my friend is dead, Vader, and kill me. At least I’ll die knowing.” 

“Ah-hah!” Having finally been able to knock you down, he whooped, but was tamed by a well-placed look from Master Kenobi.

“Get up, (Y/N), you can’t be that tired yet!” Anakin said, looking down at you, dramatically ‘dead’ on the floor, and in your effort to keep up the act, just stared past his spiky hair at the Naboo sky.

“Come on, give it another go.” His curly hair framed his face as he looked over you, bathing you in his warm smile. “Can’t have your balance that unstable when you’re facing a droid.” 

This time, he said nothing as he looked over you, no smile on his face, no kindness in his eyes. Though you couldn’t see them, you knew, could feel it. He felt no kindness toward you, no remorse. He would feel nothing as he struck you down for the final time, and Anakin Skywalker was dead. 

But he turned, and left you on the ground. 

And somewhere, deep inside of him, deeper than even you could feel, Anakin Skywalker lived. 

-🦌 Roe

[inqorporeal]

hi! i just read through your mandalore theory, and it's FASCINATING, i love it! any thoughts on Satine herself?

(The Mandalore Theory)

I have a LOT of thoughts about Satine, both meta and in-universe. If she were a real person, I can pretty much guarantee we would never be friends, but as a character she’s fascinatingly complex. I’mma put this under a cut, cus it’s going to be long.

Satine is a wealthy, privileged member of Kalevalan nobility, born and raised on Kalevala and educated on Coruscant. Her father, then-Duke of Mandalore, was likely rarely home when she and her siblings were younger, since he would have had to be resident in Sundari; the rest of the family remained on Kalevala for their safety, because the Mandalorian clan wars kicked off in 60 BBY when a number of Mandalorian clans rejected then-Mand’alor Jaster Mereel’s proposed social reformations and formed the Death Watch (the Wookieepedia says the clan wars started about 44 BBY, but if we examine the larger series of events, it’s pretty clear that things started much, much earlier). Satine hadn’t even been born at that time; due to the growing conflict, it’s understandable that the Duke’s family would have been housed elsewhere for their safety.

Satine’s mother and older sibling (the canonical parent of Korkie) are both unnamed but they’re also both presumed dead, likely victims of the Clan Wars. Eventually the Duke was also killed, prompting Satine’s involvement under the guard of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

At this point, Satine is a complete outsider to Mandalore. Kalevala effectively owns Mandalore -- it has its own king/queen, and provides political support to the New Mandalorian faction (it can be debated as to whether Kalevala originated as a Mandalorian settlement which eventually severed ties, or if it began as its own sovereign world and later adopted some Mandalorian social structures such as the clan system). Satine is not from Mandalore, has never lived on Mandalore, was not educated on Mandalore, and has only the barest, most watered-down connection to Mandalorian culture. Canon and Legends offer slightly different stories, but the important part is that the Republic backed the New Mandalorian faction and helped them to win the Clan Wars. Satine then effectively outlawed traditional Mandalorian society within the parts of Mandalore controlled by the New Mandalorians.

There’s something to be said for the way people react to childhood trauma, the way they deal with healing, and how it affects their relationship with the world as adults. Satine was a child when she lost two members of her family, and a teenager when she lost her father to the same, seemingly unending conflict. Her family has been caught up in this war since before she was born, and it’s entirely understandable that she would have a vested interest in ending the conflict for good, preferably forever.

But as a result, her policies are authoritarian, albeit with the blessing of the people who consider her their leader. The people who stay in New Mandalorian-held territory approve of her work -- everyone is probably sick to death from nearly 20 years of fighting by that point. It’s notable that, during TCW, the only New Mandalorians who actively fight back against Death Watch are the Sundari guard: New Mandalorian civilians never give any indication of owning weapons, armour, or the means for self-defense, and without the Republic’s support -- which Satine refused! -- are utterly steam-rolled by Death Watch over the course of the Clone Wars. Traditional Mandalorian culture has been completely wiped out of their society, and whether this was the ultimate goal of the New Mandalorian faction or if Satine’s own policies led to this point, the fact of the matter is that she was the nominated leader of the movement and approved if not encouraged the sundering of Mandalorian martial tradition. The factions that wanted to continue the conflict -- who refused to surrender their culture -- were banished to what are effectively penal colonies: if they wouldn’t follow the New Mandalorian way of life, they would lose their ancestral homes.

These are not the policies of a leader who seeks reconciliation and social progress; these are the policies of a colonizing force. This is the quintessence of cultural genocide, and Satine is depicted at the forefront of the movement.

On the meta end of things, the fact that a kids’ TV show tries to prop this up as an ideal is more than a little shocking. There was so much space to have an exploration of morality and cultural preservation in TCW’s depiction of Mandalore and Satine as its controlling authority, but they completely dropped the ball and instead went with a very two-dimensional depiction with zero critical discussion. And then showed New Mandalorian pacifism failing Satine’s people repeatedly anyway; good job, Filoni.

Satine has her reasons for her policies and her treatment towards a significant population who should, in theory, also be her subjects. But it’s important to recognise the distinction between having a reason for one’s behaviour, and having a responsibility to address that behaviour when it’s hurting others (or oneself). When one is in a position of holding power over others -- whether in a management position, leadership role, parent or teacher -- it’s even more crucial.

My thoughts on Satine are that she’s a terrible person, secure in her perceived moral superiority, who never shows any indication of ever questioning whether her personal morality is actually what’s best for the hundreds of thousands -- if not millions -- of lives she’s responsible for. She places personal morals above necessary diplomatic compromise; and blames the resulting conflict on the people whose lives she effectively spearheaded the ruination of. If everyone would just do things her way, everything would be better! Whilst she deplores physical violence, her noncombative policies still enact violence against people who hold different values, and in this way she is as uncompromising as her opponent, Pre Vizsla; they both lead cults of personality by sheer force of will.

(A side issue for me with regards to Satine -- which is a far more personal issue than anything objective -- is her treatment of Obi-Wan Kenobi. She displays an incredible lack of respect for his culture -- which is consistent for her established characterisation -- and the way she constantly negs him reminds me of the way my asshole ex could never say anything positive about me. They’re set up to be an ideal for how Jedi should handle attachments and love, as a contrast to Anakin and Padme’s relationship, but I can’t see anything romantic in it.)

But you know what? As a character in a piece of media, I like her. Media desperately needs more complex characters like Satine, particularly female-presenting characters, who are frequently given only two dimensions and one of them is “pretty”. She had a role in TCW that could have been very nuanced with the room to explore a very controversial topic, had the writing been up to the task.

And then the showrunners killed her off for the sake of another character’s manpain. The New Mandalorians -- her cult of personality -- doesn’t even fall apart without her in charge, the way cults of personality are wont to do in real life! The manner of her death serves no real purpose at all in the larger plotline; she could have been killed by anyone else at any other point and it would have had the same effect on Mandalore. Nothing changes there in the year -- a full year! -- between Satine’s death and the Siege of Mandalore at the end of the Clone Wars. Satine could have been kept alive in captivity; she could have gone into exile; the results would have been the same, or possibly even more interesting.

I think Satine is an awful person. I also think that -- as a complicated, contentious, controversial character -- she was underused and underdeveloped, and deserved a hell of a lot better from the storyline than how it treated her.

[evabellasworld]

Storm of the Republic

Chapter 8

AO3 Link | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

——————————————————————————————

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.

————————————————————————————

Clad in a strawberry pink dress, Tori tightened her brown combat boots as she tied her white ribbon above her curly locks. With permission from Riyo, she applied a darker pink blush to her cheeks and glossy lipsticks, highlighting her beauty.

Throughout her entire career as a clone commander, she never got to dress up nicely, and this mission allowed her to feel what it was like wearing civilian clothes. The strawberry dress originally belonged to Riyo, but thanks to her sewing skills, it fit perfectly well for her height.

She twirled in front of her mirror and played with her hair, smiling at her outfit. I am keeping this outfit after this mission.

“Mama, you look pretty,” Frieda praised her, sitting on the dresser. Tori could only smile as she grabbed a hair ribbon and tied her hair into a small ponytail.

“You’re a pretty girl too,” she complimented her, as she dusted off her matching dress. “Do you want a kiss on the cheeks?”

The little girl shook her head. “No, thank you, mama.”

“Alright then,” Tori respected her boundaries, as she put on a white shoe for her child. “Now come on, Uncle Fox, Uncle Dipper, and Aunt Riyo are waiting for us.”

“Yes, mama,” she said, as Tori walked out of Riyo’s quarters and headed towards another ship, where she found the others in the cockpit, with Commander Fox in the pilot’s seat, dressed in a tuxedo.

“Took you long enough,” he scolded her. “We’ve been waiting for you for almost 20 minutes.”

“Oh, yeah?” Tori rolled her eyes, holding her child in her lap. “Well, try dressing up for two. You know it’s difficult being a mother these days, especially when you’re fighting in the frontline.”

“That’s not an excuse. Every minute we waste, Senator Amidala is closer to danger. Now come on, we should leave right now.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Dipper said, his eyes glued to his datapad. “By the way, where’s Riyo? It’s been a while since we’ve waited for her.”

“I’m here,” Riyo walked into the cockpit, dressed in her salmon pink beret and blouse. “Sorry I’m late. I had to deal with my period.”

“No worries, dear,” Fox’s lips curled upwards, passing her a heating pad. “Period can be painful and exhausting for women. I hope you pack your menstrual cup though.”

Tori squinted her eyes at her brother with exasperation. A few minutes ago, she was chastised for being late. But when his partner was late, he showed his concern to her. What a sly fox.

“So, shall we get going?”

“Of course, senator,” the Marshal Commander winked, as the ship took off from the Raxus base, heading into space. Frieda felt her ears pop when she was above ground, but then cooed when she saw the enormous amounts of stars surrounding her.

Even though she had followed Tori into battles many times, the little girl never got bored with the colourful galaxy she saw with her eyes. Everything fascinated her, even when it was the same object. “Mama, stars,” she pointed with her fingers.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Tori responded positively, holding her hands. “How many stars can you count right now?”

As the child counted, Fox placed his hands on the gear and was about to jump into hyperspace, but observing Frieda’s curiosity made him delay his actions. He was once like her as well, except he counted raindrops instead of stars.

It was always raining on Kamino, so he never had the same privilege to enjoy the wonders in the sky. But it was fun though. Fox enjoyed watching the raindrops on the window racing against each other, wondering which one would win. Come on, Lenny, you can do it. You can win this race this time.

He wished he could experience something like that again, where everything was simple and less terrifying. “So, how many stars did you count, Frieda?”

“There are 150 stars in the galaxy,” she answered, much to his amazement.

“150 stars? That’s a lot of stars you counted, kiddo.”

“150 is a big number,” Riyo chimed in. “I only reached that amount when I was 8 years old. You’re such a clever girl.”

“What can I say?” Tori shrugged, proud of her daughter’s accomplishments. “Frieda is a smart kid.”

Pulling the gears, their ship jumped into hyperspace, prompting him to turn around and face his crew members. “Alright team, we’re on our way to Coruscant and I’m only going to explain this plan once, so pay close attention.”

Dipper bobbed his head as he put away his datapad, his gaze focused towards his superiors.

“So, when we arrive at Coruscant, we will stand by for inspection by the patrols, along with our chain codes. So make sure we all relax and act naturally, like what normal people do.”

“That’s not so hard for me,” Riyo stated. “I can act as natural as possible.”

“I know you can do it, Riyo, but I’m not sure about those two,” Fox gestured to Tori and Dipper on their outfits. “I mean, you both stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Choerry said that ripped jeans and neon green hair are a trend,” Dipper defended his style choice. “Plus, I look handsome as hell.”

“I like your hair,” Riyo praised him. “I thought you looked like a rockstar.”

“See, she agrees with me. You’re just jealous that you can’t pull off this style.”

Fox shook his head. “We’re going on a stealth mission to help Senator Amidala, and you both look like you’re going to a Moachella instead.”

“That’s the whole point, Foxy,” Tori raised her eyebrows. “We’re dressed like average citizens of Coruscant. But you look overdressed. I mean, who wears a tuxedo on a normal day?”

“First, it’s Fox,” he corrected her. “And second, every secret agent in movies wears a tuxedo, and it makes me look smart too.”

“But you’ll get caught easily,” Dipper gave him a reminder, which irritated him. “I mean, isn’t a tuxedo inconvenient, especially since you’re running and all?”

As much as Fox hates to admit, the ARC Trooper made a good point. But it was too late for him to change clothes, as he’s already in hyperspace. Besides, Riyo was the one who suggested that he wear a tux. She told him it highlights his good looks.

“Whatever, do you remember to bring our chain codes, Dipper?”

“Yes, sir,” he said, as he took out five chain codes from his backpack and passed it around to the others. “These are from General Brinks. She was the one who taught me how to make a fake one.”

“These chain codes looked genuine,” he praised his efforts. “The Empire will easily be fooled. Well done, vod.”

As Tori received two chain codes for her and Frieda, she read the names on the card. Rina and Lara Young, well, that’s a pleasant way to remember Lira and Eva Bella Young. They would have loved to go on a stealth mission as well.

“So what are these for again?” she scratched the side of her head.

Fox turned to her with a scorned look on his face. He couldn’t believe that Tori wasn’t listening. “In case you forgot, the Imperial used these as IDs. Not having one is illegal and could face two years in prison.”

“That’s harsh,” Riyo gasped at what she heard. “But it’s also an efficient way to keep track of their citizens.”

“And outlaws too,” Dipper growled, remembering the plot to one of his favourite novels, where Big Brother was watching everyone’s moves, even if they’re innocent.

“Anyway, so what happens once the Imperials allow us to enter the planet?” Tori asked another question.

“Once we got in, we parked our ship at Level 1312,” Fox continued, explaining his plans. “From there, we’ll have to take a taxi to Senator Amidala’s place.”

“Wait, why can’t we land near her penthouse?” Riyo wondered, seeing that was rather difficult.

“That will make us more suspicious, and that’s the last thing we want.”

“Okay, so what do we do once we make it to the senator?” Dipper raised his hands.

“We’ll help her with the investigation of the Chancellor’s death, and then we get her out of here,” Fox finished his briefing. “Now, do we have questions about this mission?”

Tori, Dipper, and Riyo exchanged a glance of confidence within themselves, determined that their mission will be successful. Things will go just as planned, the Pantoran was sure of herself.

“No questions, Uncle,” Frieda spoke, shaking her head. Her response brightened the cockpit as Fox chuckled and ruffled her hair, when the panels were beeping rapidly, signalling to them they had arrived at Coruscant.

[tomeandflickcorner]

hmm. Lux Bonteri x Ahsoka (Clone Wars) Peggy Carter x Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter) Regina x Robin (OUAT) and Heather x Beck (Jericho) for the brutally honest ship ask please! (Sorry for so many, I just wanted to give you a variety!)

Ah, these are interesting choices! 

Lux Bonteri x Ahsoka (Clone Wars)- I thought this was an interesting concept for a ship. Ahsoka, being a Jedi Padawan, was fighting for the Republic and therefore saw the Separatists as the bad guys.  But Lux was with the Separatists and viewed the Republic as the enemy.  So putting them together provided an opportunity for both of them to see things from the others perspective and change their viewpoints.  However, I’m also glad this was a pairing that was somewhat explored but didn’t actually go anywhere.  Mostly because we were already dealing with the Anakin/Padme romance subplot and an Obi-Wan/Satine past-romance-with-lingering-feelings subplot.  Having the third member of the Clone Wars trio have a love interest as well was a bit too much for my taste.

Peggy Carter x Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter)- Well, I didn’t hate it.  And I saw potential there from the first time they interacted on screen.  Honestly, I wonder if Peggy has a type.  Because I did notice a few subtle parallels between Daniel and Steve.  It would have been nice to see their potential relationship develop more.  Except I don’t think he’s the one that Peggy ended up marrying in the original timeline, so it clearly didn’t last.  (Maybe I’ll learn a bit more as to why it didn’t last when I finally get around to seeing Agents of Shield.  Because Daniel is apparently in that series, somehow.)

Regina x Robin (OUAT)- I still low-key ship this one.  It was certainly a creative idea to try and pair up the former Evil Queen with the famous outlaw who stole from the rich.  Kinda an opposites attract kind of deal.  Unfortunately, I think this went downhill really fast.  Starting from S4, the writers simply treated Robin as little more than an extension of Regina and her storyline.  (Say what you will about Captain Swan, but at least Killian still had a clear character outside of his relationship with Emma.)  When Not Marian entered the picture, there was no reaction to the fact that Regina was directly responsible for the death of Robin’s wife and Roland’s mother in the original timeline.  When it was revealed that the woman Robin was living with for 6 weeks wasn’t his wife but Zelena in disguise, the narrative focused more on Regina’s feelings rather than how Robin felt about being deceived (and raped by deception).  The one time when Robin actually was allowed to be rightfully angry at Regina, when she virtually forced him into entrusting his infant daughter to Zelena and Hades (something that backfired bigtime), he got over that anger in the very next scene.  And then he’s abruptly killed off.  And instead of them mourning the fact that Robin died, leaving behind a small son and newborn daughter, the writers went back to the whole ‘poor, poor Regina’ angle.  To sum up, I liked the concept of this.  But it was ruined by the fact that the writers kept whitewashing Regina and acted like she was the show’s biggest victim.

Heather x Beck (Jericho)- Much like with Peggy and Daniel, I do like the set up and the potential.  Clearly, they trusted each other.  And, if memory serves, Heather did play a key role in Beck coming to question his orders and the true motives of his superiors in the army.  But since the series ended before anything could actually go anywhere, it’s hard for me to have a bigger opinion than that.

Send me a Ship

[wonderlandleighleigh]

Anidala Week Day 3: Fairy tales

(Turns out writing a fairy tale is tough work. Yeesh).  The Children of the Kingdom of Naboo are being taken from their beds, and it’s up to Queen Padme and her allies to untangle the mystery of the dark creature that wanders the night.  Under the cut.

There are things that only come out at night. For six years, the six kingdoms have been haunted by what some describe as a ghastly, tall figure draped in the blackest of black robes. The people all say the same thing. It comes at night in its towering black robes, and the only thing you can see of its face are glowing, amber eyes. Some say he is a ghost; haunting the woods in the dead of night. Some say it is a monster, who steals children out past their bedtimes, never to be seen again. Kills livestock. Some say it is just a man. Sad and alone. Lost. To be pitied. Padme Naberrie, queen of the kingdom of Naboo, never thought about these stories before. They were old ghost tales, good for the blood, but not real. Just fairy tales to scare unruly children. Until the children began to disappear from their beds. “Has this happened before?” she asks her advisors as she paces the throne room of her modest castle by the lake. “Any reports in the archives?” “No, Your Majesty,” Kenobi - Captain of the Guard - tells her. “Nothing like this has ever happened here before...but other kingdoms are rumored to have similar instances...Alderaan...Coruscant...Even Corellia with their warrior king supposedly had an issue with missing children in the last few years.” “Were any found alive?” Padme asks worriedly. Kenobi nods. “I can contact Alderaan’s captain, and ask how they managed to find their children.” 

She nods. “See that you do, please.” 

***** 

It turns out that the hero who had found the missing children in the other kingdoms was a sorcerer, named Sheev: An old man with a kindly, droopy face, who offered a simple solution. “I shall hunt down this beast for you,” he says. “I have been tracking it for a long, long time now. In every instance I am able to run it off, but not to catch it. I will at the very least make certain it never comes back to Naboo again...for a small fee.” Padme sighs inwardly. “Of course. Name your price. There is none too high to bring back the children of our kingdom safe and sound.” “I fear...that it may already be too late for some of them,” Sheev tells her with sadness in his eyes. “But I shall do my best.” ***** 

Weeks pass, and then a month, and children keep disappearing. 

“Sorcerer, this is unacceptable,” Queen Padme tells him firmly. “More and more children go missing each night, and still, there are no results.” “Have faith, your Highness,” Sheev says, his voice smooth and calm. “I shall do my duty to you. I swear it. But these things cannot be rushed.” “They must be,” Padme snaps. “I am sending my Captain out with you tonight, to aid you in your search.” “I do not think that is a good idea, your Highness,” Sheev insists. “He will disrupt my process.” “You have two more weeks, Sorcerer,” she warns. He nods dutifully, and she cannot help the chill that runs down her back. “Yes, my Queen.” ***** 

At the end of the first week, a girl warrior from a far, far away land seeks an audience with the queen. Kenobi is skeptical, but Padme welcomes the girl, as she does all who come to seek her out for peaceful reasons. “Queen Padme,” the girl says, kneeling before the older woman.  “I am Ahsoka, of the far kingdom of Tatooine, and I have come to seek an audience.” “Of course, Ahsoka,” Padme says, stepping down from her throne to take the girl’s hand and bring her to her feet. “Please, tell me how I may be of service.” Ahsoka, for all of her strength, seems surprised at the woman’s kindness. “I have searched far and wide for many years, looking for my brother. Our family were slaves, and he was sold to an old wizard.” “That is terrible,” Padme says sympathetically. Slavery has been outlawed in Naboo for centuries, though she knows that Tatooine, the dust kingdom, ruled over by the cruel, powerful Queen Gardula, thrive on it. “I am very sorry, my dear girl. I myself have an older sister. I don’t know what I would do if something so terrible had happened to separate us.” “Thank you,” Ahsoka nods, bowing her head. “I believe that they have come here, and I wish for you to grant me freedom to search for him. I fear a terrible fate has befallen my brother. I must save him.” Padme nods before turning to Captain Kenobi. “Captain, please be certain that young Ahsoka is given lodging, and any aid she requires for her quest.” “Yes, My Queen,” Kenobi says slowly. “Young Ahsoka..your brother. You remember what he looks like?” The girl nods eagerly. “His name is Anakin. He is tall and handsome, with the clearest of blue eyes..” Kenobi nods, thinking these things over. “We will do all we can to help you. For now, I shall have one of the handmaids show you to your room.” “Thank you both for your kindness,” Ahsoka says, bowing again, before stepping away. Padme watches them go, settling back on her throne, troubled seems to be her base emotion these days….

***** Padme has been urged to cease her late night strolls through the town, but she cannot help herself, not when her people suffer. And so, she gathers Captain Kenobi, and his most trusted guard, Cody, and steps into the night. “I still don’t think this is a very good idea,” Kenobi comments. “I know,” Padme nods as they wander around. “But perhaps if the sorcerer cannot catch this creature, we can.” “We are not monster hunters, Your Highness,” Cody reminds her. “We may be ill prepared for what we find.” She grins at them. “I trust the both of you to be prepared for anything.” “While your faith in us is flattering, I am not certain it’s well-placed, if what we’re dealing with is a monster,” Kenobi comments. Padme huffs, unwilling to tell them that the real reason they’re out is to try and catch a glimpse of whatever is prowling their streets at night. If she can just see what they're dealing with then perhaps they will not need to keep paying the sorcerer all the money he has been charging them. She gets her wish. When they round the corner, they find an impossibly tall creature in an alleyway, black robes billowing out like smoke, with the addition of actual black smoke, alone, seemingly…Weeping? He spots them, eyes wide. Impossibly blue eyes. The clearest of blue eyes, the only thing any of them can see beneath the robes’ hood. Before any of them can move, the creature’s eyes shift to a glowing amber, before it disappears with a puff of smoke and a wail. ***** 

The Queen doesn’t sleep that night, and when the sun rises, Kenobi finds her pacing her throne room, clearly troubled. “Your Highness, if i may,” Kenobi says gently. ‘Is it not strange that whatever we found last night, had eyes the color that the girl from Tatooine described?” Padme huffs and nods. “Strange indeed, Captain. Too strange to overlook, but how do we know for certain that these things are connected?” “Well...there’s always the wise old sorcerer in the mountain.” She takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. The sorcerer in the mountain is a little green goblin who often speaks in riddles and is infuriatingly right much of the time. “I...suppose, we can go ask the Sorcerer Yoda,” the Queen grouses. Kenobi chuckles sympathetically. “I know he is confounding, my Queen. But he may be our one hope of untangling what it is that is going on in our kingdom.” She nods. “Collect Ahsoka and Cody. We leave within the hour.” ***** It takes some time to convince Ahsoka not to hunt down the old Sorcerer who has been hunting the monster, but once she’s informed of what they’d seen the night before, she is certain that the creature - whatever it is - is her brother. “It’s possible he isn’t in there anymore,” Kenobi says sympathetically. “That the creature was once your brother, but is no longer.” “If it is my brother,” Ahsoka snaps back as they walk up the mountain. “Then I will find a way to save him.” “And what of all the missing children?” Cody asks. “If he is the creature who has taken them, he may be guilty of murder.” “The sorcerer forced him to!” Ahsoka cries, turning to them. “Turned him into that...that thing, and I will make him pay.” “If it is revenge you seek,” a jovial voice speaks up from above them. “Then help you, I cannot.” “We -” Padme stops and takes a breath, lifting her head. “I seek your wisdom, Sorcerer.” “Wisdom,” the little green creature chuckles. “What is wisdom, but old words, repeated over and over.” Padme works hard to keep from rolling her eyes. “Children began disappearing from our kingdom some time ago, and another Sorcerer came to aid us in finding the creature responsible. Sheev the Sorcerer, he is called.” Yoda’s face goes serious then, as he thinks on this. “Sheev. Hm. Sheev. Heard of him, I have. Trustworthy many thought him to be, but…something wrong about him, there is. Secrets, he hides. Under his bed...monsters there are.” “Is it possible that he’s behind the disappearances?” Kenobi asks. “Playing at finding the culprit, when it is he, himself, who carries out these horrible deeds?” “Possible, anything is,” Yoda chuckles. “Mysterious are the ways of the magic around us.” “This is not helping,” Ahsoka grouses. “Speak plainly, old man!” “Speak plainly, I do,” Yoda says. “Standing on a plain am I.” He gestures to the flat piece of land he’s perched on with another laugh. “May I kill him?” Ahsoka asks the Queen. Padme takes a deep breath. “What is the best way to stop this man?” Yoda thinks about that for a moment and then gives them a little smile. “Remember you must, to trust your feelings, and have compassion. Only in love will you find the answer you seek.” ***** That night, Padme sneaks out of the castle without her captain or guard. If the Sorcerer Sheev is the one behind this...if that creature really is Ahsoka’s brother, turned into a ghoul of some kind… She wanders the streets, slowly. She recognizes many of her subjects, and they her, smiling and bowing to her. Even the less savory characters she knows show a little respect for their Queen, but everyone looks exhausted, and sad. They still have no answers. No way to stop the children from disappearing. They seem reassured by her presence among them, but Padme knows that soon, that won’t be enough. As she walks, she finds herself in a quieter, darker side of town. Shops are closed, and the sidewalks devoid of life. Or so she thinks. “You will do as I say.” She stops at the sound of Sheev’s voice  and slips further into the shadows as she peeks around the corner. There stands the creature, shoulders hunched, amber eyes staring into the man in front of him. Sheev. “You are my slave. I own you, and you will do whatever I wish. If you do not go and find me more children to eat, I will go back to that terrible dustbowl of a planet you are from and your mother will be my next victim.” The creature - Anakin - bows his head, eyes closing behind his hood. When he opens them again, he nods to his master. “Good,” Sheev nods. “I shall be waiting.” Pity bubbles in Padme’s stomach as she watches the old Sorcerer walk in the other direction, while the creature stands still, his robes and the black mist billowing around him. Carefully, she steps out of the shadows and towards him, afraid, but drawn to him somehow. Yoda had spoken of compassion. Of love being the key, and the compassion she feels is nearly overwhelming. “You don’t have to do what he says,” she says gently. The creature whirls around, its eyes blazing as he steps back from her. “You don’t have to be afraid,” she says quickly. “I want to help you. I know who you are.”  The creature stands up, its full height towering over her. “Anakin.” It freezes. “You are Anakin. Ahsoka’s brother,” Padme goes on, her voice going back to its gentle tone. “And I want to help you.” The creature’s eyes shift then, from amber to that clear blue, and she can almost make out his face. Handsome, and young, a lock of hair maybe in his face, She reaches out a hand to him. “Come with me.” He seems to gaze at her hand for a long while, before his own hand reaches out for her- all bone, as if there is no skin to cover it, and as black as his robes. “NO!” It’s Sheev, the old sorcerer’s voice, panicked and wild. “Your Highness, do not touch it! It will kill you!” It doesn’t occur to her to pull away, and when their hands meet, the world goes white, as if an explosion hits them both, and when Padme can see again, she is no longer looking at a creature, but at a man. Young and handsome with sandy hair, his eyes blue. He is lean and tall, and he is gazing at her in wonder. “How-” he stops at the sound of his own voice. “How did-” “You foul wench!” It’s Sheev’s voice, but harsher and angrier. When Padme looks over, Sheev is… Transformed. Where once stood a kindly old man, now stands a hideous beast. His skin wrinkled and start white. His eyes as red as blood, and teeth sharp as knives. 

Anakin pushes Padme behind him. “Foolish whelp!” Sheev snarls. “Do you think you can defeat me?! Your master?! Your curse may be broken, but that won’t matter once you’re dead!” From under her cloak, the Queen pulls a sword from its sheath on her belt, and presses it into Anakin’s hand. He grips it, glancing back at her and nodding as the old sorcerer rushes at them, teeth bared and claws out, screaming. With a deep breath, and a low count to three, Anakin lifts the sword, and before Sheev can maneuver away, it runs him through. The shriek is deafening, as Sheev the Sorcerer melts around the sword, a puddle of swampy brown liquid pooling at Anakin’s feet. When he turns to Padme, his knees give out from under him, his breathing labored as the weight of his own humanity hits him hard. “Thank you,” he breathes out, dropping the sword, and pressing his face into his hands. “Thank you.”  ***** Kenobi and the Queen watch as Ahsoka and Anakin reunite, holding onto each other for dear life. “The rest of the guard has found the missing children,” Kenobi tells her. “Caged in a cabin in the woods, waiting to be eaten.” “Thank god they’re safe,” Padme says softly. “That man kidnapped them,” Kenobi points out. “I know he was cursed, and a slave to boot, but...should he not face some sort of punishment?” “His enslavement and shame are punishment enough,” Padme tells him. “We must be merciful where Anakin likely will not be towards himself.” Kenobi nods. “Yes, Your Highness.” He takes a breath. “Perhaps he can work off that guilt by training to be in the guard.” Padme smiles softly. “I think that is a wonderful idea.” “I can see you’re very fond of him already,” Kenobi comments. “So that’s no surprise.” “Watch your tone, Captain,” Padme lifts an eyebrow with a smirk. “I may be merciful, but I am still your queen.” “Yes, Ma’am.” ***** Within the year, Anakin and Ahsoka fetched their mother from the Dust Kingdom, and moved to Naboo. Both respected members of the Royal Guard under Kenobi’s tutelage. He hadn’t been wrong. Padme felt great affection for Anakin, and with every passing day, that feeling grew, and it was clear that his feelings for her were more than just gratitude. Once Anakin was granted his knighthood, he asked for her hand in marriage, which she gave readily, and soon after, she gave birth to twins: Luke and Leia. And they lived happily ever after.

END 

[revenge-of-the-shit]

Some more Sith - Clone Wars trio, pulled directly from my fic Fractured Twists.

The air surrounding the command table of Anakin’s flagship is tense, fraught with uncertainty mixed with desperation and anger. The Mandalorians are stiff, standing quietly behind Bo-Katan as she argues for their case. In the Force, Ahsoka’s discomfort at being on the ship again mingles with Anakin’s hurt and confusion, pushing against Obi-Wan’s shields as he carefully pushes his own feelings for Mandalore into the Force. He promises to bring the information before the council, yet Bo-Katan has to push. She uses Satine against him, and something breaks. 

He whirls around, snapping at Bo-Katan. Bold of you to use her against me when you were part of the terrorists that tried to have her killed. The Mandalorian recoils, her pain blooming in the Force, and both Anakin and Ahsoka flinch at Obi-Wan’s sudden display of anger. He sighs and promises to go to Mandalore, and Bo-Katan gives only a short nod before she stalks out of the room to hide her guilt. Obi-Wan, too, departs from the room to carefully control his emotions, leaving behind an equally stunned Anakin and Ahsoka who break the tension immediately the moment they are alone with banter. 

When the call comes to rescue the Chancellor, Obi-Wan and Anakin are torn between their love and their duty: Obi-Wan’s love for Satine, Anakin’s love for Obi-Wan, and their duty to the Republic. Anakin, in a moment of sympathy, tells Obi-Wan to go with Ahsoka and the 212th to Mandalore. Obi-Wan argues, but they can both tell his heart is not really in it. At the end, a compromise is reached - half the 212th will follow Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to Mandalore while the other half will follow Anakin and the 501st to Coruscant. 

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka find out, too late, that Maul has laid a trap. Ahsoka loses Obi-Wan in the tunnels. Two days of frantic searching pass, and by then, she is agitated to a level Anakin has never seen before when she calls him from Mandalore. Maul took Obi-Wan, she says, her eyes tight with worry. He’s alive, but that’s all I can sense. 

Without Obi-Wan on Coruscant, there is no one left to object to the Council’s decision to give Anakin an assignment to spy on the Chancellor. There is also no one left to take away the sting of being denied the rank of master, no one to tell him that he is strong and worthy of his master’s pride.  The Council even goes so far to berate Obi-Wan for his absence, and it takes all of Anakin’s self-control to not storm out of the meeting then and there. He later releases all of his anger and worry in Palpatine’s office, ranting to the kind old man who sympathizes and tells him what he wants, and Anakin is so caught up in his own anger that he does not see Palpatine’s satisfied smile. 

Meanwhile, on Mandalore, Obi-Wan sits helpless in stun cuffs with Force-inhibitors under his skin while Maul gloats. He spends the first day describing in detail the deaths of Satine and Qui-Gon under his hand, then reveals his vision of Anakin and his plan to kill him. Obi-Wan loses control briefly, shouting in anger and denial before he abruptly slams his mouth shut, and Maul is pleased. 

Death Watch still loses ground. Jesse is still taken, and when Maul enters his mind, he searches not only for the ARC trooper’s knowledge of Ahsoka Tano but also Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Another trap is laid with the knowledge that she is less likely to join him if her grandmaster is being held captive. She is left alone in the throne room, Maul’s offer to join forces ringing in her mind, but she rejects his vision and tries to attack him. 

Outside, Bo-Katan and Rex wonder at their easy victory when she suddenly realizes that part of Death Watch is not present. Rex slams his hand down on the comm, calling for Ahsoka, but there’s no response. There won’t be. The next day, he comms Anakin, explaining that they’ve lost contact with her too, and Anakin barely gets a stiff thank you through gritted teeth before he cuts the connection. 

Palpatine, on the other hand, is delighted. Anakin confides in him his worries for Padmé, for Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, and how he is certain they are in pain, and Palpatine sets his plan into motion. With the death of General Grievous at the hands of Eeth Koth, the Clone Wars will wind down soon. All it takes is the correct words, softly spoken, a little persuasion through the secret bond in Anakin’s mind, and the right sympathetic tone, and he Falls with ease. 

The newly born Darth Vader makes his way to the Jedi Temple, tricking Mace Windu and the other Jedi Masters into trying to arrest Palpatine. Anakin is told to stay behind. 

As the Jedi Masters ignite their lightsabers, Darth Sidious smiles with glee and enacts Order 66. There are four Jedi, then three, then two, and Mace Windu is finally the only one left. Kilometers away, Vader leads the 501st up the steps of the Jedi Temple, and it burns. 

Mace Windu does not last as long, this time. Sidious does not need to pretend to be overwhelmed. The Korun master dies with a red blade pulsing between his ribs. 

There is no duel on Mustafar with Obi-Wan imprisoned on Mandalore. Vader kills the Separatists, then returns to Padmé whole, unhindered power coursing through his veins. He has not felt such a connection to the Force since Mortis! He proudly declares the actions he has done for her, expecting gratefulness. 

She rejects him, and he seethes. He had done this for her! He reaches out, intending to make her see , and suddenly she apologizes and wraps him in her arms, and he is pleased. 

It is he who is blind, for he does not see how his movement had twisted her mind, disfigured it under his grip. Padmé Amidala’s mind was strong, but she had no shields to resist the grip of the fallen Chosen One. 

What he has forgotten is that while her mind bent under his will, she still has a will of her own. He intends to have the galaxy under his rule. Yet once her mind is twisted, Padme Amidala takes one look at her husband - powerful, mad, uncontrolled - and where she once would have seen something fearful, she sees now an opportunity. She gives him a smile that he has never seen before - vicious, dangerous, and so, so alluring - and he is wrapped around her little finger with ease. She whispers words into his ears, sweet and poisonous, and the galaxy shakes again when morning comes and Palpatine is found dead on the steps of the Imperial Senate. 

The senators are easy to bend to her will. She needs no Force-abilities to keep them in check. The right speech, the correct dress, the perfect expression, and they are clamoring for her to take his place. She protests. No, she insists, I cannot do this, I don’t want this power! She catches the eye of Bail Organa, who looks at her with trust, and he gives her a nod. Later, when she converses with the Delegation of 2000, she draws up a proposal to use the powers to bring order back into the galaxy, then to abdicate the throne to bring about a Republic. Plans are made to outlaw slavery, to limit the terms on the Chancellorship, to prevent price gouging and hoarding to prevent another Trade Federation.

Of course, she does not plan on giving up her power. But it would be foolish to turn the Delegation of powerful allies against her, so she pretends and leaves the meeting with a smile on her face and schemes in her mind. 

Empress Amidala takes the throne, her swollen belly proudly displayed. The Mother of the Empire, they call her. So brave! So strong! The Holonet runs a news story on how the former Jedi (now an Imperial Knight-Consort) Anakin Skywalker had been caught in a terrifying conflict, how he had been forbidden by the Jedi to love (how could they do that? The people of Coruscant ask in horror. Good riddance that they’re gone, now), yet how when he had turned to the Chancellor for help, he found treachery in Palpatine as he discovered that the former Emperor was behind both sides of the war. He had had to marry in secret to Empress Amidala so that he would be allowed to love. 

Some call into question the professionalism of Empress Amidala. They are quickly beaten back by the strong words of Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. Give us an example of when her work was less than stellar, they cry out. Tell us where she made a blunder because of her marriage! And nobody questions her any longer.

(The time where she traded Grievous for Anakin is forgotten.)

That night, the Empress gives birth to two twins under the watchful eye of the Knight-Consort. He senses their strength, bright and shining in the Force, and he smiles. The Empress is exhausted after the birth, yet she still musters up the strength to send a short broadcast to her Empire. 

The people of the Empire love the children. Luke and Leia Amidala-Skywalker. They cheer, and they love the Imperial family. 

The Empress whispers again into the ears of the proud father. Our family is almost complete, but we are missing two, she breathes. Bring them home. Bring them to our side. He bows low to her and parts to Mandalore. 

When Vader reaches Mandalore, he kills Maul with ease.

The door to Obi-Wan’s cell opens, filled with a presence that’s wrong and cold yet horribly familiar, and he looks into the golden eyes of Anakin Skywalker.

When he reacts with horror, Anakin’s face twists into a cruel expression, and he orders his troops to bring Obi-Wan to Coruscant, willingly or not. As Anakin disappears from the doorway, leaving Obi-Wan still restrained in the cell, a familiar figure with a blank Force presence appears. Cody, with no air of familiarity or joy at seeing his general, pushes Obi-Wan towards a flagship as he tries to comprehend how this could have all happened. He nearly chalks it up to a hallucination or a dream until he is pushed into a cell with Ahsoka, also restrained and terrified, and they realize together that their world has shattered. 

There is no escape. There are no vents, no soldiers that can be mind-tricked. Obi-Wan himself trained his troops to be resistant to such things. The Force, made slippery through the Force-inhibitors in their bloodstream, prevents them from trying anyway. 

The way back to Coruscant is uneventful. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are brought back to the Temple, now filled with so much pain and rage and terror from the night of the Purge, and they are locked in separate cells designed to hold the Sith in the lower levels of the Temple. They do not know it, but it is the last time they will ever see each other. 

Ahsoka is the first. She is strong, but even she cannot withstand the power of Vader. It takes a week, filled with electroshocks and drugs and Vader’s hammering blows against her mental shields as she hangs helplessly in a containment field. As she is on the verge of breaking, screaming in pain, he shatters her mental shields, grasps her mind and twists , sending her his hatred, his rage, and his complete and utter devotion to the Empress Amidala, and Ahsoka Tano is no more. When she looks up again, glaring at him with hateful yellow irises, he smiles in glee. 

That is how the First Sister is born. She is cruel, dangerously fast and silent, and utterly devoted to the Empress and her consort even as she hates Vader with her very being. The bond he has forged in her mind during her creation ensures that she never even considers betraying him. 

Her first task is to turn Obi-Wan. She works in tandem with Vader, alternating between sweet words and cold abuse. If Kenobi was stronger, she thinks with bitterness, Vader would not have Fallen. I would not have been tortured. 

Obi-Wan is stronger than they anticipated. Despite being weakened by Maul’s torture, he holds tightly to the Light. A month passes, filled with electroshocks and Vader’s Force Lightning and drugs that lower his pain tolerance and make him hallucinate for days, yet no progress is made. Vader and First Sister are infuriated, battering against Obi-Wan’s shields, yet he still holds. An incident at the Temple, led by two desperate Jedi and a small group of dissidents while Vader and the First Sister are protecting the Empress during her weekly public meetings, disrupts the guards enough to prevent them from administering Obi-Wan’s Force inhibitors in time. The two Jedi slam the door open and Obi-Wan stumbles out and cries as he feels the Force truly flood his senses for the first time in two months. He flees with the rebels, stumbling after months of sitting in chains, and sees the ship. They are almost there. 

Any hope disappears when he sees the figure waiting in front of the ship, her tall montrals illuminated by the red light of her lightsabers. The First Sister’s lips split open into a smile, her teeth bared, when she sees Obi-Wan behind the two Jedi. Going somewhere? She purrs, then launches at the Jedi in a blur that they barely catch. 

Obi-Wan turns to the small group of rebels just as a squad of clone troopers shows up and begins firing on the unsuspecting rebels. His muscles burn as he falls deeply into the Force and deftly avoids blaster bolts, pushing the troopers back to give the rebels time. 

It’s no good. Even as the last of the troopers fall, he senses the two Jedi behind him joining the Force, aided by the twin blades of the being that used to be Ahsoka. He whirls, preparing to face her, but her expression is one of delight even as she sees the dead squad behind him. She’s radiating so much Dark that he can barely sense the Force screaming a warning, and by the time he does, it’s too late.

The rest of the rebels are blasted off the platform, screaming as they fall thousands of feet into the bottom levels of Coruscant. Before he can turn around, something hard strikes Obi-Wan, and despair overtakes him as the Force-suppressant collar locks around his neck and cuts his connection to the Force. 

He does not even get the chance to collapse. The First Sister bows low as Obi-Wan is immobilized in an iron grip through the Force, and he knows without turning that Vader is behind him. 

It is a testament to Obi-Wan’s strength that he still does not break after being thrown again into his cell. 

To their surprise, it is Empress Amidala who bends his will with methods that neither of them had thought of using. She runs into his cell, tears in her eyes, and she carefully tends to his wounds even as he stares in confusion at her garb. He cannot fathom how she has become Empress, going against her core values,  and how she can defend Anakin’s actions while she tends to his wounds. She tells him that she trusts Anakin, that he is making Obi-Wan strong through the pain, then she does something that is the most unexpected. Anakin walks into the cell, the old bright smile Obi-Wan had always seen (and had long missed) on his face, carrying two little infants who gurgle in happiness at meeting someone new. She explains how the Jedi would have taken the twins from her and Anakin - how they would have broken her heart right as they broke Anakin’s by expelling him and stealing their children - and Obi-Wan cannot find a single argument against their reasoning. They are right, and he knows it. 

He cracks but does not break. Vader and the First Sister share a pleased smile, teeth bared, as they realize they are close to their goal. 

Empress Amidala’s final step is shown to both Obi-Wan and the galaxy at the same time. As a politician, she was well-educated in the workings of politics and galactic history. Her study of the dictators of the past has shown her their common weakness: their arrogance and their madness as they became drunk on their power. Her Empire, she decides, would be transparent with its workings and its reasonings. She would not take part in questionable actions that would give her enemies a valid reason to oppose her. She must be firm and pragmatic, yet ethical in order to hold the support of the likes of Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. 

As such, she takes to the Imperial Senate, then explains why the Jedi are still outlawed. Recordings, transcripts, and other evidence are gathered, carefully examined, and presented. From his cell, Obi-Wan watches helplessly as the flaws of the council are pulled to light. He sees Mace Windu, asserting that the Jedi must take control of the Senate if they were to remove Palpatine from power. He sees Yoda, instructing the Council to cover up their discovery that Dooku was behind the clone army (The Senate takes half an hour to calm down after seeing this). He sees the council expelling Ahsoka for a crime that a different Jedi had committed. He sees Luminara, throwing a ship into an apartment complex as she tries to catch Ziro, causing an explosion that claims dozens of lives. More and more, holos and transcripts are shown, unedited and unfiltered, and Obi-Wan Kenobi breaks. 

Vader and the First Sister are there to pick up the pieces. The First Sister carefully releases him from his restraints, and Vader gently holds Obi-Wan’s head between his hands and presses their foreheads together. There’s no resistance in his mind anymore, and when Vader meets his eyes again, the golden eyes of the First Brother stare back. 

Only a few kilometers away, the Senate is in disarray. Voices shout over one another, accusations and insult flying throughout the room, ignoring calls for Order. Empress Amidala searches the room and sees Bail Organa, whose face is twisted in betrayal. One voice rises over the others. How can we trust you , Empress? Screams Orn Free Taa. Were you not friends with the Jedi? 

In response, the Empress allows two tears to fall on her cheeks, allowing the holos to capture the picture of her sorrow. She opens her mouth, seems to hesitate, and another voice comes to her defense. Mon Mothma’s voice is strong and certain, trembling with the betrayal that all the senators have felt from the Jedi. The Empress was tricked by the Jedi, as were we all! She shouts. She has revealed this evidence and made it open to the public. Do you not see what she has sacrificed to help us? 

(They do not know that all evidence of Anakin’s part in the massacre has been carefully and systematically destroyed, impossible to recover. They do not know that the only records of Obi-Wan are carefully edited so that future historians, even with long debates, agree that he had no part in the corruption of the Jedi Council.) 

Empress Amidala hides her smile with long years of practice. Good. All is going according to plan - from her carefully crafted persona of the reluctant, benevolent Empress, to the public opinion of the Jedi, she is pleased with how she has the galaxy under her thumb. 

Three years pass. Slavers are found, flogged to death, popping around the outer rim as slaves are freed with the help of the Empire. The numbers of the Jedi dwindle under the blades of the First Sister and the First Brother, who begin taking terrified padawans and younglings to Vader to add to the Inquisitorius. The most vocal of senators against the Empress is caught red-handed laughing over the mutilated body of one of the Empress’ guards, and nobody believes the senator when she screams that her mind has been warped and that the guard was one of her most trusted friends.

Vader knows. He knows the guard was a traitor and that the courts will sentence the senator to death when new evidence comes to life of her support for slavery and her direct involvement in the death of a hundred slaves. The evidence is false, of course, but he does not care. 

Bail Organa is invited to watch Luke and Leia during the Senate downtime and he arrives happy to see Padmé and Obi-Wan again. He leaves just as happy, unaware that his mind has been tampered with, that the First Brother had reached with ease through an unprotected mind and twisted . When Empress Amidala steps down from the throne, Bail Organa is nominated, wins through a wide margin, and the galaxy is unaware that it has just elected a puppet whose strings are being pulled by their former Empress.

Sometimes, in the midst of his meditation, the First Brother thinks of the one thing he has in common with those around him. The First Sister’s mind is most like his own - fractured, welded together in a broken form, and tempered through pain to form a weapon. Bail and Padmé’s minds are also fractured, yet they were more carefully put back together since they had had no shields that had needed breaking. The hollow shell that used to be Obi-Wan Kenobi draws on his hatred for the man that used to be Anakin Skywalker, and he falls deeply into the Dark Side of the Force. 

The reign of the Empress continues for long decades in the shadows, the minds of many warping under the hands of her Knight-Consort and his First Inquisitors. Her children grow up to become deadly assassins, the boy with an ever-cheerful smile on his face as he flays his opponents and the girl with a dark grin as she crushes her enemies with the Force. They learn the best of their skills from their family - knowledge of the Force from their father and the First Brother, how to wield their lightsabers from the First Sister, and how to wield their words and charm from their mother.

Leia Amidala-Skywalker makes the most of her teachings. When she is nineteen and on a mission, she and Luke seethe as they are stranded on a mission, but they worry not. They find their way off-planet by charming their way onto a smuggler’s ship. He’s charming, this Han Solo, and Leia decides that she wants him to stay. He hems and haws, trying to find a polite way to turn her down, and she decides that she will get her way.

She reaches into his mind and twists.