#seven fucking holocrons on it

[arkhavens]

ok but i CANNOT fucking get over the fact that there was literally an active sith academy on thule before+during the clone wars.

[hereticpriest]

Mercy Chapter 10 - Haelstruum

Rating: Explicit 18+

MDNI

Relationship: Obi-Wan Kenobi x Reader

To begin with, some warnings about this story: A/B/O Dynamics, Female Alpha, Male Omega, Some chapters may involve messing with the whole 'alphas are always dom and omegas are always sub' because I think nuance exists even in A/B/O dynamics, Fucking with the timeline (this is a blend of Canon, Legends, and original lore), Minimal use of Y/N (Explained in the first chapter), Reader is an alien species of my own creation and thus has a physical description, Familial bonds explored heavily, Clone rights explored heavily, Violence is more graphic than canon-typical however any graphic descriptions will be noted, AFAB reader, Not beta-read so I apologize for any mistakes.

Okay so I may have fibbed (unintentionally, the story pulled me here and I did not expect it) about us getting to Attack of the Clones this chapter. The next one, however, will cover quite a bit of AOTC.

Chapter warnings: Flirting, collaring, playing with A/B/O dynamics, slight dom!Obi-Wan, a whole lot of exposition and introduction to Haelstruum. I promise it serves a purpose!

Read on AO3

Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five - Part Six - Part Seven - Part Eight - Part Nine - Part Nine Point Five

Haelstruum is a stunning planet. Blue and so much stunning green in every shade you could possibly imagine, even in the dark of night. The larger continent of Vaelanis is covered in rainforest and thick jungle, shot through with a winding river from the mountains to the north all the way down to nearly the bottom. The second continent of Asfara is much smaller than Vaelanis, surrounded on the northern and western sides with thousands of islands of varying size. Once, Asfara was nearly of a size with Vaelanis, until a great earthquake followed by a catastrophic flood nearly half a millenia ago. The entire planet is nearly covered in forests, with peaks of grey-beige to the far north and far south of each continent. Unlike most planets these days, light pollution is negligible at best - even as they approach at night, the only spots of artificial light are in the port city of Vaelastra. The forests are dotted with clear signs of multi-coloured bioluminescence, creating a gentle kaleidoscope among the different shades of green. Between the two continents lies a massive ocean dotted with hints of bioluminescence, and split by a huge swath of vibrantly coloured coral. 

Your destination is Vaelastra, the port city and capital of the planet, built into the peaks of the mountains of Holnier Xul. Arriving at night wasn’t necessarily ideal, but it did give you a peek at how the planet became a whole new world in the dark. As your ship approaches the port, Obi-Wan steps up behind you, lacing his arms around your waist. His lips find your mating mark, and you shiver under his touch, the vibration of his purr providing comfort to your frazzled nerves as you stare out of the large viewport. You’ve been sent to Haelstruum for a multitude of reasons, though the primary reason is to collect a Jedi holocron that was found in a newfound cenote and offered to the Jedi Council by the Haelan Council as part of their attempts at continuing peaceful relations. It was also an excuse to give you what was effectively a working vacation - you hadn’t taken one since your knighthood began and the Council was forcing your hand. Taking your mate with you had been a ploy to further convince you, as giving you time with your little family was something you couldn’t possibly resist.

It was, however, your first time going back to your home planet. You were, frankly, terrified. Rightfully so, since they had sent you off with a Jedi as a babe. You wonder if your parents are still alive. Will they recognize you, with some sort of innate parental knowledge? Biological awareness of your own offspring. You have your doubts. Obi-Wan has been trying to convince you that everything would be alright. Master Sav Lasra was allowed back onto Haelstruum, and stayed for nearly a month after resettling rescued slaves. Anakin was just excited to not be stuck at the Temple for a while - he loved exploring new worlds, and this trip had encouraged him to spend an evening in the Archives researching your homeworld.

“Ugh, gross.” Your son complains as he approaches the viewport behind you, though you know he’s mostly teasing. You roll your eyes, twisting your head to give Obi-Wan a proper kiss just to bother his Padawan. Smiling against your lips, your mate hums, then breaks away to look at his student.

“Come to watch us dock, Anakin?” he asks, and the boy nods, affectionately bumping his arm against his Master’s as he comes to stand beside you both.

“I couldn’t see out of the window in my bunk. Are you guys gonna be gross the whole trip since there won’t be any other Jedi around?” Anakin asks boldly, and you snort, pressing a kiss to Obi-Wan’s fuzzy cheek as he begins to blush.

“I would say yes just to tease you, however, I know you did your research on Haelans in the Archives. You know that my people are… somewhat more primal than other species. We’re also an Omegan Matriarchal Democracy, which means that while I am Haelan, Obi-Wan will be deserving of more respect than me while we’re there. There will be expectations upon us and our relationship. The texts are unclear about the specifics, but I will not be surprised if there are certain things asked of me… Master Lasra implied that there are mating ceremonies that are extremely important to Haelans, and we may be expected to partake.” You explain, and Anakin listens as maturely as he can, only making a slight face at the mention of mating. Obi-Wan is red all the way to his ears, and you kiss the point of his cheek, squeezing his waist reassuringly. You’d both discussed the possibilities ahead of your visit, and cleared where the lines of your consent lay to avoid any awkwardness in the moment.

Upon docking, you are brought through the city to the Council chambers, a large circular room with a domed ceiling of star charts. Seven chairs line the far side of the room, and three more sit in the middle of the room for the guests. You sweep the room with your senses before allowing Obi-Wan and Anakin to take their seats, then turn your gaze to the Council. Each Council member is vastly different from the last, with a rainbow of different skin colours - violet, periwinkle, crimson, forest green, navy, blood orange and magenta. Four Omegas - two male, two female - sit alongside a male Alpha and a Beta of each gender. None of them look particularly pleased or upset to see them, though the male Alpha locks gazes with you in expectation for you to submit. The first of what you’re sure will be many metaphorical dick-measuring contests.

Tension rises briefly as you refuse to look away from him, knowing implicitly that you aren’t the one who should be balking from this challenge. Finally, the prim-looking forest green Omega seated next to the Alpha gives a quiet hiss, his teeth bared at what you assume is his mate. The Alpha’s nostrils flare, but he looks away obediently, giving the Omega man’s cheek a gentle nuzzle and kiss. You notice with some degree of curiosity a collar of dark metal around the Alpha’s neck, with what you believe might be a biolock at the throat. No one else on the Council wears one, and you wonder if it is characteristic of the two Council members’ relationship, or of Alphas in general. You smile, glancing at Obi-Wan to see his reaction and grinning discreetly at the pink on his cheeks and the purr rising in his throat.

Are you proud of your Alpha, baby? Does it turn you on that your Alpha is the baddest around?

Don’t tease me in public, Alpha.

I wouldn’t dare, sweetheart.

“What name have you chosen for yourself, Jedi?” The violet-skinned Omega woman asks, drumming her fingers against the arm of her chair as she adjusts regally in her seat, keen gaze burrowing into you.

“Mercy, my lady.” You reply simply, then gesture to those beside you, “This is Obi-Wan Kenobi, my mate, and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker, our son.”

Anakin flushes peach at the bold declaration, but you can feel his preening through the bond between you. You rarely go so far as to call him your son out loud, not wanting to call too much attention to your bond in a way that may concern the Jedi Council. Obi-Wan simply looks proud, if shy at the attention.

“And has this Mercy taken you against your will, Obi-Wan Kenobi?” The crimson Omega male asks, his force signature sympathetic and kind, “You will be protected from her should this not have been your choice. There are ways to break a mating bond.”

Despite the instinctual outrage at the mere concept of forcing a relationship on an Omega that rages in your heart, you know that this question is not for you, and you force yourself to remain silent and as non-reactive as possible. Obi-Wan flushes pink, both from outrage and embarrassment, but he knows he needs to go about this the right way. A way that Haela will approve of, and believe. Omegas hold all the power on Haelstruum, and he knows that you’ve continued that in your relationship even if you tease him. He has always held power over you, your throat laid bare in his hand, trusting him not to crush you. He takes a breath.

“Alpha, sit at my feet.” He says calmly, and you immediately slip from your chair to kneel before him, “Lay your head in my lap, darling. Show them the mark I gave you when I made you mine.”

The Council watches with interest as you lay your cheek against Obi-Wan’s thigh, arching your neck slightly and dropping your shoulders to make your mating mark visible to them all. He strokes his fingertips across the scarred imprint of his teeth.

“Mercy is mine. She did not have the chance to take me against my will, as she has always been what I wanted.” Obi-Wan states clearly, petting your hair out of your face. You relax against him, your posture submissive and supplicant, and even go as far as to close your eyes.

“Fascinating. It appears that despite being away from our people for so long, Mercy has retained her Haelan heritage innately.” The magenta Beta muses, and Obi-Wan hums his agreement, gesturing for you to get up and sit back in your chair. You do, obedient and loose, taking some time before you’re able to rip your gaze from the Omega that holds your heart in his fist.

“I’ve wanted her to be mine since we were young. But, neither of us were ready until far more recently. Our souls are entwined in the Force.” Obi-Wan informs the Council, squeezing your thigh possessively, then glances over at Anakin with fondness in his eyes, “She has raised my Padawan with me without asking for anything in return. She has selflessly given us her love. I cannot imagine us without her.”

You flush, and Anakin pipes up, shocking you both.

“I have a mother who gave birth to me and raised me as best as she could until I was nine. But Mercy is my mother as well. I think… I think my mom would be happy to know that a woman and Alpha as strong and kind as Mercy was raising me in her absence.” The young Alpha says, and you have to blink away tears at the love in your son’s voice. The Council members before you seem to soften at Anakin’s declaration, and finally, all of the tension bleeds from the room.

“We welcome you, Mercy and her sui’ruun. You will be given chambers with your ruunad and kuruun.” The blood orange Beta greets you all, and you can’t help but feel proud. You know Haelan, though not as well as you wish you did, and you know the words used are perfect. Sui’ruun means ‘family of my heart’ and is used to describe a family unit that does not limit itself to purely biological relations. Ruunad means ‘love of my heart’, and kuruun means ‘son of my heart’, once again acknowledging that your bonds transcend their biological limits.

“Thank you for your kind welcome.” Obi-Wan speaks for you, squeezing your thigh, “As discussed, we will be staying for at least a week, but perhaps two if time permits. Mercy would like to get to know her people better, and we wish to immerse ourselves in Haelan culture. We know this is a very rare opportunity, and both myself and my Padawan swear that we will show the utmost respect for the knowledge bestowed upon us.”

The Council members titter, looking between themselves for a moment before the forest green Omega offers Obi-Wan a wide smile. His eyes crinkle at the corners, and his Alpha stares adoringly at him, their tails entwined in front of their chairs.

“You are Mercy’s sui’ruun. She maintains her Haelan citizenship despite being sent to the Jedi, as do all Haela. Thus, you are one of us, despite your… unfortunate lack of marriage. Your kuruun, if formally acknowledged, would be offered the same status.” He informs you all, and you feel a rush of butterflies in your stomach at the concept of being married to Obi-Wan. He glances at you, clearly feeling that excitement but not totally sure of the source.

What’s got you so happy, my love?

I was… he mentioned marriage and… I will admit, it got me a little excited.

Obi-Wan blushes, but you feel a similar excitement from him.

Is that something you would like to inquire about? I would be thrilled to marry you, Mercy. The only reason I haven’t brought it up before was because it isn’t seen as a necessity back home since we are force-mates. This is not the first time I have considered it.

That’s why I didn’t bring it up either. I have thought about it, but we haven’t had a lot of time to consider marriage with how busy we’ve been lately.

“We would happily go about the process of formally acknowledging our son, should he wish it. We would also like to inquire about how marriage works on Haelstruum.” Obi-Wan states and you feel your heart flutter like a bird caught in the cage of your ribs. The Council members seem to have a positive reaction, and the violet Omega nods.

“We will discuss this tomorrow. Stalwart will take you to your chambers, and we will introduce you further to Haelan culture in the morning. You will be fetched at the eighth hour for your morning meal.”

Stalwart, the navy Alpha, stands from his chair and approaches you, leading you from the room. On your walk to your chambers, he tells you the virtue names of the Council members. The violet Omega woman is named Lawmaster, while the periwinkle Omega woman is named Wonder. The crimson Omega man is named Regal, while the forest green Omega man who appeared to be the Alpha’s mate is named Poet. The blood orange Beta woman is named Wildheart, and the magenta Beta man is named Medic. Each Council member represents a region of Haelstruum, and speaks on their interests. Stalwart himself comes from the river people who live a constantly moving life up and down the river that gives the region life, Crea’nur.

You hesitate as Stalwart opens the doors to a comfortable looking living area, with branching paths to bedrooms and a fresher. Anakin heads in to try and claim the nicest room, while Obi-Wan follows him to ensure he doesn’t snag the master bedroom from them, and you watch them go fondly before turning to the other Alpha.

“I would like to ask you a question, however I worry that it might be sensitive.” You keep your voice low for privacy, and Stalwart smiles crookedly, showing off the tip of a pointy fang.

“Ask away. I’ll do my best not to be terribly offended.” He replies, and you chuckle, leaning back against the hallway wall.

“You wear a rather pretty collar. I wondered if it was commonplace among Haela, or if it was specific to your relationship.” You admit, and Stalwart raises an eyebrow, still smiling. Well, at least you hadn’t offended him.

“It is traditional for an Alpha to be collared by his or her Omega once they’ve been mated and wedded, while the Omega wears a corresponding ring.” Stalwart replies, “The collar can only be removed by their Omega, however, the ring can be freely removed. This symbolizes the truth of the dominance offered to Alphas by their Omega - we are only dominant because our Omega allows it.”

You nod, feeling an odd stirring in your chest that makes you take a deep, ragged breath. Stalwart smiles knowingly.

“Could I-”

“You can be fitted for one once you wed your Omega. I would recommend you visit the market while you’re here. You have a strong relationship with your Omega… I believe you would enjoy the offerings of a store called Open Hand in basic. You’ll notice that the market uses basic alongside Haelan for the few visitors we have.” Stalwart explains, and you nod eagerly, thanking him. He nods, leaving you in the hallway while you struggle with how much of yourself appears to be explained by your heritage.

~

“Genetic memory. You are exemplary of it.” Poet explains, circling you in the middle of a large fighting pit. The Council meeting in the morning was productive, and you had received the holocron as promised. Afterwards, Poet and Stalwart offered to teach you some of the things you’d been so curious about. It turns out that there was something to your musings about parts of your identity being nature rather than nurture, Haelan despite being raised far from your culture. Poet informs you that it is natural, part of your genetics, and that it has more to offer you than simply a strong spine and compassionate soul.

“This fighting stance you adopted instinctually is part of your genetic memory. Once shown the katas, your body will begin to move naturally. Your DNA remembers Druma even if you’ve never seen one. Kirroger will feel like old friends. Your home knows you and welcomes you, no matter how long it’s been since you’ve been here.” Poet explains, and you nod along, watching Stalwart demonstrate the katas for the Haelan form which roughly translates to ‘Way of the Kirroger’. Poet’s smile widens as he watches you begin to mimic his mate, instinct driving you, your blood singing as you stop watching and move on your own. You swirl, sliding to your knees and spinning under an invisible assailant’s attack, then driving upwards with a strike, followed by the smooth motions of a throw. Your blood roars in your ears as you slow to a stop to find your small family standing beside the Haela Council members, observing you with fondness in their eyes.

~

Sage requests a meeting with you, and Medic informs you that the requests of Sage are not so much requests, but demands. The mystic meets you in shaded chambers deep in the mountain, at the side of a cave lake of clear turquoise waters. Multicoloured fish swim around you, through vibrant corals and bioluminescent algae. Sage gestures for you to sit, and you do, adopting a meditation pose similar to her own.

“You are the child of Munir, an omen from the Gods, the great change. You were given away to fulfill your destiny, weiruun. It appears you are walking that path, and making your people proud.” Sage informs you, and you feel your world tilt. Your ears flick, tail winding behind you as you try to figure out how to ask the multitude of questions screaming in your mind.

“I thought I was considered a bad omen.” You whisper, and Sage nods gravely.

“A misunderstanding I sought to correct. There are a great many… miscommunications between the Haela and the outside world. You have a destiny that required you to be among the Jedi, but you were never unwanted. Your parents loved you dearly. They were endlessly proud of you.” Sage says, and you feel stinging at the corners of your eyes as you realize what she’s telling you.

“How did it happen?” You ask, and Sage gives you a sad smile.

“Your imran, your mother, was a warrior of great renown. She lost her life defending a group of Haela from slavers. Your imril, your father was lost shortly after, following those remaining threads to finish your mother’s work. Take heart, for they achieved their goal and kept a great many Haela from a terrible fate.” Sage explains, and you have to centre yourself in the Force to keep yourself balanced. An intense feeling of sympathy sinks into you like a blanket around your shoulders, and you take comfort in the embrace of the Force.

“Thank you for telling me their story. I will do my best to honour them, and live a life of which they would be proud.” You reply, and Sage smiles, squeezing your hand.

“You already have, little one.”

~

“Will you use Haelan vows?” Lawmaster asks, and Obi-Wan smiles, sweet enough to make you nearly swoon. He explains your plan, in which you will use traditional Haelan vows, followed by the Jedi code to honour your family. Anakin has been running you ragged, forcing you to take him through the katas for the Way of the Kirroger just like you’d promised him. He’s lacking instinct and a tail, but he has been making progress, and seems to enjoy the new form. It’s very adaptable, you observe, easily accommodating the vibro-weapons that Haela tend to use. You don’t think it would take much to make it into a new lightsaber form, though you keep that to yourself. Who knows if the Jedi would even be open to a new form? Mace Windu’s Vaapad is the latest addition, and even it is simply a variation of the pre-existing Juyo. No, until you’ve mastered your form, you will keep it to yourself and your little family.

Your wedding ceremony is set to occur tonight at sundown as per Haela tradition. It isn’t a long ceremony, as many Haela were traditionally wed during long hunts. After your wedding ceremony, you will undergo another called ‘The Claiming’, in which you will formally acknowledge Anakin as your son. In Haelan society, this doesn’t negate his true parentage. He can be both Shmi’s son, and yours. Biological and spiritual, side by side. You know he’s excited - he’s been practically glowing since you asked him if it was something he would consider.

Later that evening, you stand before Lawmaster once more as she recites the traditional Haelan vows. Both yourself and Obi-Wan are dressed in your nicest robes, and both of you have been put through very different versions of a Haelan spa day. Obi-Wan’s beard has been trimmed, oiled and brushed. His hair is perfectly coiffed, his smile serene as he gazes at you. You admire him shamelessly, pleased to find that his mating mark is fully on display. He holds your open hands in his, thumbs stroking across your palms, and your tail is wrapped around his thigh.

“I vow to always protect you from harm, to stand with you against your troubles, and to look to you when I need protection in turn. I vow to honour you, cherish you, and guide you through the darkness. I will raise our children with compassion, kindness, honour and wisdom. This I pledge to you as I take you as mine.” Obi-Wan recites, and you smile as his force signature brightens with every word.

“Your battles are mine. Your worries are mine. I will be your guiding light through darkness and despair. I vow to be your shield, your guide, and your provider. I am yours, and you are mine, from this day til the end of days. I vow to honour you and our children in a household full of love. You will never be alone - I will stand at your side through all of life’s challenges. This I pledge to you as I take you as mine.” You reply, shivering as Lawmaster pushes on your shoulder until you kneel at Obi-Wan’s feet. He stares down at you with blue eyes ablaze, clasping a collar of (favourite metal) around your neck. It sits just above your scent glands, leaving your mating mark in full view, and your eyes go half-lidded and pleased at the feeling of the cool metal around your throat. It feels right.

Obi-Wan lets you take his hand, and you slip a gold ring onto his finger, letting him see the surprise inside. The force crystal given to you by your old master many, many years ago gleams in the centre of the ring, and Obi-Wan gasps at the sight of it. He knows the significance - knows what it means for you to part with one of your most prized, and loved, possessions. You stand, tipping Obi-Wan’s head back delicately so you can press heated kisses across his mating mark. He grabs your collar and pulls you into a proper kiss that sends fire racing through you, down to the tips of your toes.

“You are one.” Lawmaster says, “Now, bring forth your child.”

Anakin steps forwards, his eyes darting between the both of you as if you’ll suddenly tell him it was all a joke. You chuff at him and he melts, chuffing back as he takes his place between you and your new husband.

“Who claims this child, Anakin Skywalker, son of Shmi Skywalker?” Lawmaster asks, and you clasp your hand around Anakin’s.

“This child is mine.” You declare, and you feel Anakin trembling, his Force signature brighter than the sun.

“And he is mine.” Obi-Wan finishes, taking Anakin’s other hand.

“Commit yourselves.” Lawmaster instructs you both, and you turn to Anakin in unison, offering him a soothing smile.

“I vow to protect you from all harm, be it of the body, mind or spirit. I vow to guide you through darkness and light, to follow the path laid before your feet. I vow to love you so dearly no one will ever have reason to question that you were meant to be mine, my son, my heart. I swear to give you shelter from the storm, feed you when you are hungry, support you when you are unbalanced, and forgive you when you err. I take you as my son, from this day until the end of days, and curse anyone who would try to part us.” You and Obi-Wan recite together, and you can’t help but smile at the way Anakin squeezes your hands so tightly you think he might accidentally break a bone.

“Do you accept this declaration of love and family, Anakin Skywalker?” Lawmaster asks, and he nods, clearing his throat before speaking hoarsely.

“I do.”

“Then, it is done. You came to us as Anakin Skywalker, and you leave us as Anakin Skywalker-Kenobi, son of two families. Never forget how loved you are.” Lawmaster claps her hands together, and you pull Obi-Wan and Anakin into a hug, smothering them both in kisses that even Anakin doesn’t try to pretend to protest. Together with your husband, you clasp a necklace around your son’s neck, an intricate cage of white gold around a crystal found only on Haelstruum called Crearuun. The crystal shines violet, and you can’t imagine a more perfect thing to represent your love.

[rainofaugustsith]

So...I realized that about a year and a half before Echoes of Oblivion, where you go through Satele Shan’s minsdcape to heal her (among other things)..there are a few chapters in The Eternal Wrath where Lana and Viri go through Viri’s mindscape to heal her. In that case it had nothing to do with Valkorion directly, they were healing the damage left from the fact that Viri had five different very strong Force ghosts involuntarily squatting in her brain, and as we know from the Sith Inquisitor story, Force Walking hurts a person on a good day.  Excerpt:

”Viri, sit here. Lana, sit next to her. You need to recite this incantation, exactly as written,” Suvia says, handing Viri a piece of parchment. “It’s written out because datapads short out in here. We found that out the hard way before.” ”HK, hold onto my datapad, and Viri’s, too,” Lana says, handing the device over. “Please wait for us outside.” Viri takes the piece of parchment and studies the High Sith incantation. “So I say this, and…” ”And you’ll take this torch and light the cauldron in front of you. These seeds need to go in the cauldron when you get to line seven. Inhale the fumes and don’t resist when they send you to sleep. Lana, you’ll be able to follow Viri into her dream state and help, but you need to remember that you’re there as a second. She has to take the lead.” ”Understood,” Lana says gravely. ”Can you give me any hints about what will happen in the dream state?” Suvia nods. “Count on fighting some of your most traumatic memories. And yourself. You’ll need to win. If there’s any deep dark secret you don’t want Lana to know, be warned. She’ll see everything.” “That’s fine. I have no secrets from Lana,” Viri says. “Are you ready? We’ll cover you outside the room,” Suvia says. Viri swallows hard. “Thank you for your guidance with this, Suvia. You’re literally saving my life.” ”You restored mine. It’s nothing,” Suvia says, as she leaves the chamber. “Safe travels.” Viri lights the cauldron and settles down before the fire, but hesitates. ”Don’t be afraid,” Lana says softly, rubbing her arm. “I’ll be right here with you the whole time.” Viri says nothing, but turns to embrace her. She’s shaking under her robes. ”I’ve got you. I promise.” ”I love you,” Viri whispers. “Thank you for coming with me.” ”I’d do nothing less,” Lana says. “I love you, Viri. You can do this. You’re the fucking Wrath, damn it.” Viri laughs outright, takes a deep breath, and begins to recite the High Sith incantation. When she reaches the seventh line, she tosses the seeds into the flames. A blue haze begins to fill the room, and both Lana and Viri feel their eyelids becoming heavier and heavier. As Lana slides into unconsciousness, she reaches out to Viri one more time. Safest travels, my love. … Lana’s eyes open to stare at a black sky. Black volcanic rocks cover the ground. Hills of ash surround them. The stink of sulphur chokes the air. Lana blinks as she stands up and looks around. Viri is already battling a ghost; one that looks suspiciously like Darth Baras. Her teeth are bared and she’s railing on her former master with every bit of venom she can muster. As Baras goes down, Nomen Karr rises. And Lord Draahg. And Revan. Arcann. Vaylin. Valkorion. As Valkorion’s illusion falls, a staircase opens beneath Lana and Viri’s feet. The two women run down the steps, spiraling down into Viri’s conscious mind. Around them, people are laughing. Taunting. Accusing. Screaming. Lana hears both friends and foes, and stops short when she recognizes her own voice, and Viri’s, among the cacophony. Every trauma Viri has ever experienced is spilling over them in waves, and tears run down Lana’s cheeks. The stairs lead to a long corridor with open doors, and Viri peers through each of them, seemingly searching for something. ”What – who – are we looking for?” Lana gasps, trying to keep pace with Viri. ”Her,” Viri says, and keeps running.

At the end of the corridor, the two women stop short. A closed door, locked with numerous chains and electric barriers, lurks in an alcove. The void is stronger here. “This is the only door that’s still closed. Is this what we need?” Lana asks. Viri goes pale and backs up. “I can’t go in there.” ”It’s your own mind. Can’t you go where you want?” Viri shakes her head. “Not there. Never there.” Lana sighs. “Do you mind if I have a peek, then?” ”You know I can’t let you go in alone, in case it’s dangerous,” Viri sighs, and heads for the door. “No!” The voice is neither Lana nor Viri’s, but that of a child. A young girl, wearing the uniform robes of the Corellia Sith Intermediate Academy, darts in front of them. Viri. Lana recognizes her instantly. She appears to be eleven, twelve – somewhere in the nebulous preteen age range – and her curly hair is pulled back in a tight bun. A well-used practice blade is strapped to her back. “Vee?” Viri asks in disbelief, staring down at the child. “I don’t know who you are, or why you’re here, but I suggest you go away.” Vee’s eyes flash. Her voice is high and squeaky; Lana has to resist the urge to smile. “And that nickname isn’t yours to use.” ”It’s one of the things your parents call you,” Viri says. ”Yes, and you’re not my parent.” Vee crosses her arms. “Get the hell out of here.” ”Nope,” Viri tells the girl. “Sorry to break the news to you, but I have final authority over this mind. It belongs to me.” ”How dare you tell me I don’t know my own mind!” Vee snaps, drawing her practice blade. ”Oh, put it away, Dragoi,” Viri rolls her eyes and bats the blade out of Vee’s hand. “You’re impossible. Don’t you recognize me?” Vee falters. “You look like me, but…” Viri kneels down and looks into her eyes. “You like girls and boys, but are attracted to none, and that confuses you. You like girls far more, and that’s totally okay. You love your mom and dad more than anything and you’re so proud of their work. You miss Naboo. You go to work with your mom on the weekends, and your favorite animals are sleen and jaggalors. You hate peas. You walk into walls a lot. You got in trouble for dyeing your school robes blue and purple. You’re really happy you’re growing so tall. You—“ Vee stares at her. “You’re me.” ”Yes, I am. I need to get into that room and see whatever we’ve locked away.” “No. You won’t like that room.” ”I’m sure I won’t,” Viri says dryly. “But I still need to go in. Do you have the key?” ”Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Vee sighs, and reaches into her pocket. She hands Viri a stack of keys. ”Which one opens this door?” Viri says, confused. ”All of them. It can’t get out.” ”You locked it up as tightly as you could, didn’t you?” Viri says softly. “It must have really scared you.” Vee puts her chin in the air. “I am to be Sith. Sith do not let their fear rule them. They channel it.” ”You’ve learned your Sith Code, that’s for sure,” Viri smiles as she starts unlocking the door. ”You’re really going in there? Force, no! No! Don’t make me hear it!” Vee screams, covering her ears. ”You don’t have to,” Viri says, conjuring memories of a few of her favorite pets. “I’ll be going in with my wife. You can stay out here with the sleen.” ”Good,” Vee says, running to the animals. “I’ll be over here. If you die in there, don’t blame me.” ”I won’t,” Viri says, and as the final lock falls away, she catches Lana’s eye. ”In we go,” Lana says gravely, grabbing Viri’s hand as they walk through the door. ***

”Viri, we’ve been through the entire fortress,” Lana gasps. “We’ve been here for hours. Who are we looking for?” Viri crouches down and puts her head in her hands. “Myself.” “We’ve run into six versions of Vee here. Three of your adolescent selves. The apprentice. The Wrath. Which memory of you do we still need to find?” ”The one who was – wait. Yes. That’s where we need to go.” Viri pushes on the stones of the corridor, and they fall away. Before them, a platform with a long staircase with a throne looms. ”This is where she was,” Viri explains. “Where she told me to go, when Valkorion shattered my mind. She had absorbed the holocron, so I could find it here. But now she’s – “ "Viri, I'm lost." "Okay. Sorry. Remember when Valkorion seized my mind, and tried to kill my soul? When I was in my own mind, fighting that battle, a version of myself was coaching me along. She told me where to go and what to do. I wouldn't have remembered the holocron otherwise; I was too scattered. But she vanished as soon as I found the holocron and started to fight Valkorion." Lana looks around. “And you think she’s still here?” ”I know she is,” Viri says, searching around the throne. “I feel her here. You take this side; I’ll take this one. We need to find her.” Lana shakes her head, but begins searching the platform. There are signs of a fierce battle – blood, hair that looks suspiciously like Viri’s, pieces of broken armor – but a pale, motionless hand, barely visible behind a rock, makes her scream. ”Viri! Over here!” Viri vaults over the rocks and picks up herself. The version of Viri who lives in her mindscape is battered, bruised and barely alive. Her armor is shredded and her shoulders and arms are bare. ”I’m sorry,” Viri says. “It took us a while to get here.” Mindscape Viri smiles faintly, but is in too much pain to talk. ”Valkorion took a lot out of her – of us. She used every bit of energy she had to help me survive.” Viri strokes her face. ”How do we help her?” Lana asks, kneeling down next to them. ”We heal her, and bring her someplace safe,” Viri says, closing her eyes. The mindscape Viri begins to glow as healing energy surrounds her. Lana puts one hand on each Viri’s back and adds her own mending powers to theirs. Viri rises, carrying her mindscape double in her arms. “She needs to get out of this room. And this room…all of it…needs to go. We’ve already cleaned Valkorion’s damage out of the rest of my mind. This is the last of it.” ”Do you need my help?” Lana asks. ”No, just hold her,” Viri says, passing the double to Lana. “I think I need to do this on my own.” ”May the Force serve you.” ”It will,” Viri says with a smile, marshalling her power and shoving it at the throne. The room explodes around them as Viri attacks it, reducing the platform, steps and throne to dust, and then to nothing. Lana gasps as the ground beneath her disappears, leaving nothing in its wake. ”You’ve got a big block of…well…nothing…here, Viri…” Lana says uncertainly, but in the next moment, the ground around her materializes again. She’s on a lush green lawn, near a waterfall and a small, but beautiful, house. ”Give her back to me,” Viri says, taking her double back from Lana. She walks toward the house. ”No, put me down…let me feel the sun.” Viri nods and conjures a lounge chair for her double, before setting her down gently. ”You’re not trapped in that throne room now,” Viri tells her softly. “You can live here.” ”Naboo,” the mindscape double says, smiling as she looks around. “Thank you.” Viri nods, but as she looks at Lana, she begins to flicker. ”I think our time here is up, love,” Lana says, and grabs Viri’s hand again as the vision goes black. ”Yeah. We did what we needed to.” * ”Wake up.” The stones are cold against Lana’s cheek. She’s back in the Temple of Strength, the room is clear of smoke, and Viri is unconscious in front of the altar. Suvia is kneeling next to them, another torch in her hand. ”You were out for a long time,” Suvia said. ”How long?” Lana asks weakly. ”Five hours.” ”Force alive…” Lana mutters, rushing to Viri’s side. Viri’s eyes are still shadowed, but there is vitality in her face that Lana has not seen in weeks. ”Did she do what she needs to do?” ”Yes. I think so.”

[elenathehun]

Watching the Clone Wars, part 6

Congratulations, everyone!  This past week we reached the rare episode I physically could not complete, and we actually just skipped it and moved on to the next episode.  So with that said, click keep reading to see reviews of "Bounty Hunters", the Zillo Beast arc, "Senate Spy", and the first three episodes of the Geonosis arc:

"Bounty Hunters" (2x17)

So, I love how the episode starts out with Anakin and Obi-Wan (both of them important military figures with thousands - perhaps tens of thousands - of soldiers under their command) going off to investigate the disappearance of a medical station full of injured clones.  Spoiler alert, the episode never really clears up the mystery - or rather, it briefly implies all those injured clones are dead before getting on to the real story at hand, a... redux of Seven Samurai!  I have to admit, I found this a bit repetitive at first, but that's mostly because I recently watched The Mandalorian's Seven Samurai redux.  I love remixes of the Kurosawa classic, but twice in a month is a little much.

Anyway, once you forget about the clones as the writers so clearly want you to, the episode isn't bad.  Felucia is just really pretty, and the story itself is executed passably well.  Obi-Wan is starting to show the cracks, by the way - his reference to defending people who won't defend themselves is...telling.  Anyway, the bounty hunters are so anodyne that I forgot their names almost immediately after viewing the episode.  Hondo was, as always, a ridiculous villain. That's all for the good, honestly, because thus far TCW is not very good when it's trying to tell serious stories.  The story is neatly wrapped up with Hondo cutting his losses, and Obi-Wan and his children catch a ride off Felucia with the bounty hunters.  

Lastly, can I say how disappointed I am that no one in fandom has seen fit to write Obi-Wan Kenobi/Sugi FWB?  C'mon guys, that feels like a slam-dunk right there!

"The Zillo Beast" (2x18)

It's a Godzilla homage, or maybe King Kong?  Either way, it's a Palpatine and Anakin episode, and like all Palpatine and Anakin episodes it mostly serves the purpose of:

a) showing how horribly evil Palpatine is

b) how little power the Jedi have to counter his goals

c) Anakin is falling to the Dark Side and it's scary

a) and b) are both reasonably good storytelling goals, but I wish they were integrated more cohesively into the plot.  Like Cade Bane and the holocron arc, limiting these stories to little episodic islands is a bit amateur for the writing team.  Personally, I feel like c) is a lost cause, but that's basically the fault of George Lucas's bad pacing issues.  Dude had Anakin cross his moral event horizon less than halfway through the Prequel trilogy, and nothing anyone has tried has been able to salvage the character.  

"The Zillo Beast Returns" (2x19)

And the inevitable follow-up to Palpatine's decisions.  To be honest, the writers hewed a little too closely to the plot of Godzilla/King Kong/Jurassic Park - I found this episode to be very depressing due to the tragic death of the Zillo Beast, which is, after all, just an innocent animal being tormented for Evil Science.

"Senate Spy" (2x04)

And this right here was the first episode we went ahead and skipped!  That's right, I finally found an episode so awful I couldn't bear to watch it even as background noise.  Anidala-focused?  Check!  Anakin being a teenage boy jealous of his girl's prior hookups?  *barf* Check!  The Jedi conducting an intelligence mission on a Senator of "the Banking Clans", using another Senator as an operative?  Oh Lordy, check!  Padme, a Senator of the Republic, going to Cato Neimodia, to observe another Senator leads negotiations with the Trade Federation, a group the Republic is currently at war with?  Furthermore, a group that hates Padme's guts for her successful expulsion of their invasion from her planet ten years before???  

Fuck my life, CHECK.  My friends graciously assented to us moving on the next episode, because I just could not take this mess.

"Landing at Point Rain" (2x05)

I call this the "saving private ryan episode", and I think that fits.  I don't necessarily think there's anything terrible about the episode - it's all pretty much action, start to finish - but it's not really excellent either, if that makes sense.   Mostly I just like looking at the nose art and different clone trooper armor styles in this episode.  Also amazed that we have a scene of the GAR literally flame-throwing the native species of the planet, because as we all know, that's totally suitable for a kids' show.  

"Weapons Factory" (2x06)

And it's time for another Luminara episode!!!!   Guys, I love her, even though I don't feel she's used very well in this episode.  Also the first introduction of Barriss, who I also love.  This was actually a really great Ahsoka episode, at least in my opinion, and I don't think we've seen too many of those so far.  The mission is one that actually makes sense (I mean, for a certain value of sense, anyway) for two Padawans to be on, and it's good to see Ahsoka interact with someone on the same level as her.  Anakin's story... again, i just feel like they're shoe-horning in his Inevitable Fall to the Dark Side at every possible instant, which means that Luminara has to serve as an Moral Lesson, which means that she acts sort of weird from a character perspective in order to provide a foil to Anakin's behavior.  It lacks verisimilitude.  

"Legacy of Terror" (2x07)

And it's time for the zombie episode!  I am not fond of horror as a genre, so my eye is untutored, but I think this episode was actually reasonably good?  Luminara's characterization reverts to a more naturalistic course since the story take precedence over the thematic message in this episode.  We also get to see Obi-Wan Kenobi, the most annoying fucking friend/older brother in the galaxy.   The little defeated sigh Anakin releases before stating "I think the nose" just says multitudes about their relationship over the years.  

And that's it for this batch of episodes.   I'll be back in a day or two to complete my viewing of the final episode of the Geonosis arc, a few one-off episodes, and then the TCW arc that actually made me quit watching the series the first time around.

[zenosanalytic]

THE SACRED TEXTS!! EPISODE 2

So I finished Season 2 of Clone Wars(2008) ~the end of last week and, while it def improves on some of the problems of s1, it then has all sorts of OTHER problems of its own, so I kinda consider it A Wash, in general :T

the highlights:

Season to Season, there’s a lot more F U N in s2. I just LOVE how Crunchy and Genre it is. The stand outs, to me, were the zombies/bodysnatchers in the Brain Invader arc, the King Kong Kaiju story in the Zillo Beast arc(complete with an origin in environmental devastation), and, of course, the loving homage to/mashup of Die Hard&Lassie that is R2 Come Home, which basically had me laughing from start to finish. The other attempts at genre eps generally fell flat(though Holocron Heist has one very good moment with the unsuspecting droid-bomb, and the specific submarine bits of the submarine ep, Cat and Mouse, were well done).

They really nailed the “Ahsoka’s problems are because of Anakin’s influence” bit in this season. There aren’t a LOT of eps that touch on this(I can only really think of one, really, Cargo of Doom) but they absolutely bullseye it in that one. They also do a better job of fleshing out Anakin and Ahsoka’s dynamic&how that can act as both a strength and a weakness, though I do feel they could have done a better job with it(for instance, the last 3rd or 4th of Weapons Factory, where Ahsoka and Bariss are trapped within the ruins of the factory, should have been a whole episode on its own; this would have been a great opportunity to focus on this&do some character work)

This season repeatedly contrasts Anakin and Mace, which was Gr8 and Interesting. I wish they’d done more of that.

It continues season one’s excellent handling of the Clones. While there aren’t as many clone-centric episodes, you still get both a good sense of their individuality and humanity(espcl with The Deserter), and also their Awful and Grotesque disposability to everyone with responsibility over them, even the ones who “care” about them like Anakin, who’s constantly throwing their lives away on ill-conceived assaults. Like: this season REALLY forefronts Clone deaths in a way that is inescapable without being over-wrought, belabored, or distractingly self-aware. It really highlights the Jedis’ hypocrisy, both re: their ideology reifying “life”/“soul”/”naturalness” and in how it leads to their general disdain/disinterest for droids.

I liked the relationship they built btw Boba and Aurra Sing, though I think they could have done more with it than they did.

the Spider-Assassin droids in Voyage of Temptation are Hot-As-Shit, but the whole premise which allows their utility, of a luxury-liner with crappy lighting in the cargo-hold&soldiers without flipping flashlights, was kinda dumb.

as for the stuff I didnt like:

WOW the racism sure is awful in this season! Just... non-humanoid aliens being called monsters, portrayed as untrustworthy, stupid, and needlessly violent, and killed off in a series that goes extravagantly out of its way NOT to kill non-clone humanoids left-and-right. And the Mandalorians all looking... EXACTLY THE SAME and... BEING TALL BLONDE AND SUPER PALE... when the only mandalorian we’ve encountered before this was MAURI and when the CANON on Mandalorians is that being “A follower of Mandalore” is very much a culture and ethos rather than an ethnic group...

I feel like the Mandalorian part of this, specifically, could have been done in a way that was actl interesting and explicit about Star Wars’s antifascist politics given the obvs parallels btw fascism and a bunch of supremacist, war-mongering nordics like Death Watch, but obvsl it wasnt.

Most of the eps just really didnt land with me? Like all the spy, macguffin, kidnapping, and police stuff was just boring&poorly executed(also, what kid is going to get the old noir character-type and actor that the Coruscant inspector is referencing? A completely perplexing choice when making him, instead, a sendup of the Law&Order/CSI type US media was saturated with at the time is RIGHT THERE).

While I liked one aspect of the Heist episode, the rest of it was bad & bad heist episodes are Just Unforgivable unu

SO MUCH BAD, STILTED, NONSENSICAL, AND REPETITIVE DIALOGUE

The primary plot-device of this season is The Idiot Ball, and I Hate The Idiot Ball. Cad Bane is legit written as smart, and Aurra Sing is legit written as dangerous and indefatigable, but they mostly succeed because of how fucking dumb the Jedi, clones, and senate security are being at any one moment.

The IDEA and BACKGROUND for Duchess Satine is good, but the execution of her as a dedicated pacifist and engaged, activist ruler is Bad and Inconsistent(and, on the ruler part, mostly not even there). Also, while the idea of unrealized romantic angst btw Satine and Obi Wan isnt NECESSARILY a bad idea given their history, I think making it mutual rather than one-side on Satine’s part was a bad idea(could have done LOTS of interesting stuff btw Anakin and Obi Wan on this), and I think making Satine’s initial frostiness towards Obi Wan Really be a RESULT of THAT rejection(it’s resolved completely by him telling her he shared those feelings at the time), rather than her seeing him(and the Jedi by extension) as having abandoned their peaceful ideals, was Really Bad. And, frankly, she watched her whole family be murdered in political in-fighting and then spent years on the run, being hunted herself, under the protection of the Jedi Order, before negotiating a peaceful settlement with the ppl who murdered her family; I’d have liked SOME evidence of the trauma she’s canonically suffered in her reactions to violence, and also of the absolute steel-spine, endurance, and dedication it took to make peace in those circumstances. Her pacifism isnt just an ideal to her; it ought to be deeply, deeply personal, and viciously hard-won.

The ep, Bounty Hunters completely misunderstands the point of The Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven. The whole POINT is that these two bands of highly-trained, deeply mercenary killers decide to protect absolutely destitute villagers who have nothing but the food they themselves need to survive, some out of a sense of their own wickedness, and others out of a sense of loyalty to the former. To apply that premise to a cash-crop plantation(despite the com’s leader’s protestations of poverty later in the ep, Obi Wan straight-up says “this is the most important, and profitable, medical herb in the galaxy” when they first arrive, and obvsl they’re able to hire off-world bounty hunters to protect them) completely perverts it. The Bounty Hunters and Jedi are defending the equivalent of a cotton plantation; they’re defending capitalists. If you remade The Magnificent Seven to have them defend a plantation-owner against, say, a Northern requisition team during the Civil War, the mercs would be the BAD GUYS. Just... shaking my head this whole episode, honestly. At LEAST it was a communal plantation, presumably with profit-sharing.

So yeah, a definite mixed-bag. So far I’d say there’ve been probably 3-5 episodes in this series I’ve really enjoyed but, while there’s a lot that I grumble at, it isnt so bad that I dread watching it(like, for instance, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina X| X| X|). I repeat my observation from the last one of these that it really does a good job of being just interesting enough that you spend A LOT of time thinking abt how to fix the parts you dont like :p tbh I’ve already started watching s3, but I’ll share my views on that one once I’ve finished it. If you did, thanks for reading ^u^

[greenreticule]

I once talked about how Maul keeps messing up his own happy ending because he keeps pursuing the answers he gets with a Sith mindset, and actually that’s been a huge encouragement for me.

(vague, metaphorical discussion of trauma under the cut)

Because it’s not that his actions were wrong... well, they were... morally, they were very wrong. “Incorrect” might be a better term here. His actions were very correct from the Sith mindset. And he was hella competent. He didn’t fail because he was a fuck-up. He failed because he was broken.

Do you know how many damn times I’ve tried to un-mess-up my relationship with God and people? Do you know how many cycles I’ve been through, trying to perform everything exactly right and coming up...

...empty?

And I get angry and spiteful because I did everything right, dammit. I did what I was taught to do and well... fuck me apparently, so also fuck all of you.

And then I go back to the exact, same, performative cycle to try to make a simple damn connection with someone. In the only way I’ve been trained. And here I am, coming up empty even though I have done everything exactly right.

So I must be a fuck-up, right?

Well, no. My actions were correct and I was hella competent.

I’m just broken. There is something inside of me that’s broken.

Maul got closest to his happy ending when he let go of the Sith mindset. I’m convinced that his final breath was forgiving Obi-Wan, a step which allowed him to join the Cosmic Force and not vanish into the oblivion he saw in the Holocrons. And he was only able to get to that place once Obi-Wan forgave him first and showed him the compassion he’d been denied his whole life. He only got to that place once that old wound was healed.

So this trauma that I’ve only just recently identified, that’s my Sith mindset: “Always remember, I am filth. Always remember, I am nothing.” That’s where I’m broken. And I need healing before I can have the relationships that I want with God and with people. Otherwise I’m just going to continue hurting myself and others.

If you have a broken arm, you don’t curse yourself for being bad at baseball. No matter how much you practice, you still have a broken arm. That’s why you’re bad at baseball, and you’re hurting yourself more trying to play. You let that shit heal, then you go play some baseball.

So it feels weird to say that “I’ve been living with childhood trauma” is something that’s a relief, but hell: I’m living with childhood trauma, and it’s been playing havoc on my relationships since I was seven years old if not earlier.

I’m not a fuck-up. I just have a Sith mindset that needs healing.

...

[Do you know how hard it was to write this all out without adding on some disclaimer about “yeah, this doesn’t excuse the hurt Maul or I cause in our Sith mindsets.” Clearly it was hard enough that I’m still adding on the disclaimer here. :P

It’s not that we’re excused from our actions, or that we shouldn’t change our morally wrong actions. It’s a recognition that our actions are birthed from a certain place, and we need to address that root mindset (created by trauma) or our actions are just going to loop back into the same destructive failures, no matter how hard we try. And we’re going to hurt ourselves and others in the process.]

[curvedlightsabers]

Rebels Season 3 in Review

Star Wars Rebels Season 3 has ended! 

I thought i’d look back at this season and see how it all came together in context for me. At some point I want to re-watch each season and do this episode by episode, but for now ill go from memory. Anyway, enjoy.

Steps Into Shadow

it was... good... but it kinda waves away the effects of Trials of the darksaber. It has a nice ending, a bad color pallet, Kanan’s a story is better than Ezra’s in this, and ummm.. thats about it. Y wings. 

The Holocrons of Fate 

kinda goes back on the ending of Steps into the Shadow but whatever. Its a good, tense episode i loved the scene where maul makes hera go on a tour of the ghost. Also has a good ending in the spider cave but again, kinda re does the previous one. 

The Antilles Extraction 

Missed Potential. Sabine going back to an imperial academy should be a huge deal for her. It wasn’t. She goes, she finds Wedge instantly, she leaves. It’s not like the episode was so full of other stuff that it couldn’t make time for Sabine’s feelings; she was the focus of the episode! Well, except the times where we cut back to Ezra for no reason. Its cool to have wedge in the series now, for those who love the old fighter squadron pilots, and it was a pretty episode. But yeah. 

Hera's Heroes 

More missed potential. Hera being a prisoner in her own home should effect her more than it does. I think Ezra being there is a great idea given that she was visiting her family home, but they don’t do anything with those themes. Then they leave and blow up her house. Again, it looked nice. 

The Last Battle 

If say missed potential again i’ll sound like a broken record, so ill just say i appreciated the ending card, but there’s so much brought over from clone wars in this show already that this episode felt unnecessary and it really hammers home how much this show suffered for not having Ahsoka around. Like, I cant be the only one who thought it was weird to have a clone wars throwback episode after ahsoka left. It teases a lot of interesting stuff with Rex not being entirely over the clone wars, but it doesn’t follow up on any of those themes, it just says them and leaves them out in the open then it ends. 

Imperial Supercommandos

Gar Saxon’s an Ugly Motherfucker and i don’t like his face or how his head sits on his body.

 But also this episode did something that a lot of these do, that being have a conflict where it’s the product of a main character making a decision that has unintended consequences, (which is good!) but then it turns out that was going to happen anyway so it wasn’t their fault (which is annoying and a complete cop out)

Iron Squadron

A lot of people don’t like this episode but I’m just kinda indifferent. 

The Wynkahthu Job

Really forgettable. 

An Inside Man

I remember enjoying this one enough and it was the first one this season I considered going back and watching. I didn’t, but I considered it. It was more fun than I thought and I was surprisingly excited to go back to Lothal. 

Visions and Voices

I remember this episode was kinda the one where it started to go in a good direction for me. I felt like the things that were happening really had an effect on the characters in a way that was lacking previously. 

Ghosts of Geonosis 

I really wanted them to get into his character. It was a chance to humanize him, make him something other than the “crazy extremist guy” and they completely went in the opposite direction. They gave him less character and just made him into a crazy extremist guy. Like, ezra litterally says “ Then you’re no better than the empire”

ugh

there’s a great post about why this episode is so bad but I can’t find it. anyway, dave faloni say’s he’ll return in season 3 and honestly if this is how they do it I don’t want to see it.

Warhead

Good but forgettable. 

Trials of the Darksaber

This is, hands down, the best episode of the season. Its up there for the entire series. Its so good. It makes me angry how good it is. It makes me mad that the rest of the show isn't this good. I’ve written a bunch about this here and here but basically, this is the kind of thing I want out of rebels. 

Legacy of Mandalore

A good follow up and beginning of that story. Looking back I wonder if I enjoyed this episode on good faith from the last one of based on it actually being good. But I did really enjoy watching it at the time and meeting Sabine’s mom. 

Through Imperial Eyes

Really good! I was really surprised by how much I liked this one. Not as good as Trials of the Darksaber, but good none the less. Mostly just really cool to see Thrawn in action.

Secret Cargo

This was a very pleasant episode. Anything that has a scene where one character hands another character some coffee at night has a +10 comfortable bonus for me. And mon mothma interacting with hera was cool! it was pretty chill, pleasant episode. And the end was really nicely lit.  

Double Agent Droid

Best episode of the show, only because of this scene

Twin Suns

Goooood stuff. Fucking love the Seven Samurai ending, the choreography, the lighting. Its good. I’m really glad the maul story’s ove- wait a fucking second, he never got to with the sabine-Mandalor story beyond that one line in Holocrons of Fate! but, thats not this episodes fault. It was still really good.  

Goodbye maul. You will be missed. You fucking roach, 

Zero Hour

Good episode, but as I said, it doesn’t even compare to Twilight of the Apprentice, but that’s hardly a fair comparison. It doesn’t take any chances is the thing. Like, they aren’t taking enough chances normally, but this is a finale. You should be taking more chances here than anywhere. BUT It sets up more things to come and I am excited for those things. I think it was a good enough finale to a season that didn’t quite know what it wanted to be.

[pacificwanderer]

777 Tag Meme

The rules are as follows: Go to page 7 of (one of) your WIP, go to the seventh line, share seven sentences, and tag 7 more writer-bloggers to continue the challenge.

@jesssssah tagged me in this, but because I use one giant fucking file, it’s going to have to be like p. 77 of Steady as we burn. Also, hugs and kisses to @jesssssah!

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She hadn’t been expecting what it would feel like to actually wake up next to Ben. Though they’d shared a bed together many times before, the feeling through the bond wasn’t as sharp as it was here. Here, she could feel every part of him pressing into every part of her, feel his broad chest as it expanded while he slept—calm and dreamless, for once—and listen to his soft snore. There was no time limit, at least, not for now. Rey could just lay and enjoy the moment, except...

He is so kriffing warm.

She wasn’t used to it. Back on Jakku, she’d dream of what it would feel like to be held by someone, anyone. And she loved it, really she did, but Rey found herself stretching her leg out from under the scant covers, trying to catch the breeze that filtered in from the balcony.

WIP don’t judge me lol it’ll probably change a lot.

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I will tag (with no obligation to participate) @perrydowning @holocroning @cosmo-gonika @gwendy85 @cracktheglasses @politicalmamaduck @vvhenan NO STRESS. Consider yourself tagged if that’s your thing OR NOT if it’s not!