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purusintellectus · 8 years ago

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What’s in a Name? – “Armitage”

As promised, here's my "Armitage" ramble. I know I am so late to the party that it's not even fashionable anymore, but better late than never, no?

Some TLJ spoilers ahead.

Short (sort of personal) premise. While I didn't mind Hux in TFA, my fascination with this character began with the TFA novelisation – there, he is intelligent, competent and sensible – and it only grew stronger and deeper with his other appearances throughout the canon novels. I started reading about Fandom!Hux and Kylux much, much later; therefore – long story short – when Aftermath: Life Debt came out, I didn't have any particular commitment to the "Brendol II" theory and I was immediately on board with "Armitage". I am aware that many other fans had an entirely different experience and that the "Armitage" reveal was disappointing for them; they have my sympathy and my understanding – were my circumstances different, who knows where I would stand now.

Yet, I happen to like "Armitage" quite a lot, for the following reason: notoriously, Star Wars' names are descriptive names – i.e. they are somewhat connotative and immediately bring to mind what the character is all about – and "Armitage" is both as descriptive as a three hours documentary and still ambiguous.

At least to my deranged mind, "Armitage" suggests three main ideas: (1) "Army"; (2) "Hermitage"; (3) "Amrita".

(1) Army

Is this on the nose? Undoubtedly. But we are talking about a franchise in which: Skywalkers were supposed to be called "Starkillers" (yes, the naming of Starkiller Base is an homage to that first concept); the Dark Side is called the Dark Side, just in case you were tempted to embrace any morally ambiguous reading about Force users' factions; and people call "Death Star" their super-weapons of planetary destruction – ok, imperial PR person who okayed that name, you did a great job: that doesn't sound ominous, scary and just plainly evil at all... Overall, names in Star Wars are not exactly subtle.

On the one hand, Armitage has been raised to be an officer – in a way, he is the ultimate experiment in Brendol's training programme. On the other hand, he is the de facto leader of the FO's military forces. The TLJ Visual Dictionary has confirmed what was already evident, i.e. that for all intents and purposes General Hux should be Grand Marshal Hux, but Snoke refuses to give him his rightful title. Besides, as I have been writing elsewhere (here and here), the fact that the FO's army answers primarily to Hux is likely going to be the basis for a new interesting dynamic between Hux and Kylo – not to mention that it's probably the main reason Hux's still alive... Nomen omen.

(2) "Hermitage"

While Armitage Hux is a masterpiece (definitely in more than one sense), I am not referring to the St Petersburg museum, but to the main acceptation of the term, i.e. the dwelling of a hermit or an remote and isolated place, or a retreat. What does this reading tell us about General Hux?

(2.1) First, Armitage Hux grew up in exile and on the run, in the Unknown Regions, on ships in remote sectors of uncharted space far away from the rest of the Galaxy and what used to be home.

(2.2) Furthermore, Armitage Hux is somewhat removed from his fellow human beings, beginning with his family (it's canon that Brendol hates him). In other words, Hux – just like Kylo, just like Rey, just like Finn – is incredibly alone. (Basically, this new trilogy is about very lonely people with lots of issues). Hux is a General above the generals, he is only equal being – until very recently – Kylo Ren. While Phasma has been an ally in recent years, she doesn't seem to have been a friend, not really. As far as we know, the only meaningful relationship that Hux seems to have in canon is with Rae Sloane, the mother and protector he had never had before her – and as far as we know, whatever happened there still stings (see the infamous "robe conversation" between Cardinal and Armitage in the Phasma novel ). Hux seems to want attention, love or at least appreciation – from his father, from Snoke, from Kylo, from the entire bloody Galaxy if that could help – but he never seems to fit in, not really.

(2.3) Or, for the sake of completeness, Armitage Hux could end up being a retreat (other meaning of "hermitage"), the secret refuge, for someone else. (Go ahead, shippers! Have fun!)

(3) "Amrita"

The following section is more speculative than the previous two. And it is mostly for those of you who enjoy the idea of Hux being somehow connected to Palpatine. While I am not a devoted supporter of Palpatine!Hux theories, I like to toy with the idea for the sake of argument – and this is an argument surprisingly easy to support: half jokingly, I have done so here and I am definitely going to post more on the subject.

On top of Armitage's operatic conception ("a kitchen lady" sounds incredibly unlikely and melodramatic), of Brendol's hate for his son (why?), and of the fact that Brendol was running Project Harvester (training Force sensitive children) on Arkanis (dedicated post coming soon), you can add Armitage's name to the repertoire of reasons you might have to cheer for Palpatine!Hux.

Naboo names tend to be Sanskrit based: Padmé Amidala, Sheev (!), etc.

Amrita ( अमृत) is the Sanskrit word for ambrosia, the nectar of immortality, and hence for immortality itself. The metathesis of position, in this instance between "m" and "r" (Amrita >> Armita[ge]..), is one of the most common phonetic phenomena in Indo-European languages.

If you want to believe that General Hux is somehow connected to the old Emperor (a clone, a relative, etc.) and he is destined to rule over the Galaxy even by Palpatine's plan... well, he has the right name for that.

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elivanto · 3 years ago

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alphabet squadron (2019):

aftermath: life debt (2016):

#i don’t know what point i’m trying to make here but i have CHILLS #leia organa #alphabet squadron #aftermath life debt #reading tag #sw lit parallels

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onwardintolight · 6 years ago

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Canon Catchup

With TROS coming out soon, I’ve been doing a lot of catchup on canon material that I’ve missed, particularly that which I think will be most relevant either for the movie or for Resistance Reborn (which I finished yesterday and will talk more about below). I will avoid major spoilers, as excited as I may be about some of them, haha, but I wanted to write out a few of my thoughts here while they’re fairly fresh.

A Crash of Fate by Zoraida Córdova and Galaxy’s Edge by Delilah Dawson—these don’t seem quite as relevant to TROS, but I read these two Galaxy’s Edge tie-in novels a few months ago and I thought I’d say a few words. I REALLY enjoyed the A Crash of Fate; it was such a lovely, heartwrenchingly beautiful story that reminded me a little of Lost Stars in the way that it focused in on a friendship/romance between two people who wouldn’t ever be main characters in the movies. The story was told primarily over the span of a single day, and wow did I not expect my heart to be pulled in so many different directions. Definitely one I will read again and again.

I’m not sure I’ll do the same with Galaxy’s Edge. It was a super fun read, with some great, Indiana Jones-like action sequences, and I’d recommend giving it a go especially if you’re planning on ever going to Galaxy’s Edge—but it also had a few seriously problematic elements that I just couldn’t overlook. For one, NO WAY is Leia going to force Vi to work closely with someone who tortured her, and speaking of torture, many black people have already commented on the problematic nature of the excessive violence Vi undergoes in this book.

TFA and TLJ Junior Novelizations by Michael Kogge—I wanted to get a refresher on these stories, and since I’d never read the junior versions, I decided to give them a try. Overall I enjoyed these quite a bit. The TFA one was way better imho than the adult novelization by Alan Dean Foster, and both had some really meaningful character moments. There was one Leia scene at the end of the TFA one that brought me to tears.

Aftermath: Life Debt and Aftermath: Empire’s End by Chuck Wendig—I’d originally read the Aftermath trilogy as each book was released, but with everything I was hearing about Resistance Reborn, AND with the return of Palpatine in TROS and the promise of finally figuring out what’s been going on in the Unknown Regions, I thought it was a perfect time to revisit it. I skipped the first one (my least favorite of the three, and also my copy is in a box somewhere from when we moved last and the library’s audiobook copies were checked out) and read a synopsis instead to refresh my memory, then dived straight into Life Debt. Both of these books were as good or better than I remember them. I enjoyed them the first time, but I enjoyed them even better this time around. I feel like they’ve gained even more significance now. My HanLeia shippy heart is happy with some of their scenes, and also I rediscovered that I absolutely adore and would probably die for Norra, Wedge, Jas, Sinjir, Temmin, and crew.

Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland—this was a super cute but ultimately rather forgettable junior novel. The best part about it was seeing Rey, Poe, and Rose interacting. I may revisit it sometime after TROS and see if my unexpectedly skyrocketing feels for these characters (see below) makes it better.

The Poe Dameron comic run—I’d previously read the first trade (Black Squadron), the third (Legend Lost), and maybe a tiny bit of the second (The Gathering Storm), and aside from a really poignant bit in Legend Lost I just didn’t find myself very invested. This time around, however, flipped that on its head. Trades 4 and 5 (Legend Found and The Spark and the Fire) completely did me in, and without warning, I found myself 100% invested in Black Squadron. Poe, Jess, Snap, Karé, Suralinda, and L’ulo have officially joined the Aftermath crew in my list of characters I would die for. I just want all my babies to be okay! There were numerous moments in those last two trades (including the AMAZING Annual #2, a must-read for HanLeia new canon fans) which made me cry. I’m not even joking. So good. Well done, Charles Soule.

Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse—Buckle up because I have a lot to say! I HIGHLY recommend reading the Aftermath trilogy, Bloodline, the Poe Dameron comics, and watching the Battlefront II campaign (which I talked about in another post) before reading this because HOLY MOLY. You won’t be lost if you don’t, but it will mean so much more to you if you do. Speaking of crying, I literally lost count of the moments that brought me to tears, and so many were significant because of how all the stories I mentioned and more have been so beautifully interconnected in this one. Wedge and Norra, Zay and Shriv, and so many others—each was given their due and it was amazing. One character’s surprise appearance had me practically on my knees with joy and heartbreak all at once, and I would say more but I’m really trying to keep that promise not spoil you, haha.

If the Poe Dameron comic weren’t enough to win me over, this book has officially cemented Poe as one of my favorite sequel trilogy characters. Tbh, I’ve had trouble feeling much of a deep connection with any of the sequel trilogy leads—I love them, sure, but not like Leia, Han and Luke, the trio I grew up with. I’ve wanted to love them more, I’ve wanted to be more invested in them, but it just hasn’t happened. I’m really glad I read this book before TROS, because I think this has changed that. I was definitely getting a few OT golden trio vibes with Rey, Finn, and of course, my Boi™ Poe—except they’re completely their own characters, and I’m really starting to love them for who they are.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book, it felt really meaningful, and I can’t wait to read it again.

That being said, when I finished it yesterday I felt a little bit disappointed, like it tasted a little bit bittersweet. I’m still trying to figure out why that is, but I think it may be down to three things:

1) Though there were a number of fantastic character reveals, there were some obvious people absent and I can’t help but wonder where they are. I hope they’re not dead. I hope TROS includes some of these characters, too. I hope we get the rest of their stories either way.

2) The book is way too short. Especially on the heels of the Aftermath trilogy, this feels like only the first act of at least three. The ending comes way too soon, just after it really seems to get going. This I don’t blame the author or the publishers for at all; they are very limited, after all, in what they can portray leading up to TROS. But it really left me longing for more. This book had such a wonderful focus on character, but in the end, I wanted to see the character arcs get even more resolved than they do here... but I guess they really couldn’t be, and that’s what TROS is for. I just hope the movie does it well! I need all these people to be okay <3

3) It doesn’t shy away from grief, struggle, and the mental cost of war. Honestly, that’s part of why I love it so much, but I think that’s also part of why it left me feeling a little melancholy. The Resistance is in such a seemingly hopeless place, and while things do get better over the course of the book, there’s still such a terribly long way to go.The First Order rains merciless terror on anyone or any planet who gives even the slightest hint of opposing them or of aiding the Resistance. The whole galaxy is afraid. Poe struggles deeply with guilt and with how to make up for the horrible mistakes he made in TLJ (this is not brushed off in the slightest, not by the book or by the characters in it, and I appreciate that). Rey is confused and still unsure of her place in things. Characters are faced with the fact that they will almost certainly die because of their choice to join the Resistance, and it’s heavy. And Leia. Oh, Leia. I am deeply grateful to Roanhorse for her very realistic portrayal of Leia as someone who has lost so incredibly much (most recently her husband and brother), most definitely has PTSD, and probably is dealing with a bit of depression. Leia is weary. Leia struggles to keep stepping forward, struggles to figure out the next step for those she leads. Leia struggles to keep hoping. The battle between hope and despair in the face of terrible loss and terrible odds is very much felt in this book. But as ever with Leia, hope always wins in the end. By the end of the book, you can still feel the struggle, but hope wins.

I think that because I personally relate so much to Leia, reading some of that was hard. Not because I feel like it’s contrary to who Leia is, but because I resonate with it so much and because it reminds me in a particularly strong way of some of the struggles I’ve dealt with that I’d like to forget. It’s no wonder that my heart felt heavy after I closed the book. But along with that, I also see how Leia perseveres, how she’s finally gotten to a place where she lets herself rely on and be comforted by others, and how she accomplishes the seemingly impossible just because she damned well refuses to give in to despair, no matter how tempting it may be. It reminds me that I, too, can accomplish incredible things despite all my struggles, despite the odds stacked against me.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book. Resistance Reborn hasn’t quite come up to the level of Bloodline or LPOA in my personal ranking, but with future rereads, it very well might someday.

This book—along with all of this reading—has put me even more on the edge of my seat for TROS than I was before, if that’s possible. I desperately want it to be the best ending possible for the Skywalker Saga and for all these characters who’ve become so beloved to me. I’m trying to temper my expectation—TFA still isn’t especially my jam, after all, and while overall I’m a fan of the ST (the TROS trailers made me cry, for goodness sakes), I have a somewhat complicated relationship with it in general—but goddammit, I’m hoping anyway. There’s so much beautiful setup in the new canon EU, such a deliberate focus on character, and so many hints that this might reach through the whole saga and bring together something bigger than we can imagine.

I’m hoping anyway.

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pileofsith · 7 years ago

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The Worlds of Star Wars: Aftermath

Skittermice

I love these critters! They’re adorable scavenger mice from Jakku and get a whole chapter devoted to their little mousey lives. One of them saves a droid! They endure a lot of hardship to survive and are capable of teaming up to pick clean any dead remains in their ecosystem - so they’re not only cute, but are pretty hardcore and useful rodents. They also probably ate what was left of Admiral Rax. They scurry across the desert at night, in search of food and scraps, to make safe burrows for their babies.

It’s so nice to finally read about a scavenger animal that isn’t vilified, but is seen as industrious and sweet!

Part III of a series of concept drawings of the books. [Part 1] [Part II]

Below are some bonus nerdy facts I like to use as headcanons about skittermice (all taken from articles about real-world elephant shrews)...

They avoid open areas without cover. They exhibit a high degree of territoriality and utilize a complex network of safety burrows.

They communicate through tactile means. Marking territory serves to establish territories and alert their mate of their location.

They often exhibit a behavior called foot-drumming, which is rapid tapping of the hind legs. This behavior is exhibited in response to a stressful situation.

This species is fairly monogamous; however, members of a pair spend little time together and are limited in social interaction.

They live in a matriarchal society in which the female of the pair usually dominates the male.

#skittermouse #star wars aftermath #jakku #star wars: aftermath #aftermath: empire's end #aftermath: life debt #sw critters #sw eu #sw books #chuck wendig

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swnovels · 7 years ago

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No matter how true or how false those stories were, one fact remained true, which was that Palpatine never let the Empire fall into instability. He ruled as more than a politician and more than some hooded theocrat. Imperial worlds never went hungry. They never fell to lawlessness.

Aftermath: Life Debt, by Chuck Wendig

#aftermath life debt #sw aftermath #rae sloane #sheev palpatine #gallius rax #chuck wendig #star wars

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gffa · 2 years ago

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hi lumi! pls don't feel pressured to answer this but i'm currently reading Phasma by delilah dawson (i'm loving it so far) and i was wondering if you would know some nice sequels' books and comics to get into (preferably the ones that delve more into the first order but anything works tbh)? I know your thing is mostly the prequels (it's more my thing too tbh) but i was wondering if you could help me or perhaps if you would know someone who could help me with it?

Hi! I actually do have a handful of sequels-centric content that I've liked! When the expanded world of SW comics and novels was first getting started, there was a lot of focus on the sequels and a lot of it was genuinely delightful and to this day I still heartily recommend them! Phasma is one of them (I loved that that book was just so joyfully batshit in exactly the way a Star Wars book should be) and my recs for other stuff you'll hopefully enjoy are:

Captain Phasma by Kelly Thompson (comic) - Gorgeous art, a solid story, and even some Feelings if you've read the Phasma novel, because it features some flashbacks from there.

Poe Dameron by Charles Soule (comic) - In addition to being one of the best SW comic runs out there, it's also a great look at Poe's character, has gorgeous art, and is just a fantastic read all the way around, I would put it at the top of my recs list.

Aftermath, Aftermath: Life Debt, Aftermath: Empire's End by Chuck Wendig (book) - I always recommend that I think this series almost MUST be in audiobook form, that I could not get into it in novel form, but the audiobooks were such a fun adventure. This does the most establishing of the galaxy after the Empire falls, it gets into several of the characters that would go on to help form the First Order. It's mostly a set of new characters (that I grew to love) and the OT characters, but I think it helps set the world a lot, so if you don't mine the lack of ST characters, it does lead into ST worldbuilding.

Bloodline by Claudia Gray (book) - Is a Leia story and is mostly about why she stops being a Senator and founds the Resistance, but it helps tell the foundation of the New Republic (along with the Aftermath trilogy) and the rising of the First Order. It's still quoted a lot for some pretty iconic Leia moments, but I think if you're looking for ST worldbuilding (as opposed to sequels characters), it's good for that, too.

Star Wars Battlefront II (game) - The story of Battlefront II is focused on the OT characters, but I like recommending it because it does a lot of great work in connecting the OT to the ST, including moments of how the First Order came to be, and has some really great Luke characterization. You can look up a "movie" version on YouTube and watch it that way!

Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland (book) - I hesitate to recommend this one whole-heartedly if you're not already hip-deep in SW books, because it is very referential to other SW comics/books, but I genuinely enjoyed it as connective tissue between the ST movies where it showed all the characters coming together in this fight. It was cute and charming and had some delightful moments of the main cast!

Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse (book) - Is much in the same vein as Spark of the Resistance, it does a lot of good connective work, is a charming read, and has good focus on the main ST characters!

Age of Resistance by Tom Taylor (comic) - This was a series of one-shots focused around several main characters and they're solid, fun highlights of the characters. I remember especially enjoying the Rey and Rose ones!

Star Wars Adventures by various authors (comic) - There are two volumes of this (they rebooted the title a couple of years ago) and basically any issue that has the sequels characters is a fun read. I mean, the whole entire series tends to be really great for any era, but the sequels ones are fun--including a darling one from the first volume with Poe and Rose interaction that has forever made me pine for more team-ups with those two.

Allegiance by Ethan Stacks (comic) - A mini-series set post-TLJ where they're trying to gather allies for the Resistance and has some lovely character moments, I especially remember feeling a lot for Leia in her scenes of trying to rally people to stand up against the First Order, now knowing it was her own son leading them.

Join the Resistance by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker (book) - This is a cautious rec because it's set during the time of the Resistance, but it doesn't really have a lot to do with them or even particularly strong worldbuilding, I just REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THOSE KIDS over the course of the series.

Star Wars: Resistance (TV series) - This show isn't for everyone, it's much more kid-friendly and the animation doesn't do it for everyone, but I adored the characters (especially Kaz, the main character) and their main antagonist is the building First Order, as well as occasional guest appearances by Phasma or Kylo Ren. It had a lot of heart, it was really charming, but it's a cautious rec despite that I loved it very much.

Hopefully, this should help you find some stuff to read!

#fic recs #novels #novel recs

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hezenkoss · 8 years ago

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when is someone going to write sinjir/conder fic, i’ve been waiting for ages

am i gonna have to....actually do this myself, damn it

#i say 'ages' but it's only been 4 months #since i got through life debt #i tried writing a fic when i finished life debt but gave up after a paragraph #but now there's more conder to base stuff off of!#so maybe i'll write another paragraph before giving up again #star wars /#sw novels #book blogging #aftermath: empire's end #going on ao3 apparently someone's written sinjir/lando? huh #but they're the bg ship and i'm not wading through 45k for that

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watermelon-blossom · 6 years ago

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16/100 days of productivity

Later today I am going on a coffeedate with my friend! I haven’s seen anyone besides the family I live with for so long and I didn’t go to Starbucks ever since one of my exams sooo I’m very excited.

Besides reading and Duolingo I organized my herb cabinet and added some new herbs that just dried. This year I harvested thyme (not pictured), lavender and chamomile. I need to wait for some more chamomile to grow and harvest some mint too, so I can make my own blend of evening herbal tea. I got used to drinking chamomile+lavander before bed last semester and I also drink peppermint tea after dinner almost every day.

207xp/200xp - Duolingo, German

2/5 of SW: Aftermath; Life Debt

#100 days of productivity #langblr #studyblr #bookworm #summer reading #summer study #200xp

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thissisatitle · 8 years ago

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Yo! Can you explain who rae sloane is? Apparently she slapped Brendol?? And she's bisexual?! And she's black?! I'm in love with her and idek know who she is!

Long post and Spoilers for the Aftermath trilogy///

*cracks knuckles*

Rae Sloane is one of the best and fleshed-out imperial character in SW and is by the end of ROTJ, the highest-ranked imperial and led despite all the people trying to do dirty to her before, the Imperial Remnants in the Unknown Regions. She appears in different novels such as A New Dawn, the Aftermath trilogy and the Kanan comic. Despite not appearing in the movies, she’s actually a really important character in the franchise.

When she was a kid, she dreamed about fleeing her homeworld of Ganthel because like a lot of people trapped in the society’s cogs and her parents being poor, she would have a shitty life,working as a docker or something. She almost got captured by slavers once when she tried to run away on a freighter but managed to escape.

Later, she would leave Ganthel and enrolls in the Imperial Navy. She was one of the best boxer at her Academy, taking no shit from anyone, taking matters in her own hands, believing in order, was hard-working and loyal, but also didn’t hesitate to critics some of the imperials policies and question the orders of her superiors if it would be counter-productive to the Empire, resulting in her for example, foiling the plan of assassination from her commandant in which Vader and Palpatine were the targets.

She reach captaincy of a Star destroyer in her thirties, which is quite young when you see how old the senior officers are in the OT, without having to use connexions. She also encountered Kanan, one of the protagonist of the Rebels serie multiple times.

At one point, she becomes Admiral and participate to the battle of Endor. She became after the destruction of the Executor the highest-ranked officer of the fleet and had to organize their retreat. After the events on Akiva (where she encountered Wedge Antilles and Norra Wexley), meant to select the best remaining imperial officers, organized by “the Operator” aka fleet Admiral Gallius Rax (who was close to Palpatine) , she became Grand Admiral.

Rax asked to her extract Brendol Hux and his son, Armitage from Arkanis. She hate Rax and Brendol and made him shut up during one of their meeting by bringing the subject of Armitage since being a father of an illigetimate child while being an imperial is shameful (and let’s not forget that the noble society of Arkanis seems quite uptight concerning bloodlines…)

At one point, Rax betray her in Aftermath: Life Debt by using under hand methods (controlling ex-war prisonners with a micro-chip in their head and have them trying to assassinate Mon Mothma) and she barely managed to escape after she had reluctantly kill her assistant Adea Rite who was spying on her for Rax and a brutal fight with Norra Wexley who managed to wound her badly. Her life is saved(thought her wound was poorly healed and might cause her pain permanently) by Norra’s husband Brentin who was one of the prisonners and both of them decided to hunt down Rax and ended up on Jakku, his homeworld.

During the events of Empire Ends (in which we find she is bisexual since she states at one point that she has no husband or wife waiting for her, just her Empire), she manage to kill Rax, whose plan was basically to wreck the galaxy as much as possible before rebuilding it in the Unknown Regions and stop the destruction of Jakku. After questionning herself if she should let herself arrested by the New Republic or run away, she finally decide to fund her own Empire and take Palpatine’s yacht, in which Brendol, Armitage and a group of murder kids trained by Brendol but commanded by Armitage are aboard. She makes an alliance with Armitage in which she promises she will protect him from his father (who hate his son and might physically or psychologically abuse him. The novel make a point that Armitage try to avoid his father as much as possible) if Armitage protect her from Brendol’s kids.

When she went to Brendol to explain that she re-taking command and that he better follow her gently in the Unknown Regions, Brendol tried to kill her immediately but she easily managed to stop him and beated him down to the point of make him cry, despite her being wounded and tired after all this months on Jakku and all the fights and order him to stop abusing Armitage and make him learn everything he knows. .

The trip take some months and she find that she likes Armitage (tho she sees that the boy is getting vicious with the time). And they end up finding the Eclipse, the Emperor’s Super Star Destroyer in the Unknowns Region. Rae is determined to build a more ideal Empire at her image there and name the First Order:

“It’s time to start over,” she says to Hux. “That is our first order. To begin again.

And to get it right, this time.”

“Yes, of course, Grand Admiral. Anything you need. Glory be to Grand Admiral Sloane.”

“No,” she says. “Glory goes only to the Empire.” My Empire, she thinks.

Thus, Rae Sloane and Brendol Hux funded the First Order

#Rae sloane #long post #aftermath: empire's end #empire's end spoilers

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elivanto · 3 years ago

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aftermath: life debt (2016):

chaos rising (2020):

#LEIA THRAWN PHILOSOPHICAL DEBATE PLEASE!!!#also i love how much of a clown thrawn is but that’s a different matter kbfkvgxj #OR how samakro’s like something something we achieve peace by responding to an attack with overwhelming force #more ascendancy empire parallels anyone?#aftermath life debt #chaos rising #reading tag #sw lit parallels

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onwardintolight · 8 years ago

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Leia Organa, INFP

Recently I read a fantastic post by @bestmixtapeintherecorder about how Han and Leia are so often misjudged as an introvert and an extravert, respectively, when it’s really vice versa. This is something I’ve also been thinking about for a long time, particularly with Leia. In MBTI terms, Leia is almost always typed as either an ESTJ or an ENTJ, and that’s never sat right with me. Both of those seem more like typings based on a pop culture idea of who Leia is rather than on the Leia we actually see in the movies and books. While I realize that as a fictional character, the minutia of her personality is somewhat open to interpretation, I think I have ample reason to argue that she’s an INFP instead.

Disclaimer: I myself am an INFP. Maybe this makes me biased. Maybe this means I have unique insight into how an INFP would act when thrown into Leia’s situation. Maybe both! Either way, I think there’s plenty of evidence to back up my opinion. BUT: one of the joys of fictional characters is that we get to project ourselves onto them, and consequently they shape our perception of our own journeys and who we are. So if you prefer an ESTJ Leia or some other type entirely, more power to you. Feel free to ignore this (or argue away to your heart’s content). I’m writing this for everyone else who isn’t satisfied with that typing.

I’m going to be drawing evidence from not only the movies, but also from parts of the new Disney canon like Bloodline and the Aftermath Trilogy, as well as what I see as generally accepted fanon (particularly among fanfic writers). If you’re not into Disney canon, don’t worry — there should still be enough without it to back up my argument.

You may be asking, why INFP? Aren’t INFPs more of a quiet, soft and gentle type compared to Leia, who takes charge and will not hesitate to put you in your place? Truth is, INFPs often get stereotyped as the most cinnamon roll type of all the cinnamon rolls, but this is, quite frankly, wrong. They certainly can act like cinnamon rolls at times (when they’re at their least stressed), often being very kind, tolerant, sensitive and compassionate. But cross their deeply-held values, or get them stressed, and they will wipe the floor with you. In reality, INFPs are the type that looks like a cinnamon roll but will kill you.

I’m going to argue that most of the time we see Leia in the movies (especially in ANH and ESB), she is really stressed. Consequently, we see a lot more of her inferior function, Te, than we would otherwise. This is why people often mistakenly type her as a Te-dom (ESTJ or ENTJ). In doing so, they’re failing to account for the fact that Leia has had/is having a whole lot of super freaking stressful and traumatic things happen to her, which is naturally going to shape how her personality appears to us.

First let’s take a look at each of the INFP cognitive functions and how Leia exhibits them, and then I’ll do some further expounding and comparison with ESTJ/ENTJ.

Dominant Function: Introverted Feeling (Fi)

Leia’s core motivation for everything she does is her values — this is what drives her. Very idealistic, she throws her entire life into championing her cause and fighting for justice, freedom, and everything she believes is right. In the SW Rebels episode A Princess on Lothal, she tells Ezra, “I feel like because I can fight, I have to, for those who cannot.” (Te-doms, on the other hand, while having Fi as their inferior function, are driven more by a need to direct, organize and problem-solve.) While she may be a lot more open-minded on lesser matters, she will rigidly defend her values when they are challenged and can be somewhat black and white when it comes to them.

She doesn’t feel the need to conform. She is strong-willed and stubborn, and can be a bit rebellious, willing even to defy her superiors in order to do what she feels is right. We can see this in the Princess Leia comic when she disobeys General Dodonna’s orders in order to gather and protect the galaxy’s remaining Alderaanians, in Aftermath: Life Debt when she defies Mon Mothma and runs off to rescue Han and help liberate Kashyyyk, in Bloodline when she engages in some questionably legal behavior because she feels her investigation is so important, and of course, in her position as a rebel to begin with.

Additionally, growing up, she sometimes struggled with conforming to what was expected of her as a princess or learning certain things (such as her aunts’ etiquette lessons and politics) if she didn’t think they were meaningful, true to her values and/or herself. Eventually, after talks such as the one she remembers having with her father in the Princess Leia comic (#2), her eyes were opened to the meaning and potential in politics, how it could be used to champion a cause, and she decided to follow in Bail’s footsteps.

At the beginning of Bloodline, Leia is disillusioned by the state of the Senate and wants to quit her role as senator. She tells Han, “Every debate on the Senate floor turns into an endless argument over ‘tone’ or ‘form’ and never about issues of substance.” When she takes action later, she feels much more like herself again, because she feels like she’s doing something meaningful. This shows she’s less concerned about the organization of the New Republic than about defending the values and causes that are close to her heart.

Leia is incredibly passionate. Like all Fi-doms, she has a rich inner world of emotion, though it is sometimes not apparent to others due to her natural guardedness. She can appear cold, but underneath the surface she is anything but. She may be able to analyze her own feelings but have trouble opening up about them to others, except in the occasional outburst. She struggles with admitting her feelings for Han aloud, instead talking about him in the context of her values/the cause (e.g. in the corridors of Hoth — Han is directly asking her to admit her feelings for him and all she can allow herself to say is “You’re a great help to us. You’re a natural leader….”). Later, when confronted by Luke about the truth of her family in RotJ, as @bestmixtapeintherecorder has already said, she shuts down emotionally. She is extremely distressed but unable to open up to Han about everything just yet (she needs more time to process it all inside, first). And yet, throughout the movies, I get the sense that even though she doesn’t always express it, just underneath the surface is a well of deep passion and feeling (which Han can sometimes be pretty good at provoking). I think it is clear that she has a deep emotional fire that both fuels and assails her, and helps drive her in her fight for justice.

Auxiliary Function: Extraverted Intuition (Ne)

Leia chose to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a senator. I doubt she would have done this if she was utterly lacking in Ne, a function that balances the strength of her Fi by helping her to engage empathetically with people and see many possibilities. She is skilled in diplomacy — we see this firsthand in her interaction with the Ewoks in RotJ, whom she is able to befriend and consequently rally to her cause, and throughout the expanded universe (both Disney Canon and old EU). Caring and open-minded, she is able to see and understand multiple points of view (though she may still oppose them rigidly if they run up against the values of her Fi). Her comment to Luke about Han in ANH, “He’s got to follow his own path, no one can choose it for him,” illustrates this. Also, in Bloodline, she is able to acknowledge the perspectives of both Populists and Centrists to some extent, and while she firmly rejects certain Centrist viewpoints, she is willing to seek a compromise for the sake of the bigger picture (her value of protecting the New Republic) when most of her fellow Populists aren’t. She does not dogmatically take a side and stay there unquestioningly. Instead, using her Ne in combination with her Fi, she evaluates all sides of an issue and determines what fits with her values.

She is a good listener, and others may find themselves confiding in her, as Luke does on the way to Yavin, or as Casterfo ends up doing in Bloodline.

Ne also helps her adapt to a situation and be resourceful. We see this in her finding a way out of the detention block through the garbage chute in ANH, her use of the chain that bound her to Jabba to strangle him, and countless other ways.

Fanon usually describes Leia as a broadly intelligent person with wide academic interests and an appreciation for the arts and sciences. While we don’t have a chance to see this side of her in the movies simply because it’s wartime, Ne would make her curious and eager to learn and understand (at least whatever her Fi tells her to be interested in). It would also give her a measure of creativity and a way to healthily channel her emotions, something which she has no opportunity to do while at war, to her own detriment. An INFP’s Ne can also give them a particular skill with words and language, which we see in Leia’s ability (bolstered by the Force) to compose inspiring and persuading speeches.

Finally, her Ne may be a factor in making her particularly adept at certain Force skills. Leia seems to have a profound intuitive connection with her environment, magnified through the Force. She is very sensitive to the ambience of a place, to feelings, and impressions. We see this in her nervousness at Cloud City because something doesn’t feel right, and her sense of having “always known” during her talk with Luke in RotJ. There’s a beautiful passage in the RotJ novel where, as she’s led by Wicket to the Ewok’s village, she has a sudden awareness of the trees and the world around her that fills her with wonder, and a sense of being caught up in the grandness of the universe and the life-force. This not only fits with her Force abilities, but also with Ne.

Tertiary Function: Introverted Sensing (Si)

Si places a lot of weight on personal experiences/memories, lessons learned in the past. It is nostalgic and takes comfort in routine, tradition and familiarity (providing some balance with her Ne, which is more open to new experiences and adventure).

Leia has a good memory; she remembers “images” of her real mother (possibly from a dream). She is also committed to continuing her father’s work and upholding the ideals of Alderaan and the Republic. When she is struggling, she often turns to routine for comfort, losing herself in her work and in her efforts for the cause. 

In the Aftermath trilogy, she has trouble adjusting to both her new life post-fighting and the New Republic. She is so used to being able to act when she sees something wrong, but now it seems like there are a million political hoops to jump through that weren’t there before. When faced with a breach in her Fi’s values, she falls back on tradition and, in a sense, never stops being a rebel. Later, she will found the Resistance — once again, it’s a familiar way of doing things for her, coupled with her Fi’s quest for meaning and defense of values.

Inferior Function: Extraverted Thinking (Te)

Leia has been thrust into leadership positions throughout her whole life. As @bestmixtapeintherecorder said, this doesn’t mean that she’d choose it for herself, all things being equal. In fact, in RotJ, we see her taking more of a backseat, and in Bloodline, she only accepts her nomination for First Senator with extreme reluctance. However, when put into a leadership position, she shows herself to be effective and able. Her Te also couples with her Fi to lead her to jump into a debate or fight if she feels her values are challenged.

Like I said earlier, Te is where I think everyone gets hung up when typing Leia. She so clearly exhibits Te that most people assume it’s her dominant function (hence ESTJ and ENTJ). However, throughout much of the movies, Leia is incredibly stressed. Under extreme stress, the inferior function tends to take the lead, though it often comes out in negative ways or as somewhat of a caricature of dominant Te. This is exactly what we often see in Leia, particularly in ANH and ESB. Throughout those movies, she’s lost her home and family, she’s been through torture and trauma, she’s fighting on the front lines in a war, and on top of all that, she’s struggling with her frustration at and feelings for Han. Consequently, she is frequently “in the grip” of her Te. When this happens, she lashes out at others, unleashing sarcasm and biting remarks, becoming more rigid, judgmental, intolerant and even insensitive. Everything becomes even more black and white as the tempering nature of her Ne is gone. She will often seek to gain control of a situation (and thus control of herself, too).

A good example of this is in Aftermath: Life Debt when her stress over Han’s disappearance and her frustration over what she feels are heartless political processes cause her to explode during a meeting with Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, and others. We also see this at the beginning of Bloodline — when faced with Casterfo’s collection of Imperial paraphernalia (which challenges her values and likely also triggers her PTSD), she eventually loses control of her anger, forgets any semblance of tolerance she had previously tried to summon, and lets loose on Casterfo, arguing viciously with him before coldly leaving the room. And of course, we see this throughout the movies in her sarcasm and insults as she takes charge of her rescue in ANH, and in her constant fighting with Han in ESB.

Sometimes, when in the grip of her Te, she may make questionable decisions in the heat of the moment, saying things she’ll later regret or trying to “fix” a situation in a way that won’t fix it at all (for example, kissing Luke in ESB to prove a point to Han that isn’t even true).

By the second half of RotJ, while she is still in a stressful wartime situation, I’d argue that she’s much more relaxed, having Han back and feeling a new sense of determination and purpose. Consequently, we don’t see as much of her sharp tongue, angry outbursts, or need for control.

If Leia were an ESTJ or an ENTJ, her behavior would be somewhat different when stressed. An ExTJ in the grip of inferior Fi is less able to think logically or stay organized and efficient, and they will tend to be overcome by the feeling that they aren’t appreciated for what they do. I don’t think we see this in Leia at all during her most stressful moments. On the contrary, she becomes more logical, rigid, and efficient, and doesn’t seem to wallow in self-pity (though she may be very critical of both herself and others).

I also think that if Leia were an ESTJ or ENTJ, she wouldn’t be quite as idealistic as we see her throughout the books and the movies. Leia is so clearly driven by her values, by her fight for the cause, and she will and often does push back against what she sees as cold, sterile rules and bureaucracy when it hinders her fight for what she believes is right. An ESTJ or ENTJ would be more likely to see the necessity of those rules and bureaucracy.

Overall, INFPs are passionate, idealistic, caring, empathetic, stubborn, defensive, deeply emotional but closed off, sometimes tolerant and sometimes intolerant, imaginative, resourceful, sensitive, artistic, intelligent, intuitive, critical, nostalgic, intense dreamers who seek truth, justice and authenticity and are driven to make the world a better place. We see many of these qualities in Leia, and the few that aren’t as readily apparent can be easily explained due to the fact that we’re seeing her in wartime/during a time of stress, where those qualities would naturally be missing. This combined with the fact that Leia’s character and actions fit very well with the INFP functional stack, as I’ve already argued, makes me conclude that Leia is best characterized as an INFP.

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