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galacticwildfire · 2 years

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Illicit Affairs

Three

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Amidala!oc

Rhea Amidala meets Obi-Wan Kenobi when he and his master come to her younger sisters aid and he discovers the queen's sister was once a Jedi, expelled from the order for her unwillingness to forgo love and attachment. The two stranded together on Tatooine find common ground despite their differences, and above all a hope within the other for something greater than themselves.

Word count: 7.5k

Tags/warnings: okay guys we have all the romance this chapter with the beginnings of the angst, also fck palpatine

A/N: this story is a decades long tragedy. be prepared.

My dreams were sweet, and we would have stayed like it for as long as we could if not for the commotion telling us we're about to reach Coruscant.

We look at each other in a mutual state of awe, no words needing to be spoken as he helps me to my feet and guides me out to where Padme is getting ready since she will be addressing the senate herself in due time.

She wears a brave face but even so I squeeze her hand and promise her "It will be alright."

She nods weakly and I hold her tight as we near the planet, my eyes meeting Obi-Wans as the discomfort begins to set in. The knowing I've not returned here since I left five years ago.

Anakin lingers near Padme as we prepare for what's to come, it's clear he's taken a liking to her, it's sweet.

"He made this for me," she tells me, showing me the charm he carved. "He said it will bring me good fortune."

"What a sweet boy," I smile but she still looks concerned.

"He misses his mother."

I nod knowing what she is asking me and I take Anakin aside, bending down to talk to him.

"I know this is hard, leaving home for a place you don't know, with people who are strangers," I tell him and reveal "I was like you once. Some people came and told me I was special like you are, they took me away from Padme and my parents, it hurts and there's no other way of going about it."

"When will it stop hurting?" he asks me and I feel Obi-Wan and Padme both watching.

"You'll miss her," I say to him, knowing they're simple words that could never begin to prepare him for the truth of it. "But that's okay, because it means you still love your mom and nothing is wrong with that, no matter what anyone tells you." I hold the little boys hand tight. "But Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan will take good care of you now, like they've taken care of me."

Qui-Gon comes to stand beside me. "She's right, challenging times are ahead but you will overcome them all. Rhea, a word?"

I nod, immediately assuming it's about Obi-Wan but instead he says "When we arrive your sister will be greeted by Senator Palpatine and the Chancellor, however Obi-Wan and I will be meeting with the Jedi Council and I ask you come with us."

I look to Obi-Wan in panic who assures me "It will be alright, your sister will be occupied but to ensure her safety we need you on board with what we bring to the council."

"Which is?"

Qui-Gon tells me with no sugarcoating "That what can only be a Sith lord is after your sister."

My heart stops but when it beats again it's with purpose. "How do we stop him?"

"I don't know yet," Qui-Gon admits. "But we will."

I look at Obi-Wan again who nods in agreement. "All will be well Rhea." Qui-Gon leaves us and Obi-Wan reaches for my hand as I clam up. "You may have left the order, but you still have every right to stand before the council as we do. Master Dooku left and he still visits the temple often, it's nothing unheard of." I nod anxiously, still struggling for words at the thought of once again being put on trial. "Rhea?"

"I just want to stand there and represent my planet, I don't want an interrogation," I tell him and warn. "If they attack me I will defend myself."

"I don't doubt that," he says and jokes "I certainly won't make the mistake of arguing ideology with you again."

We both laugh but it's overshadowed by Qui-Gons theory. "A sith- why would a sith be after us?"

He's at a loss. "I don't know, but I promise you we will find out."

He looks around at the crowded room with Qui-Gon speaking to Captain Panaka and Anakin and Padme talking before discreetly guiding us to somewhere more private where it's just the two of us.

"If we are facing a sith, we will need as many Jedi as we can get," he begins and takes my hand. "I have no doubt the council will allow us to continue our assignment and stay with you and your sister until this mess is dealt with, but even then I-" he struggles with his words. "I don't want this mission to end."

Those words alone confess something forbidden for him and so I assure him "Neither do I."

He treads carefully "I know how you feel about the order but if there was a way you could continue on this assignment with us after it's done, cleaning up the collateral and finding the sith, would you?"

"I would," I answer in a heartbeat. "But I don't think the council would allow me, how I left- it was not pretty or graceful. The rage you've seen, it was far worse when I was fourteen."

"I don't doubt that," he says, thumb running over the back of my hand and I feel his nervousness. "But that rage pales in comparison to the rest of you."

Softly I ask "And what is that?"

"Good," he answers without hesitation. "Someone who cares very much for her family and her own people and strangers alike, and I would call the highest form of compassion. A quality it seems the councils overlooked."

I know I'm blushing as I struggle with the flustered smile those words bring to my face. "Compassionate, I don't think I've ever heard that word used to describe me in the slightest."

"Then how about some others," he says and I look up from our hands to meet his eye. "Discerning, passionate, enlightening." I feel our bodies being drawn together as I'm drawn into his blue eyes. "Loyal, captivating, opinionated." I feel my breath hitch in my throat as he continues "Alluring."

"Alluring?" I breathe, knowing allure is something a Jedi should certainly not feel and turn the tables. "And what of you Obi-Wan? Understanding, bright, quick-witted." I feel his free hand trailing along the bare skin of my arm, goosebumps rising. "Perceptive, hopeful, devoted." My own hand comes up to touch his face, fingers tracing his jaw. "I don't think I've ever met someone who has as much faith as you do."

"And it isn't misplaced," he promises me and I find myself lost in his eyes, feeling something that I try to fight and yet my chin tilts up towards his as I feel his fingertips on the small of my back and I only look away from his eyes to see our fingers lacing together and when I look back up I'm breathless at the closeness of him.

He tilts his head down and the tension between us is unbearable as his lips hover over mine, but even I know this is wrong, that this will only cause us pain and whisper "We shouldn't."

"I know," he says, but it's as if trying to resist the pull of the force. "Trust me, I know. I swore I wouldn't..."

He trails off in pain, and I turn my head away and step out of his embrace, sensing something deeper behind it and now I'm the one in pain as I breathe "Obi-Wan, whoever you loved...you won't find her in me."

He looks up and quickly insists "No- that's not-" with the step he takes forward I take one back and he tells me "Rhea that's not what I'm saying and that has nothing to do with the way I feel about you."

"Feel?" I repeat, the madness of this finally dawning on us both. "We hardly even know each other."

And yet somehow he knows me better than anyone ever has.

"You know that's not true," he says, clearly believing what we feel isn't by chance. "Search your feelings and you'll know that this-"

"Is something that is forbidden," I say, shaking my head knowing just what will happen to him if he breaks the code. "I was expelled, I suffered the shame of being a failure so listen to me when I tell you that it is not a fate you want to face."

At the mention of being forced out of the order his face hardens and he agrees "No it's not, but it isn't that simple."

"Isn't it?" I ask him, defending myself from the pain I know this will cause, knowing someone couldn't love me unless they saw someone else in my eyes. "You loved someone, and that someone is not me and it can't be me."

"Your right, it can't be," he says, but even as he looks at me now I swear I can see him looking at someone else. "Maybe when we first met I saw her in you, combative, opinionated to the point of extremism, willing to do anything to defend your people." He treads forth towards me with extreme caution. "Had she said the word I would have left the Jedi Order, but I always knew it was meant to end, it had to."

"And for that you have my condolences," I say stiffly, only feeling pain at his words as I go to leave. "But I am not her."

He grabs my wrist, pulling me back. "I don't want you to be." I still don't look at him as he says "There is love, and then there is this." I want to pull my hand free, I want to curse him and pretend all that has passed these past days never happened, but I can't. "I know you can feel it."

I do, when we laid together under the stars it's all I could feel, a pull to each other that was as strong as the force itself, and standing here now I hate it. "I don't want to feel it."

"And you think I do?" he exclaims and with that I look back at him, eyes burning into him and yet he doesn't let go. "I swore to myself I'd never let myself fall in love again and that I have succeeded in, but this- I've never been faced with anything like this. With someone who makes me forget everything I've ever been taught, who makes me feel things I don't want to feel, makes me question everything I've ever believed in-"

"And you think you don't do the same to me?" I half yell and laugh sadly, him not knowing the half of it. "You don't think that what I feel makes me question everything I fought against, that the people who turned their backs on me can't be as rotten as I believe if they somehow made someone like you." I'm cursing his name as much as putting him on a pedestal. "I was doing just fine until I met you, I never had anyone look at me the way you do, see through me how you do. I was fine being the failure everyone hated until you made me feel like more than that."

"Because you are," he says, now taking both my hands in his. "Just because you turned your back on the order doesn't mean you aren't a Jedi."

"They turned their back on me," I say hoarsely. "Not the other way around, and I won't let them do the same to you because the force is playing some sick joke on us-"

"I thought you would know better than to think the force would do such a thing," a voice interrupts and we jump apart at the sight of Master Qui-Gon who looks upon us with a heavy heart. "The council will not turn their backs on any of us, not if I have something to say for it." He looks between us and lowers his eyes. "Now come, we have business to attend to."

He leaves us and we're silent, the space between us agony as he reaches again for my hand and says "What I feel for you has nothing to do with anyone else." As much as I don't want believe him I know his words are true. "When we took this mission I- I could never have expected you." His voice is resolute as his eyes meet mine. "I believe that us meeting was not a mistake."

"How is this not a mistake?" I ask him, my voice filled with pain as reality dawns on us. "How can this possibly end in anything but pain?"

He's vulnerable as he says "Do you think I don't know how this ends? I do, I've spent years training myself to force those feelings aside until you came and taught me it doesn't have to be that way. That you don't have to be emotionless to feel the force. I don't know what this is Rhea, but I know that this pull to each other is something greater than feelings."

"Which is why we cannot act on them," I say, finally stepping away from him as I hear the rest of the crew departing. "Even if we wanted to."

With those words I walk towards the exit of the ship and step out onto the ramp, needing the fresh air to breathe, watching as my sister is greeted by Palpatine and the Chancellor and is guided away by these powerful men, both of whom I can't bring myself to trust. Especially Palpatine. He reeks of what ambitious men reek of. His eyes catch mine as they leave and he offers me a nod with a smile I trust even less. Senator's have their terms, now I wait for him to finish his and ice him out.

"Come," Qui-Gon says to me as Obi-Wan comes to my side, keeping a distance between us. "We must convene with the council."

I nod, not having any more words left in me and Obi-Wan and I share a sad glance as we follow behind Qui-Gon, our blissful moment of peace on Tatooine finally over.

We arrive at the Jedi Temple, Qui-Gon having not spoken another word about how he found Obi-Wan and I, but there is no mistaking what he saw. He knows his padawan and sees through me almost as easily, perhaps it would be easier if he were to scold us, to tell us it is forbidden, to do for us what we struggle to.

And yet he only seems saddened.

When we come to the temple I feel myself freeze up, and despite it all Obi-Wan comes to my side.

"You can face them," he tells me and and puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be right there with you."

Those words shouldn't ease me as much as they do and looking up at those temple steps I know I have to do this. I'm not doing this for myself, but for Padme.

Which is what gives me the strength to take that first step, then the second, and the rest until I come to walk through the halls I grew up in once again. Remembering who I was when I last did.

Rhea Naberrie. Just fourteen, a Jedi padawan.

I have every right to be here, the council does not change that.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon who stay by my side as my former peers gaping at the sight of me all grown up now.

Rhea Amidala. Nineteen. Protector of the Queen.

And as Obi-Wan reminded me despite how much I have fought against it, still a Jedi at heart.

My steps pick up pace as we approach the lift to the council chambers and I don't dare look back as I step inside and look at Obi-Wan, his eyes telling me all I need to hear. That this is right.

My dark hair is bound in a braid arranged atop my head, and so I pull the pin holding it togetther to let it fall out in a single braid down my back, how I wore it the last time I stood before the council, prosecuted.

Fourteen and afraid of the old men I stood before. Now I watch my sister doing the same without a glimpse of fear. I must have at least a fraction of the courage I taught her to have.

And so I step from the lift, proud as I enter the council chamber and feel a dozen heads turn my way, horrified and bewildered all while I wear the same face I taught my sister to have.

"I present Lady Rhea Amidala to the Council on the matter of Queen Amidala," Qui-Gon says as they take me in and I meet my old masters eye.

"Rhea needs no introduction," she says sadly and shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "Although I would ask why you have brought her before us and how she is of relevance to the matter at hand."

"I am sister to Queen Amidala," I answer proudly and watch her eyes fall. "During our escape from Naboo we were forced to make an emergency landing on Tatooine for repairs. During which we came under attack by an individual who wielded a lightsaber."

It's then Qui-Gon steps forward. "He was trained in the Jedi arts. My only conclusion can be that it was a Sith lord."

"Impossible," Master Mundi exclaims while I raise an eyebrow at my least favourite council member. "The Sith have been extinct for a millenium."

"I do not believe the Sith could have returned without us knowing," Master Windu says and I can't help but scoff. "What was that padawan?"

Yoda corrects "A padawan no longer, expelled she was."

Obi-Wan's head turns to me and he mouths "Expelled?"

My story has always been that I left willingly, only the masters would know the truth.

"She was on mission with Master Billaba and I when she betrayed orders and was expelled for intervening in Jedi business and endangering a child," Master Windu says and that is one accusation I will not take.

"You took a three year old girl from her mother, both of them screaming and fighting tooth and nail-"

"Their owner permitted it-"

"Exactly, they were slaves!" I yell and try to reign myself in. "You paid the slave owner for the girl while her mother screamed and was almost killed trying to get her back."

"And so you returned the girl into slavery to her mother," he says and my stomach churns. "Only to strike down the slave master, causing a diplomatic crisis with the Republic."

I feel Obi-Wans eyes on me, no doubt shocked considering the current situation with Anakin. Except his mother agreed to it, and Anakin is old enough to be willing.

"You should be grateful I did not do it on Tatooine," I spit out, perhaps I would have if it was I who went with Padme and not Qui-Gon. "If killing slave masters and freeing children goes against the Jedi code then so be it."

"You broke intergalactic laws-"

"And I'd do it again," is all I say of it, without allowing for a shred of remorse. "But I did not come here to be interrogated on matters of the past. My duty is to my sister, which is the reason I stand here as an official representative of Naboo as she was attacked by a Sith Lord."

"Break laws young Naberrie did," Yoda says ignoring me. "Much anger in you there is, much recklessness, judgement clouded by feelings they are."

"It was my mistake in teaching her the seventh form," Master Windu says, the master who oversaw my training almost as much as Master Billaba. "I had faith that she could handle it, my faith was misplaced."

I keep my face from showing the hurt those words bring and can feel Obi-Wan's silent comfort, almost as if he's in my head telling me it's not true.

"Master Windu, that is hardly appropriate," Qui-Gon scolds. "The girl has come here as a representative of her planet under my invitation, not a rogue padawan, and I will not have her treated as such."

"Master Qui-Gon, you would do well to remember the troubles she caused for our order as a whole," Windu argues. "She is reckless and spiteful and bringing her here before us for whatever reason only reflects poorly on yourself."

"Then so be it," Qui-Gon says, and never before has anyone defended me so shamelessly. "If I remember correctly you took the girl under your wing when she was only a young padawan, before you even assigned her to your own apprentice Master Billaba. Your faith in her was not misplaced and the only person to blame for her spitefulness is the council for giving it reason."

I feel Obi-Wan's immediate fear at his masters defiance as I stand there wide eyed, but the council do not seem phased and I realise this must be a frequent enough occurrence.

"Standing here now she displays exceptional courage, only to be attacked for coming before you and demanding action after her sisters life was endangered by what we must suspect is a sith."

Finally I clear my throat and step forward. "Master Windu, Master Yoda, my feelings do not cloud my judgement," I say, declaring what I was too afraid to at fourteen, but I know my heart well enough now. "They make me see clearer, they make me stronger not weaker. That is your Jedi orders greatest mistake, equating feelings with darkness when all they bring me is closer to the light." It takes all the strength in me not to look at Obi-Wan. "I know my own heart and mind, and those worthy of seeing it too know my truth, and right now my priority is to assist the Jedi Order in bringing down this Sith Lord to ensure my sister's safety."

"But you are no longer a Jedi," Master Windu says, Billaba my former master quiet. "You surrendered that privilege when your emotions caused you to go against the order and almost started a war between Slave Owners and the Republic."

"I am a Jedi," I declare, and Qui-Gon gives me an encouraging nod. "Whether or not I am a member of this order the force is with me, and it's will is greater than your authority. The code is flawed, I know many Jedi believe it to be so even if they are afraid to speak it." I can feel Qui-Gon's pride in me at those words. "The force is what makes a Jedi, not the code. How can any Jedi can have control over their feelings if they refuse to feel them? How can you tell someone that love leads to darkness when it brings them closer to the force?"

"Master if I may speak." I look back at Obi-Wan stunned as he steps forward in my defence. "While we all live by the code there must be allowance to the interpretation of the code, as Master Qui-Gon has taught me," Obi-Wan carefully treads, neither Qui-Gon or I sure where he is going with this, but Qui-Gon looks upon his padawan with nothing but pride. "While it is true she is an individual who does harbour great emotion, she is able to wield it well, with there never being a moment of darkness attached to it. Perhaps a slight of anger or fear, but the same as we all are susceptible to despite our training. Her circumstances are not black and white."

"No, but they are her undoing," Master Windu says whilst my eyes linger on Obi-Wan, trying to hide that very emotion right now in this moment. "She went rogue and almost caused a diplomatic disaster for the order. That is a type of recklessness that does not simply disappear, but is only emboldened."

"Then perhaps it was your own mistake Master Windu," I accuse. "For bringing me to the order at an age where I could not be indoctrinated like the rest."

"You're right," he says coldly. "I should have left you and saved myself a headache."

"Enough!" Qui-Gon intervenes. "I will remind you again that she is not here for interrogation. She is here on business on behalf of the Queen of Naboo. Now, can we get to that business."

Finally they allow it and give me a nod to speak.

"My sister narrowly escaped this attack as Master Qui-Gon fought off the attacker until we could escape," I say, knowing I will not leaving until they act. "I stand here on behalf of Naboo demanding action. Our planet has been invaded and our people rounded up and put into camps. The senate has yet to act in our favour and as my sister's military advisor I will act to save my people no matter the result of the senate." That is a fact no one in this room doubts. "But I myself cannot stop a sith, and so I request Master Qui-Gon and his padawan be allowed to continue with this mission to stop this attacker with the councils support in launching a full investigation and providing extra security to the queen."

The council is quiet in contemplation, Yoda especially.

"We will use all our resources to unravel this mystery, we will discover the identity of your attacker," Master Windu finally says but does not give a when or how. "The council will convene on this matter, you are dismissed."

Qui-Gon bows and goes to leave but I stop him.

"Wait- is that all?" I look to the council. "So you wait until it attacks us again and then decide to determine a further course of action?" I quickly realise that is exactly what they intend to do. "No, that's not good enough."

"Rhea, please," Master Billaba pleads with me. "We will do all we can for your sister."

"It's still not good enough, I was sent here on her behalf and with her authority I demand further action be taken," I insist and find Temple guards beginning to escort me out. "Don't touch me!"

They grab me as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both try to intervene but not before I end up in a physical altercation with the guards whilst Master Billaba orders the guards to let me go but it falls on deaf ears.

"The Sith are back!" I yell as the guards attempt to pull me from the room but I am long past the point of grace. "Has the order become so blind you could not see it? And what? What do you do now you have this information? Nothing! You send two Jedi on a suicide mission hoping it will be discreetly dealt with?" I break free from the guards and hold my ground. "A Sith roams free yet you are more concerned by what my presence could bring upon your precious order? Are you all blind!" I feel Obi-Wans hand on my arm but shake it off, it's my anger they say that clouds my judgement but in it I see clearly. "I remember now why I left, why I pushed and pushed against the order until you rid of me. It's because of this right here. So preoccupied with order it borders on madness while the Sith have risen up and what do you do? Sit here in your chairs judging me when my failures are only representative of your own!"

They're all silent as I look around the room and my eyes fall on Qui-Gon "Am I wrong?" I look back to the council. "Are any of you so brave to agree with me, or do you disregard me for the sake of order and conformity? Because I have spent the last years in the political sphere, and you are becoming far less of whatever the Jedi should stand for and more of an oligarchy of righteousness!"

From their silence I know my words cut deep, and I pray I do not leave them with a peaceful mind as I finish "And you shall lose more Jedi until you overcome it."

I leave the room before I can be escorted out heading straight for the lift and pushing past a man I vaguely recognise as Master Dooku as Obi-Wan chases after me.

"Rhea!"

"You heard what I said and if you want me to apologise I'll say it all again!" I yell back and curse under my breath as I walk into the lift "Pretentious bastards."

Before the door can slide closed he pushes in, still trying to reason with me. "Rhea-"

"I am not going back in there."

"I'm not asking you to," he says, his voice breathless. "I'm coming with you so they don't pull you out of here and drag you out."

"That's why I'm leaving willingly," I retort but he has questions of his own.

"Why didn't you say you were expelled?"

"Because of the shame," I tell him, still remembering my mothers face. "I was expelled from the order for refusing to sit back and watch innocents suffer. They said I was turning sith by killing a slave master when it was justice," I insist, begging him to believe me without even realising it. "All I could hear was my baby sister screaming and my older one fighting for me when Mace Windu took that girl away, all I could remember was once being that little girl and after repeatedly being chastised and ripped apart by the council I snapped!"

He grabs me by the arms to keep me still as he tells me "I'm not fighting with you Rhea."

"Do you understand now?" I ask him and watch something in his eyes change. "Do you understand now why I hate everything the order stands for as much as I do?"

His hands are still holding my arms when the lift opens and he quickly withdraws them, instead grabbing my wrist and pulling me with him.

"Come with me," he says as he leads me through the Jedi Temple and I follow him, half expecting to be brought to a confinement room but I'm surprised when he brings me to the living quarters, and finally to what must be his room.

He pulls me behind the corner and checks to make sure no one's seen us before pulling me inside and making sure the door closes behind us.

"Obi-Wan?"

His hands are on my face, his voice desperate. "I understand and I know what they say about you isn't true, I know because I've seen it, and I meant every word I said in there." Tears wet my cheeks and he wipes them away as he did before. "What you said about your heart, I know it's true."

"I know," I breathe unevenly. "Because it took every bit of discipline in me not to look straight at you, otherwise they would have known."

"Known what?" he asks as if we're both fools.

I smile shakily as I look him in his blue eyes. "You know what."

And he does know. He knows the attachment he and I both harbour, something the code forbids. Yet we've both fallen pray to it.

"I've had blind faith for so long," he tells me, thumb stroking my cheek. "But you and Master Qui-Gon, you're right about the council, about the code." His body is close to mine, his breath warm in the dark room. "Especially you. I- I don't know what I have faith in now. But I know I have it in you."

My breath is only a whisper "No one's ever truly had faith in me before."

All my life I've only heard how reckless I am, how ashamed they are of me, how any faith was misplaced. Until now.

This isn't love. Not yet. But it could be.

I know it because all I feel when he touches me is hope.

"I do."

And perhaps hope is the most dangerous thing of all as our lips meet and just like that there is no going back. Where he was restrained he's now free, and where I was lost I'm now found.

He pulls back, checking that I'm alright and I answer by bringing his lips back to mine, at first rough but then gentle, juxtaposed, the gentle and the rough, meeting for something beautiful.

My hands reach for his face while his fingers through my hair, my braid falling apart as he comes to hold me in an embrace unlike anything I've ever felt before, both of us giving into something we were always warned against, and finding nothing but light.

"Is this as terrible as they tell us?" I ask him and he breathlessly shakes his head, kissing me again longingly before answering me.

"No, this is-" I can see the conflict in his eyes as he gives in to me "This is anything but that."

We dare explore that forbidden thing with every touch of our lips, wrapping ourselves deeper in one another, and I don't think I've ever felt the force as strongly as I do now in his arms, and I know he feels it too.

My hand runs down his chest, until I can feel his heartbeat beneath my palm and smile as it pounds beneath his chest, bringing his own hand to feel mine and feel him smile as well. He takes my hand, fingers lacing together palm to palm, eyes fluttering shut as our bodies meet as if they were forged to do so, a oneness I've never felt before with anyone as our lips touch now so gently that anything more feels as if it would overwhelm every sense I have.

"Obi-Wan," I breathe, feeling the sensation even his name brings.

"Rhea," he whispers back, his blue eyes meeting mine, and that's how Qui-Gon finds us when the door is slid open, our bodies together and lips barely apart.

He does not jump away as I'd expect, but merely stares frozen at his master who looks to the floor and sighs, all of us knowing there is no explaining this. Before we could have feigned innocence, one friend helping another, but not now, not like this.

"Well then," he says, unsurprised but not disappointed, and eyes us with contemplation. "We best find a way out of this predicament and then we will deal with this."

By deal with he doesn't mean fix, but rather find a way to help us.

"Master," Obi-Wan begins and Qui-Gon just raises a hand to quiet him.

"Rhea, Padme is leaving for the senate, her ship waits for you outside."

I nod, slowly pulling myself away from Obi-Wan, neither of us able to form any words.

"Here, let us escort you out," Qui-Gon says and we're silent as we leave the temple.

Obi-Wan and I keep our distance and I look behind me when I feel someone watching only to meet the eyes of Master Dooku who's looking straight at me, as if through me.

His stare haunts me long after I've left the temple and indeed we find a ship waiting for us, along with Anakin.

"The boy has come to be tested by the council," Qui-Gon tells me. "I suspect you'll have words for him."

I nod knowing what he's asking of me, and walk forward towards the boy. The slave boy who left his mother for a chance at a better life and yet has no idea what's ahead.

"Now Anakin," I say, bending down to his height. "Are you sure you want this, that you don't want to return to your mother?"

"I'll miss her, but one day when I'm a Jedi I'll go home to free her," he tells me, and I know the council may be rid of me, but they'll have their hands full with him.

"I hope so Anakin," I say and look behind me to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "Now I don't know if you'll see Padme or I again, but I do hope our paths cross. These two Jedi will be here for you, they'll be your new family. Now, you may not like everything the council says, they can be very tough and often wrong, but you are an exceptional boy and they are the ones lucky to have you, never forget that."

"Really?" he asks, and I can only assume he's never been told that, just as I never was.

"Yes, now go on," I tell him, watching as he goes to Qui-Gon who promises me.

"We'll look after him."

"If anything doesn't go to plan," I say, meaning he doesn't pass their tests. "We will care for him."

"I know you will," he assures me, and it's only as he goes to leave a panic fills me, Obi-Wan and I looking at each other in alarm and I call out.

"Wait!"

Qui-Gon looks back but my eyes are on Obi-Wan, a realisation that has only just hit me. That they may not be leaving Coruscant with Padme and I if the council refuses to take action. "Are you coming with us?"

Obi-Wan looks to his master for answer as well, and he assures us "We will complete our mission, patience young padawans."

Obi-Wan and I stand there as Padme calls me to get onboard, I want to run forward towards him but out here in public I know I cannot, so I give an emotional nod and jump inside the speeder as they return inside the temple.

Oh what a beautiful tragic mess we have gotten ourselves into.

"What was that?" Padme asks me as we take off.

"What was what?"

She gives me a look but does not press. "The verdict?"

"Regardless of the council's decision, Master Qui-Gon won't abandon us," I say, realising the reason he was prepared to leave the council session so easily was because he's already made up his mind and that they will not sway it. "We will kill the attacker, and we will free our people."

She looks forward towards the senate and says "We will, and I will not accept no."

I am beside Padme in the senate, an illegal blaster beneath the royal robe I wear. While they make their points to the Chancellor I'm scouring the room for any sign of the sith lord, reaching out through the force in a way I have not done in a long time but there is a freedom in being the exiled. A freedom to use the force as it feels fit, the natural way instead of the order.

But even then I find nothing but a general unsettlement.

"Honorable Represenatives of the Republic, I come to you under the gravest of circumstances," Padme begins when it is her turn. "The Naboo system has been invaded by the droid armies of the Trade-"

"I object! There is no proof!"

Padme is past the point of anger, she is already grieving and underneath her tough face she is afraid for her people, for all of us. But if I can do what I've done today, she can do this also.

"We recommend a commission be sent to Naboo to ascertain the truth."

They all argue amongst themselves and I listen to Palpatine in Padme's ear.

"Enter the bureaucrats, the true rulers of the Republic," he tells her and I listen carefully to just what he is feeding her. "And on the payroll of the Trade Federation I may add. This is where Chancellor Valorum's strength will disappear."

I cannot argue against him despite my dislike for the man, the Republic is corrupt and there is no doubt the Federation has allies here.

"The point is conceded," Valorum declares. "Will you defer your motion to allow a commission to explore the validity of your concerns?"

We don't have time, the very suggestion of it is an offence of the worst kind and in that very moment the flaws of the senate are laid out for me plainly.

"I will not defer," she declares, remaining firm. "I've come before you to resolve this attack on our sovereignty now! I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!" She decides and I'm glad if there is one thing I've taught her, it's strength in the face of adversity, to not be afraid to raise her voice to a room of people who refuse to listen. "If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed." I nod proudly as she proposes. "I move for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum's leadership."

There is outrage, but she is just what I've taught her to be, unapologetic and controversial.

I only wish I could see myself as I see her.

As we wait for the voting I look out the window of Padme's apartments towards the Jedi Temple, wondering how Anakin is going, how Obi-Wan is feeling.

"What occured during the meeting?" Padme asks me knowingly. "Was there an argument?"

"They attempted to escort me out after I had some choice words for the council," I say, but don't want to put anymore worries on her and so I leave out the altercation. "It was all alright though in the end, I remembered just why I left but Obi-Wan took care of me."

"Yes, you two seem close," she comments, but does not insinuate anything. "Do you think he'll take care of Ani?"

"Of course," I assure her, squeezing her hand. "He is in the best hands he can possibly be in. Now, no more worrying about everyone else."

"That's easier said than done."

"I know," I say quietly and wrap an arm around her as we look out at the city together. "If we do not get action from the council I will find another way."

"How?" she asks, but I know she would not like it.

"We'll do whatever it takes," I say, knowing how far I'd go even if she would never approve of my methods. "Your hands will be bloodless, I promise."

"If only it worked that way," she says and the door opens with Panaka escorting Palpatine in.

"Your highness, Senator Palpatine has been nominated to succeed Valorum as Supreme Chancellor!"

My stomach sinks with those words and my eyes shift to him, realising what power play he's enacting using Naboo as his gambling peace, his ulterior motives. Darker doubts fill my mind now surrounding him, if this was his plan all along in eliciting Padme to move for a vote of no confidence...

"A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one." Padme lets no emotion pass her face, she does not care who is chancellor but only for Naboo. "Your majesty, if I am elected I promise to put an end to corruption."

"Those are big promises," I say from the background, stepping forward. "What we need is action now, not wasting time campaigning on empty promises."

He tilts his head at me, finding my distrust curious.

"Who else has been nominated?" Padme asks.

"Bail Antilles of Alderaan and Anle Teem of Malastare."

"Bail Antilles is a good kind of man," I tell Padme, avoiding Palpatine's glare. "He would most certainly help us."

"I feel confident our situation will create a strong sympathy vote for us," Palpatine says ignoring me and boldly declares. "I will be Chancellor."

There is a glimmer in his eyes I don't like and pray Bail will be elected, the dislike I have for Palpatine is enough that it makes me want to campaign against him, regardless Padme is not in the mood for entertaining this.

"I fear by the time you have control of the bureaucrats there'll be nothing left of our people or our way of life."

"I understand your concern your majesty." I sense his frustration as he sees me by Padme's side, between him and her ear. "Unfortunately the Federation has possession of our planet-"

"And who has been the senator charged with handling such issues?" I accuse, daring to wonder if he let this happen. "It is such a convenience for you I'm sure that this tragedy has led to your nomination for chancellor."

The accusation I make is clear to all ears in the room, even Panaka who I always stand at odds with is partial to it, but it is Padme whose eyes are cold as she looks upon him.

"Your highness, perhaps your sister ought to be removed from the situation at hand, her emotions seem to have overcome her."

"Senator, you almost sound like a Jedi," I say and laugh, leaving him almost disturbed. "And just as I told them earlier, now is not the time for further complacency."

"Senator, this is your arena," Padme says, having had enough with politics and sitting in a senate that will not hear her, but then says "I feel I must return to mine."

"What?" I stammer, sharing an alarmed look with Panaka.

"I've decided to go back to Naboo," she says, and while I may argue with her over such matters, the look in her eyes tells me there is no arguing with her on this.

We will not achieve anything further here. It is time to take things into our own hands.

"Your majesty be realistic," Palpatine panics. "They'll force you to sign the treaty."

He goes to follow her but I step between them, forcing him to stand in place.

"I will sign no treaty senator," Padme says with a bite in her voice. "My fate will be no different to that of our people. Captain, ready my ship."

She leaves with Panaka, leaving me alone with Palpatine.

"You best please my sister or the chancellor won't be the only one facing a vote of no confidence," I warn him, and he knows I mean my words. "Do not return to Naboo unless you are successful in prosecuting the Trade Federation, and if you do find yourself chancellor you best remember it was our peoples blood that got you there."

He eyes me carefully, where he's seen me only as an inconvenience he sees me for what I truly am, a threat.

"I will be keeping a close eye on you, Lady Amidala," he says slowly and I turn my back on him without another word to go to Padme who stands with her handmaidens, prepared for whatever may come.

"We will go home," I promise her. "And we will all do whatever we must to free our people, damn the senate."

There's a shadow of a smile on her face. "I've been waiting for you to say that."

#obi wan kenobi x oc #illicit affairs #wildfirewildflower #obi wan kenobi x amidala!oc #obi wan kenobi x f!oc #obi wan kenobi x original character #obi-wan kenobi x oc #obi-wan kenobi x original character #obi-wan kenobi fanfiction #obi wan kenobi fanfiction

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disneydreamlights · 3 years

Text

Edge of Dawn

AO3 | FFN

Summary: Palpatine tells him the plan, Padmé tells him important news.

Anakin feels like he’s drowning in every commitment he has to keep.

[@anidalaweek for Day 5: Alternate Fandom. AU Inspired by Fire Emblem: Three Houses]

A/N: I don't wanna take up a ton of space in this for thank you's and acknowledgements but just would like to give thanks to Meltic, Ash, and Jenelle for being part of the creative process for this one shot. Meltic for basically coming up with the whole AU idea in the first place and Ash and Jenelle for listening to me talk about this and helping edit despite neither of you knowing a thing about SW.

This was posted on AO3 yesterday but because of how I format these posts unfortunately I didn't have the time to get it up on ffn and (as a result) tumblr until today, so whoops, kinda late submission.

“Anakin my boy, I’m delighted that you could take the time out of your schedule to come.” Anakin’s skin crawled as he greeted Palpatine with a hug. It was expected, given that Palpatine had been the one to adopt Anakin after his mother had died, making him the heir to the Empire, but despite that fact, it didn’t make him any more comfortable.

Not after Palptine had revealed his plans for Anakin at the end of the year, of Anakin’s true purpose at the Officer Academy, of the machinations of the Sith that had been building for over a millenia that Anakin would never have a say in whether he should fulfill. “It was the least I could do. How are affairs back home?”

“Things are going smoothly.” Palpatine’s smile was calm as ever, hiding the hidden meaning meant only for Anakin. “You’ve been doing your part?”

Anakin nodded. Despite his desire to be doing anything but, he’d been doing his part. Since the start of his final year Darth Vader, the mysterious Lord of the Sith, had been doing his “best” to incapacitate the other House Leaders. He, of course, wouldn’t do any lasting damage to them, but at least the illusion of playing along was enough to keep Palpatine at bay until he could figure out a way to tell anybody what was happening.

Palpatine’s grin grew wider. “I’m proud of you. Before long, the Sith will rise once more, the Jedi and all their useless preaching that cost your mother her life will be gone.”

“Are we sure we can’t recruit the other students?” Anakin asked, his mind going to Obi-Wan and Padmé. “We could–”

“Anakin, do you truly believe that you could sway the leaders of the Kingdom or the Alliance? They’ve been loyal to the Jedi Order for far too long. It has only ever been the Empire who has been willing to stand against them and their power.” The truth was, he knew he couldn’t. Obi-Wan was well on his way to being a Jedi, even if he was also the future king, and Padmé…

He couldn’t let himself think of her, not now. Not when he couldn’t imagine himself corrupting her light just so he wouldn’t lose her when Palpatine’s plans came to fruition. “You’re right. I’m sorry for stepping out of line.”

“Nonsense, they have been your peers for years. It’s only natural you would feel some... lingering attachment towards them.” There was a certain disdain to Palpatine’s words, implying that Anakin would one day no longer care about his friends in a way that made his blood run cold. “When the time comes, I am sure you will rise above them, and lead our armies to victory.” After a pause, Palpatine started heading towards the door. “I shall leave you to your studies. I’m due for a meeting with Master Yoda. You know it’s best not to keep him waiting.”

Anakin nodded, ignoring the fear he felt towards the Sith, and the relief that he was leaving. “Of course, your excellency. Is there anything I need to know for the mission?”

“I believe Darth Vader should be making an appearance soon. Alongside Darth Tyrannus, I believe he has something to do with the disappearance of Knight Billaba.” Palpatine put a hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “I assume you’ll know what to do when the rescue attempt begins.”

“Of course.” Anakin did his best to keep his voice steady. “I’ll be ready.”

“I’m proud of you Anakin. You’ve done well.I know I can leave this operation in your capable hands.” With that Palpatine left, and Anakin let out a sigh of relief. If nothing else, he knew the mission; he could plan how to help the others survive it when the chance came.

While he took a moment to gather his wits and calm down, a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned, surprised to see Padmé standing there with a worried expression on her face. “Ani?”

Just having her near him was enough for Anakin’s fears and worries to melt away, and a small smile formed on his face. “Angel, you have no idea how glad I am to see you.”

“Are you alright?” While she didn’t know a lot of what was going on (or anything, really) Padmé did know that Palpatine had been putting undue pressure on him, more than he could handle. She was his confidant, the love of his life, his everything.

He ignored the fact that if Palpatine had his way he would be betraying her sooner than not, choosing instead to pull her into his arms and bury his face in her hair. “I will be, it was just another request of his. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“I can’t help it if I do, you’re under so much stress lately.” She didn’t pull away, instead opting to bury herself into his chest. “You should tell him to let you have a break, the way he’s working you isn’t right.”

It wasn’t that simple. If it had just been about grades he might’ve gotten away with it, but as it stood that wouldn’t be the case. “I’ll talk to him next time he visits. Or maybe just refuse to see him.” And then he would send Dooku or some other Sith at the academy to get Anakin to do his dirty work.

Still, Padmé wouldn’t know that, and it seemed to alleviate her worries about his sanity for the time being. “You should. It’s our final year at the academy, you don’t need to have more on your plate than you already do.”

Anakin laughed, letting her go. “You’re right. We have all those missions and exams, and we’re figuring out how we’ll keep seeing each other while we’re off ruling opposite ends of the galaxy.”

Padmé placed a gentle kiss to his lips. “We’ll figure it out. Perhaps you can convince the emperor a marriage between the Alliance and the Empire will be beneficial.”

If he thought Padmé would abandon her morals and join him with the Sith he would suggest it without question, but he knew she would never. “Palpatine would never approve. But so long as we can stay together, that’s all that matters to me.”

She was all that mattered to him, but he hesitated, sensing an almost disappointment from Padmé. “What is it? I know a life of romance in the shadows wasn’t what we’d hoped for when our relationship began, but it’s all we’ve ever had.”

“What if I wanted something more from our relationship?” Padmé asked. There was a nervous edge to her voice as she started tracing various patterns in his hand, refusing to look up. “What would you do then?”

“I would do everything in my power to make sure that one day, you could have it.” He smiled. “Your happiness, above all else, is what matters to me.”

“Then…” She took a deep breath, stabilizing her nerves. “Then we may need to start figuring that out.”

Anakin stared at her, confused. “Is something wrong? Did something happen?”

“I’m late. I was worried, so I stopped by the healer’s wing, just to check.” Padmé gave a nervous smile, tentative, but full of hope. “Something wonderful has happened. Ani, I’m pregnant.”

He froze, trying to comprehend what she had said. Padmé was...but...was that possible? They’d taken their relationship farther since the new year had begun, Anakin had wanted to spend as much time with her as he could before he was forced to do something he would forever regret, but she...pregnant?

“Ani? Are you alright? Please, say something.” With his lack of response, Padmé’s nervousness had increased and it snapped Anakin into responding. He couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his face as he gave her a kiss, slow and full of all the love he could possibly send towards her and the baby.

“You’re...that’s...that’s wonderful.” He sent as much joy as possible her way. “I...I know it’s my fault we have to hide our relationship, but I’ll figure this out, I promise. By the time our baby is born, we won’t be hiding in the shadows anymore. We’ll be married. They’ll spend time with both of their parents. They’ll be happy.”

Padmé held his hand, wrapping her fingers in his. “You promise?”

Anakin nodded. “Of course. I want this more than anything. No matter what happens, I’ll keep you safe. You and the baby.”

He knew he could figure this out, and as he and Padmé left the small classroom, he thought over everything. His duties to the Sith, his part to play as the leader of the Black Convors, and his love for Padmé.

The baby on the way just hastened the time limit, but he could figure this out.

He had to.

#Star Wars #Anakin Skywalker #Anakin #Padme Amidala #Padme #Palpatine #Anidala #Heather Writes

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ailelie · 4 years

Text

that time palpatine screwed up (and the galaxy was a better place for it)

Look. I know this idea is shit. I tried to give the idea away. Instead whenever I’m still for more than 30 seconds I start thinking about it. So here.

In another world, when Sheev hears the rumor of a strange pre-Jedi artifact, he doesn’t go to collect it himself. He sends someone who never returns and then decides to handle it later after his Empire plans reach fruition. In this world, however, he goes himself.

He finds the artifact on a dangerous world just beyond the reach of the Republic. The artifact activates upon touch.

The world grows large and scary around him.

A day or so passes without contact. He’d left his crew behind, not wanting to share what he was doing. One of them contacts the Senate for help. The 501st is closest.

(That was by design once. Another chance to connect with Anakin and pull him further into Darkness).

Anakin and his men search the planet. They do not find Palpatine. Anakin does find a Force-sensitive child whose eyes turn yellow when he cries.

A toddler is using the Dark side. He can’t kill a toddler. He isn’t sure he can give the child to the Jedi either, not if he is accessing the Dark side.

“What’s your name?” / “Zee” / “Zee?” / “NO! Zheeeeeeevuh.” / “Zhiva?” / “No!” / “Okay, Little Z, why don’t we try again after you’ve had a nap?”

Zee ends up sticking as the name everyone uses though as anything else leads to frustration and occasionally tears.

(Sheev knows he isn’t supposed to be 2 or 3 years old. He knows he has big plans. When he dreams, he remembers being big. But when he wakes, the memories waft away. He’s smarter than a toddler should be, but his brain cannot contain his adult mind so it all remains just out of reach. That’s more important than a name.)

Anakin and the 501st continue looking, but Palpatine is nowhere. He’s called back to Coruscant to report and join planning for what to do next. General consensus is that he’s been abducted by Separtists.

The Senate has not yet released that the Chancellor is missing.

Anakin contacts Padme about Zee and explains. “I can’t give him to the Jedi, not if he’s using the Dark side, but I can’t just leave him untrained and I’m not giving him to Dooku, Maul, or Ventress. I can’t.”

Padme has an absolutely terrible idea. She asks what the child looks like. “Blue eyes. Red hair.” Padme nods. “It’d have been better if he had brown hair, but if you wanted, we could say he’s ours.” “How? And won’t everyone know then?” “I have body doubles. We could say we’ve been hiding him. I know a doctor who would lie for me. But you’re right--if we did this, everyone would know about our marriage. How important is it that you keep this child safe and away from the Jedi? How else could we justify having him? If we tried to pass him off as an ordinary orphan, he’d have to go into the system.” Anakin is silent for a long moment. Then he asks, “What about the hair color? You said brown would be better.” “No one knows what your family looks like. Tell them your mother’s hair was red.” “Obi-Wan knows it wasn’t.” “Then we have to tell Obi-Wan.” Anakin breaks. “Angel, I can’t--” “How important is Zee?” Padme asks quietly and Anakin sighs. He can’t leave this strange child alone in the world. “I’ll try to meet with him before we reach Coruscant and explain.”

He does.

Obi-Wan stares at Anakin and feels the pinch of a headache between his eyes. “I honestly don’t know where to begin.” / “I shouldn’t have said--” / “No, I’m glad you told me. I just need a moment. You’re married?”

“This is a terrible plan,” Obi-Wan says flatly as he watches Zee sleep. “Padme came up with it,” Anakin argues. “That doesn’t make it better. I’m just more disappointed.”

In the end, however, he agrees to help by not contradicting Anakin’s claims about his mother’s hair and supporting the story that Padme was pregnant years ago, but complications demanded bed rest.

With the support of her family, handmaidens, a doctor, two Jedi, and a marriage license, the galaxy believes Padme’s claim over the child.

The upside is that everyone who thought they knew the difference between Padme and her body doubles are now uncertain in their ability to tell them apart.

The downside is that the galaxy takes one look at the two Jedi who claimed knowledge of her pregnancy and collectively decides Obi-Wan with his red hair is the more likely father.

Every refutation only makes them more certain. They could conduct a paternity test, but then their lie would be revealed.

The Jedi Council is not pleased with either Anakin for marrying Padme or Obi-Wan for possibly fathering her child. If they let the Council meet Zee, then Obi-Wan could possibly be absolved, but then the Council might discover Zee is Force-sensitive or, worse, that Zee accesses the Dark side.

(Obi-Wan to his growing dismay agrees that Zee does not belong among the Jedi. He trusts them more than Anakin, but agrees that they’d have no idea what to do with a possibly Sith toddler. Obi-Wan himself is entirely unsure what to do.)

Meanwhile, the Chancellor is still missing.

A report arrives that Dooku’s ship passed through the sector where the Chancellor went missing. It is a thin lead, but the only one they have. Consensus unwisely grows: Dooku abducted the Chancellor.

Meanwhile, Padme is getting really tired of all the press about her loose morals and journalists demanding she just admit Obi-Wan is Zee’s father. She smiles gracefully against the barrage, but Zee is exhausting and when he’s upset, her own emotions fall off-kilter (a side-effect of the Dark side, Obi-Wan explained) and one day she just snaps, “Shmi, Anakin’s mother, had red hair. He could be Zee’s father.”

She realizes her mistake as soon as the words pass her lips.

The press takes her statement as confirmation that she is bedding both Anakin and Obi-Wan. Since Anakin and Obi-Wan don’t seem to hate one another, however, a new rumor begins...

Clearly the three are a triad.

The Holonet starts spawning image after image of “proof.” Any smile or casual touch that has ever happened among the three is now evidence of their long-hidden love affair. The false names on the marriage license are explained, by these apparent experts, as a clever way to include all three partners in a Naboo-style wedding.

Meanwhile, Dooku learns from his spies that he has apparently abducted the Chancellor. As he has not, he is concerned.

But! He decides to use the disappearance to create a trap. He’ll pretend to have the Chancellor to lure some Jedi in and then kill or ransom them.

(This is when the rest of the galaxy learns Palpatine is missing.)

Obi-Wan, desperate to get away from the press and disappointing looks of the Council, volunteers to spring the obvious trap.

(Anakin wants to go. Padme points out that she cannot handle Zee alone. One of them has to stay with her. ....this has not helped the rumors about them being triad).

Obi-Wan gets to Dooku and demands to see the Chancellor. Combat ensues until Obi-Wan wins and Dooku, cuffed, admits he doesn’t have Palpatine.

He returns to Coruscant with Dooku and brings him before the Jedi Council. Dooku doesn’t reveal anything of import beyond his own lack of knowledge, but his capture does prompt a larger investigation.

While investigating into Palpatine to try and figure out who would have abducted him, a joint taskforce of the Senate and Jedi discover that he’s been orchestrating the entire war and that he’s a Sith.

Meanwhile, back at Padme’s, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme have been caring for Zee. Trying to help Zee control his emotions leads to Anakin figuring out how to better control his own; he sees his own issues more clearly when he finds them in someone else.

Padme is the one to explain that Zee needs to call her and Anakin “Mama” and “Daddy” or “Papa” for his own safety.

Zee, the little troll that he is, calls Obi-Wan “Papa” in public once when journalists are pressing a bit too close. It is uncertain if he did so because he felt unsafe and was just taking Padme’s earlier explanations to heart or because some deep (adult) part of him dislikes Obi-Wan and enjoys causing him pain.

Naturally, after that, there is nothing Anakin, Padme, or Obi-Wan can say to allay the rumors.

Meanwhile, with Dooku captured and Palpatine’s treachery revealed, the war is quickly brought to a close.

Anakin wants to rage about his former mentor, but is mindful of Zee and instead goes to Obi-Wan and Padme for help handling his sense of betrayal.

Zee has a horrible tantrum when peace is announced, though none of them can understand why.

Then Padme learns she is pregnant again.

The Council recommends that Anakin and Obi-Wan leave the Order. Anakin’s hurt for himself is lightened by his indignation for Obi-Wan. He apologizes, but Obi-Wan accepts his dismissal with a tired smile. The war is over. Zee is a difficult child to manage and Padme is pregnant. “The Force is guiding me to where I’m needed,” he says.

Anakin is especially grateful he stays when Padme learns she is having twins. (With no reason to hide now, she receives proper medical care).

Padme, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Zee return to Naboo where Padme’s family insists on a proper wedding for the three.

Obi-Wan is surprising sanguine about this. He says that he isn’t going to leave them and isn’t like he has anywhere else to go. A marriage is a promise; it needn’t be a romance. Besides, he has utterly given up on correcting the record.

So they get married all three of them.

When the twins are born, Anakin and Padme rope Obi-Wan into helping. As their husband, he is equally responsible they claim. Obi-Wan argues for the fun of it, but accepts that he will be “Papa” to Anakin’s “Daddy” and Padme’s “Mama.”

By the time the twins are a year old, their marriage is both promise and romance. Shared exhaustion, worry, and joy grows the love among them. The occasional grounding touch turns to comfort turns to desire. This is not the life any of them imagined having, but resistance is both painful and futile.

Obi-Wan doesn’t mean to fall in love with Anakin and Padme; it is an accident. But once he is in bed with them, Padme pressed against his front, Anakin’s forehead nearly touching hers, his leg hooked over Obi-Wan’s---and he’s watching them breathe as they sleep, he feels deeply at peace, like, after years of wandering and hoping, he has finally found where he belongs.

Years go by. Zee learns to use the Light side, but the Dark calls to him, especially in his dreams. He discovers that he is very, very good at manipulating others.

Maybe his parents instill enough of a moral compass within him that he uses his talents for the good of the galaxy.

Or maybe, as he grows, he discovers the adult he had once been. Maybe he resists, chooses to be Zee instead of Sheev. Or maybe he gives in. Becomes Sith.

Maybe, one day, Zee disappears just as a new, terrible power is rising.

Maybe, one day, while fighting back, Luke learns he is dueling his long-lost, presumed-dead older brother.

Or maybe Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme learn that Zee is actually Sheev with his youth restored. And, maybe Anakin goes out ahead, sacrificing himself in an attempt to get through to his one-time mentor and son.

Good, of course, ultimately wins out, but at what cost?

#star wars #fanfic #not!fic #obianidala #sheev palpatine #deaging #crack!fic

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hanorganaas · 5 years

Note

Any headcanons for a finnrey roleswap au?

OKAY OKAY so I just litterally started an AU where Han and Leia fake Ben’s death upon hearing snoke was getting to him, and thus Ben becomes a chaotic neutral Smuggler, but it involves Rey and Finn Swapping Roles. I plan to eventually write more in this verse, but right now my head is more focused on the Legendary Heroine Verse, but maybe if I get a prompt for this Ill write some one shots....ANYWAY. Heres some AUS I have for Finn and Rey in this little verse:

1) Finn Anakin Calrissian Skywalker, is the son of Luke Skywalker and his husband Lando Calrissian. He was named after Lando’s mother Finnlena, and Luke’s father Anakin. Finn was born via a surrogate when Luke and Lando decided to have children of their own. [It is safely assumed Luke is the biological father due to his force abilities] Up until Luke and Lando decided to drop off Finn on Jakku for his safety, his dads litterally spoiled him and was close with his Cousins Ben, Jaina and Jacen, and his family friend Poe.

The idea to drop Finn on Jakku was fiddled around with at first when it was discovered Ben was being manipluated by Snoke and thus had to disappear and fake his death, but was dropped thinking they were safe, however it was decided that would have to hide Finn too and erase all memories of him being trained when his cousin Jacen instead went to the Dark Side fearing for his life. The decision was hard on Luke and Lando, Luke disappeared to Ach’too, and Lando fell into such a depression at the loss of their son, it even frightened Han because he was so used to seeing Lando being so happy.

Finn wasn’t that well off when he lived on Jakku. However he was able to make better deals than most of his Scavenger Counterparts, most because he was a natural charmer and good at making deals due to one of his dads being well, Lando fucking Calrissian, the most charming man in the galaxy. Finn also thrived at building ships from scratch.

2) Rey, born Satine Kryze the younger was born on Mandalore to the Duchess Quinn Kryze, who inherited her mother’s Duchy whose father was not known, [but is later revealed Quinn is a result of a secret affair between Obi Wan Kenobi and Satine the Elder, thus making her Obi Wan Kenobi’s granddaughter]. Rey’s early childhood before she was taken by the First Order was also a good one as she was the child of nobility.

Rey was kidnapped during a major attack on Mandalore. She was specially targeted because Snoke could see her as a threat and detect her force sensitivity, especially if she and Finn were to work together. Her mother has not been seen since the kidnapping but she was said to go so mad with grief she had to be institutionalized.

It was a shock Rey wasn’t killed while she was in the Stormtrooper program. She was disobidient and always was defiant of the rules. The reason she wasn’t killed for Insubordianation was a, she was skilled in combat and weaponry and b, Snoke hoped she would be courted into into the Knights of Ren because of her Force Sensitive Skills. The Jakku mission was both her first Combat mission and her breaking point after she killed someone and regretted it.

3) Finn, being a hard worker and more focused on keeping himself alive, has had attractions to passerbys who came in and out of Jakku, but didn’t have time for pleasure, but often had sexual dreams of a slender brunette [little did he know it was the Force telling him about Rey]. Rey is demisexual. Men and women in the Stormtrooper Program tried to sleep with her but she refused because she had no sexual interest whatsoever. Finn was litterally the first person she ever had sexual attraction too because she felt safe and trusted him.

4) When Rey first spotted Finn he was fighting Scoundrels on Jakku protecting BB-8. When BB-8 pointed out Rey was wearing Poe’s Jakku, Finn didn’t run to attack, in fact he almost fainted because she looked suspiciously like the girl of his dreams.

5) After escaping Jakku, Rey and Finn bonded immediately because of their broken childhoods, love of ships, love of fixing things and their dreams to find their family.

6) When Rey and Finn were intercepted by Han on his freighter, Han was excited not only because he was reunited with his Nephew [though he did not mention that immediately], but he thought Rey was his future Niece in Law. When Finn was reunited with his dads both Luke and Lando thought Rey was possibly his wife because of how close they were.

7) Rey and Finn are both kind people but when it comes to the other getting hurt, they could Hulk out. Rey wanted to burn down the Galaxy when Finn was Kidnapped by the First Order. Finn meanwhile

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archer3-13 · 3 years

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since @agoddamn has been talkin bout star wars a lot recently, and cause i feel like sharing something i spend a weird amount of time one, heres some of my unedited thoughts on rewriting the prequel trilogy episode 1 below the read me

In a time of decline for the galactic republic, strife emerges on the planet of naboo. The nimean trade federation has enacted a blockade of the planet eager to strangle naboos resources and force unfair trade settlements upon the planet. Determined to bring a settlement to the matter and maintain peace and justice in the republic, the jedi council sends diplomats to arrange a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, they arrive too late as the trade federation have escalated the matter into a full scale invasion of naboo itself.

We open on naboo in the midst of the invasion, the naboo security forces attempting to hold back the droid army but failing miserably in light of superior firepower. Quickly the droid army successfully capture queen Amidala with nute gunray threatening harsh punishments should Amidala not acquiesce to his demands. Amidala says ‘fuck you’ though not in those words, and nute decides to let her ‘cool her head’ well imprisoned [since privately he admits that said punishments would ruin the ‘economic potential’ of naboo since it would require more expenditure on their own part]. Meanwhile the jedi diplomats, quigon jinn and obi-wan Kenobi have arrived at the trade federation battle sphere under the assumption of peace talks.

When the TF attempts to kill them however, jinn had correctly guessed beforehand and that the TF would try to use poison gas in the attempt. Jinn and Kenobi successfully avoid the attempted murder and sneak down to naboo with a part of the invasion force. Kenobi is a brash padwan eager to get into the action to prove his worth, though with a sharp mind for tactics and negotiation as jinn points out. Well jinn is experienced but quirky, respected by the council but equally disliked for his unorthodox methods and tendency to disobey when it suits him. Jinn by nature is a ‘negotiator’ however, skilled as a duelist but most comfortable at the table and trying to encourage kenobis own skill as a negotiator instead of kenobis desire for martial heroisim.

On naboo they sneak into the capital, jinn discerning that if they can get queen Amidala away from naboo and to corecsant they can make a case for more punitive measures against the trade federation. Kenobi is eager for an opportunity to earn a name on the battlefield, convinced that some form of war is on the horizon and that he’ll finally earn his knighthood that way. Jinn however wishes to avoid an escalated conflict, hoping that if they get Amidala down to corescant and the senate then they can force the senate to act definitively and force the TF to back off through heavy diplomatic and especially economic pressures [economic pressures would hurt the TF the most since they value their bottom line over any particular ideology]. However in the process of escaping, queen Amidala ends up taking a fatal wound and dies in transit, additionally their escape flight gets damaged and forces them down to tantooine. [r2d2 shows up around this point as well, as a service droid that obi-wan vents to]

Jinn is at a bit of a loss. Without Amidala wars almost inevitable and they have a responsibility to the people of naboo to inform the republic about naboos plight. If they don’t war may still be put off but naboo will suffer, if they do then war will begin but naboo could be quickly saved. Kenobi well upset by the loss of queen Amidala, since he views it as a failure on his record in that padwan almost knight way, does find himself somewhat expectant for the coming conflict since it means a chance to prove himself and make up for the failure of protecting queen Amidala. Regardless, jinn ventures out to get a new hyperdrive for the ship along with Kenobi and one of the queens remaining ‘hand maidens’, in this case the young girl padme [14].

Padme is fierce and determined, unafraid of speaking her mind when it comes to it. But shes also equally uncertain in her opinions due to inexperience, a more well presented argument being capable of knocking her off balance so to speak even if the opposing argument is weaker overall. Thus well she has the makings of a masterful leader and politician shes untested and a skilled manipulator can easily lead her on. She also has difficulties accepting compromise, again in part due to her youth but more so as a general principle of character.

Padme is distraught over the queens death, but resolves to do whatever she can to not let it be in vain and so traverses moss eisely with them. During this time, jinn observes that padme is quite the thinker and powerful speaker in her own right, good at bartering and negotiating with others. Kenobi and padme strike up something of a retort at this time as well, padme holding a childish crush on the fledgling knight and Kenobi simply fascinated by the oddities in padmes behaviour [even teasing her occasionally about it, though he pushes her away seeing her both as too young, Kenobi being 24 and his age being part of his frustration in regards to promotion, and his duties as a jedi as being more important, which only increases padmes crush as Kenobi being ‘hard to get’ and a ‘cool jedi’].Browsing about for a hyperdrive compatible with their ship, they do eventually find one owned by watto and more importantly find slave Anakin working there [12].

Anakin is quite and mild mannered, shy and brash in equal measure as kids and preteens often are. He finds more joy in making machines and with his mother then in talking with others, and his innate talent with machines means he can be quite immersed in their little world and idiosyncrasies. Hes also an idealist at heart, looking up to jedi through the lens of colourful bedtime stories and swashbuckling tales. He also doesn’t get along with padme, not now anyways. Padme sees Anakin as an annoying kid distracting her from her crush and ‘adult work’ [even though shes only 2 years older then him]. Anakin, childishly, views her as a ‘smelly girl’ who gets freaked out by the smallest things [more so, padme is uncomfortable around machines then her being a scaredy cat]. They do both share something important in common, they both find it immensely difficult to compromise.

Anakin, drawn in by a trailing r2d2 and fascinated by the little droid, r2d2 being top of the line at the present time, overhears their troubles and starts trailing and peppering them with questions. Padme is annoyed, Kenobi is bemused but jinn, jinn seems drawn in. jinns tendency towards the unorthodox is usually derived from a powerful sense of intuition, something he believes is derived from the force and so he has a tendency to be better able to ‘sense’ things out and future events through the force. And Anakin, Anakin is going to be important. Not only is he incredibly powerful, but the force seems to coalesce around him in such a way as if to ‘whisper’ about the monumental destiny this child will have in shaping the future of the galaxy. Convinced that he has to protect this child and tutor him for his eventual destiny, jinn makes a gamble with the force immune watto. If Anakin wins the upcoming pod race, something Anakin had been bragging about doing soon, then jinn gets the hyperdrive and anakins freedom. If Anakin loses, then watto gets jinn as a slave. Watto ups the ante to include the naboo ship, despite padmes protest, since even if jinn is a jedi hes still an old one and a hyperdrive in mos eisly can fetch a lot of cash. Jinn reluctantly agrees to the new wager, assuaging padme and kenobis concerns with a ‘I know what im doing’ kind of nod and wink.

As they leave they notice that it will soon become dark, and traveling through the tantoinne desert at night is dangerous. Anakin offers to let them stay at his place, where they meet anakins mom. Anakins mother is the long suffering sort, a dutiful parent to her child who she sports an almost picturesque relation of mother and son with. Outside of that though shes harried by overwork and the difficulties of not only being a poor parent but a slave raising her own child. Anakin regals her mother with knowledge of Kenobi and jinn being jedi, and excitedly tells her about how when he wins the pod race tomorrow her and him will be freed from that nasty ol watto. Kenobi and padme don’t think too much on this, but jinn internally flinches, making a late night stop at wattos shop. Jinn tries to renegotiate, the mother, Anakin, and the hyperdrive if Anakin wins but watto is unwilling to budge. Either both of the slaves, or one of them and the hyperdrive is as far as watto is willing to go. Grimly jinn acquiesces and returns to anakins house.

Kenobis awake and waiting for jinn, burning with questions. How does jinn plan to ensure Anakin will win the race, why is he so interested in Anakin to begin with, is it even possible for Anakin to win? Padme, after having a brief comedy scene with Anakin whos quietly tucked away in bed now, follows up by asking why don’t they just arrest watto for slave trading and take the stuff? Slave trading is illegal in the republic after all. Jinn replies by emphasising that it isn’t that simple, tatoinne is in hutt space [padme having revealed a gap in her knowledge about outer rim affairs through her comments as a ‘core worlder’] so republic laws don’t apply here since it lays outside their jurisdiction. Tatoinne being hutt space is also why jinn wont be, or rather cant, help Anakin in the race as jabba the hutt will be attending in person so if jabba catches him using the force they can expect swift and brutal retaliation. Anakin will have to win on his own. Kenobi and padme both aghast ask how jinn can be so confident in this gamble when they have to rely on some slave kid, but jinn cryptically answers “because he can’t lose, the force would not allow it.” Much to Kenobi and padmes confusion.

Race day, and Anakin is off with some advice from jinn to trust his instincts “as they will never let you down”. The race goes as you expect, Anakin showcasing his prodigious skills in a pod racer as his rivals attempt to trip him up, the final burning out stretch, and finally Anakin does it crossing in a healthy first place to the euphoria of the crowd and the shock of Kenobi and padme. Anakin is ecstatic, until the bad news comes, shimi will not be joining them. Anakin is upset, that mean ol wattos up to his tricks and his faith in the jedi is already slightly shaken as jinn doesn’t just bust out his lightsaber. At first he refuses to go, but eventually shimi steps in. Shes scared of the prospect as well, sad at the parting, but she also emphasises that this is the best for anakins future. Jinn approached her the night before, apologizing for being unable to secure a deal with watto for her release and asking for her permission to train Anakin as a jedi. The prospect scared her even then, of not being with Anakin, but the better future it would allow for him was something she was determined to give him. Giving her blessings she has Anakin promise her to be strong, and to become the best jedi in the galaxy, something Anakin tearfully accepts going with jinn and the others at his mothers urging.

On the way back to the ship, darth maul attacks. He had been following them since naboo for some time now, and had finally managed to catch up on tatoinne. Kenobi takes the opportunity to almost immediately duel with darth maul, but quickly ends up on his butt as darth maul proves to be the superior duelist. Jinn is forced to intervene, urging Kenobi to get the others on the ship and get it going as he distracts the zabarak. They do, and in the nick of time as well jinn manages to hold his own with maul its clear that the ferocious zabarak has the upper hand in the duel, opening the hatch and giving jinn a smooth get away. Things have gotten even more dire, a sith lord has just been seen for the first time in over a thousand years.

Making their way to corouscent, Kenobi broods a bit over his falling short against the sith zabarak before being interrupted by padme and Anakin. Padme is there to console her crush, but Anakin interrupts with somewhat frantic questions about who that was, and if the zabarak was the near mythical sith that often get mentioned in jedi legends and tales. Kenobi confirms that yes it was a sith, and a powerful one at that affirming to Anakin for both of their sakes since Anakin is still shaken by parting from his mother and the siths sudden appearance that Kenobi will be the one to defeat the dastardly sith [even though on practical terms neither he or jinn can measure up to darth maul alone].

Jinn meanwhile takes time to inform the jedi council, now that they’re back in republic space and out of danger, as to whats happened on naboo and on tatoinne. The council is understandably shocked, dispersing to inform the senate of what has transpired and prepare the jedi order for whatever actions they may need to take in order to bring the conflict to a swift and decisive end. Jinn also takes the opportunity to inform yoda/mace about his decision to bring Anakin into the order for jedi training. Neither of them are thrilled about jinn once again dropping something like this on their laps, but they agree to atleast test anakins aptitude for the force once hes on corouscent.

Arriving on courescant senator palpatine, representative for naboo and a well loved senator by the populace though more so for the cult of personality hes built around himself then for his policy or voting record which is otherwise suspiciously light. Palpatine has of course been informed of the tragic death of queen Amidala, giving his condolences to padme Amidala the queens cousin which comes as a bit of a shock to Anakin and Kenobi though not to jinn who had already puzzled it out. Padme toddles off with palpatine to discuss ‘matters of state’ and get ready for their upcoming meeting with the senate well Kenobi, Anakin, and jinn head for the jedi temple.

At the temple, Anakin marvels at the temples architecture which has stood for thousands of years, but gets somewhat bored of it commenting on the temple being stuffier then he imagined. Kenobi admonishes Anakin for his disrespectful tone, but jinn laughs it off adding that yes the jedi temple has become rather stuffy these days. Though he takes care to tell Anakin to be on good behaviour for his meeting with masters mace and yoda as they will be measuring anakins talent for the force with what time they can spare. He also adds some encouragement however, reassuring Anakin that he’ll pass with flying colours. Passing through the temple they enter a private room with mace and yoda, who ask jinn to leave so that they can test Anakin.

We cut to padme and palpatine discussing the business of queen amidalas death and having padme relay the events of her struggles to palpatine directly. It’s a tragic blow to be certain for naboo, but palpatine stresses that to the republic senate such an incident will still not be enough to incite them to decisive action. Valerian, though how he does like the man personally he insists, is weak willed and mired in bureaucracy after all, he wont force the senates hand and he will move slowly in order to ensure everything is done correctly and to the letter of republic law. And if the senate does not care, which they will not even for a place as respected as naboo, for what they see as a local system matter, they wont force valerians hand. Padme is despondent at this, she knows naboo needs action now not later, and that time is already short as it is. What can be done to save the people her cousin died for? Palpatine smiles slyly, “fortunately my dear I have a plan already in the making. All you need to do is follow my lead.”

Back in the temple itself, Kenobi is practicing his saber play dueling with other jedi padwans and even upstaging a jedi knight. Regardless, he remains frustrated because of how easily maul toyed with him and is determined to turn the tables in their next encounter. Jinn talks with him to try and get a handle on these emotions, reminding Kenobi that such feelings of superiority and inferiority lead not just to unjedi like behaviour but poor actions in general. Pride is one thing, pride to the point of ignorance is another. Kenobi is not convinced however, annoyed by jinns interest in Anakin and frustrated over his own career, though he keeps such thoughts private and instead lies to his master in order to assuage jinns concerns. Jinn is also unconvinced by Kenobi, but before he can prod further is called away by master yoda. Jinn reluctantly leaves, but not before trying to reaffirm his words to Kenobi and reassure and steady his padwan. Kenobi, is ultimately distracted by his own thoughts however and once jinn leaves, returns to practice with intensity.

At the ‘testing chambers’ door, we see a restless Anakin pacing when jinn arrives. Anakins clearly nervous and frustrated, as master yoda won’t tell him the results of the test and windu left to attend to ‘matters regarding the republic senate’ awhile ago. Jinn helps to calm Anakin down, sharing an amusing anecdote about windu from jinns own past to help make the man less freightning in anakins eye and assuring Anakin that no matter what happens he will be there for him. Anakins touched, thanking jinn profusely but before they can talk more two things happen. First, master yoda calls for jinn to enter, and second a republic senate guard appears with orders to escort the young Anakin to senator palpatines office. Jinn is suspicious about the guard, feeling a sensation of dread in his stomach that makes him momentarily pause. Usually following his instincts on everything, jinn decides to ignore them this one time after a brief pause and watching a now cheerful but confused Anakin follow the guard. He can’t keep yoda waiting and logically he knows that palpatine is a friend of the jedi, one of the few senators who actually listens to them and has helped them out on so many occasions. Hes never been comfortable around the man personally, but logically there isn’t any reason he should be worrying right now so against his instincts, he simply says wishes Anakin to be safe, to return to the temple as soon as possible, and he sweeps into the testing chamber.

Inside, yoda offers jinn a seat to wish jinn graciously accepts with humble reverence. Jinn may be unorthodox, but he greatly respects master yoda and yoda has always personally liked jinn even if he thinks jinns behaviour is troublesome to deal with and borderline worrisome at times. Regardless, they are here to talk about Anakin, and yoda opens up with the good news as it were that Anakin is indeed immensely gifted with the force, perhaps unparalleled in raw talent as far back as yoda can remember. Not only that but Anakin is very bright despite his background, mechanically gifted and well not academically inclined perhaps possessing a sharp wit and creativity. So why so much hesitance jinn asks. Not only is it rolling off of yoda in the force, jinn can tell just by looking at the old master thanks to the years hes known the jedi grandmaster. So yoda spills that neither he nor windu are considering allowing the boy to become a jedi. The boy is unquestionably talented certainly, but such talent breeds arrogance and isolation. Hes sharp witted and creative but inflexible in his mindset and views. Jinn argues that that’s hardly any worse then many of the jedi in the temple, even if its to a more extreme degree. Certainly that’s what training is meant to help anakin to overcome in part. But the grandmaster is not finished, because well jinn is right in his assertions there is another thing that concerns both windu and yoda. Fear. There is a deep rooted fear in the boys mind, one that drives his faults to such extreme lengths. Such Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to the suffering of all. Combined with his age, it all makes for a dangerous combination that both yoda and windu worry will lead to dangerous consequences should Anakin fall to the darkside. Jinn is resolute though, he made a promise, he knows that Anakin will be a turning point in the destiny of the galaxy he can feel it. If training Anakin is a gamble, then it’s a gamble they have to take. Especially with the knowledge that the sith are possibly returning right under their noses, if they let Anakin back into the galaxy without guidance then the sith will simply take what the jedi passed up. Yoda retorts that they have no intention of simply letting Anakin out there with sith running around, instead windu and him both agree that at the next council meeting they will suggest that Anakin should be sent to the agricorps where he can be protected. Jinn angrily says that he made a promise to Anakin, to anakins mother that Anakin would become a jedi so if the council will not deem to train him then jinn will in their stead. Yoda sternly retorts that that is not jinns decision, before dismissing him with jinn angrily storming out.

Anakin meanwhile has arrived at palpatines office, still confused as to whats going on. The senate guard leaves Anakin and palpatine to a private conversation at palpatines request. And for the most part its rather innocuous, palpatine simply wanting luke to tell his own version of the events, or atleast what hes witnessed so far, and an opportunity for palpatine to learn more about this fascinating young boy from Tatooine. Annies initially hesitant but gets pulled in to trusting palpatine through the mans charisma and ‘fun grandpa’ demeanour joking along with Anakin and encouraging him. The conversation drifts towards the jedi and anakins excitement about becoming one, and palpatine replies with enthusiasm that some fresh blood like Anakin is exactly whats needed to shake things up in the order. Why, palpatine would know hes a dear friend of so many jedi, hes even friends with dear old master yoda, so he knows that for as good and diligent as they are they tend to be mired in their old traditions. Yes, palpatine assures Anakin, he will be watching anakins career with great interest as anakin transforms the very foundation of the jedi. Anakin is happy, palpatine feeding directly into anakins burgeoning ego and hero complex. Palpatine gets a call from senator serrano, its almost time for the plan to go underway. He thanks Anakin for his time and calls for a senate guard to escort Anakin back to the temple. Work is afoot after all. He bids Anakin goodbye for now as Anakin is escorted back to the jedi temple, smiling disarmingly friendly all the while, before turning to his desk and calling for an escort to the senate chambers.

Finally we turn to the senate chambers themselves. It’s a flurry of activity as senators angrily try and talk over each other, hurl petty insults, cling to rules and planetary identities and generally create chaos on the floor. It’s a discussion over matters of the naboo occupation, images compiled by the late queens guard detailing the horrors experienced. Its compelling evidence and a number of more humanitarian minded senators call for immediate action, those in the pocket of the trade federation or who otherwise dislike naboo or interfering in other plants want an investigation. The undecided are waffling for a compromise. Valrean is failing as a chancellor, trying to instill order but lacking the charisma to do so and getting caught up quoting republic law and procedures to the infuriation of all. The chancellors popularity had already been in sharp decline but this chaos is only serving to foul opinion even further and its been like this since the arrival of the queens attendants. Finally that’s when palpatine and naboos representatives finally take the stand as it were, alongside a dressed up padme. Palpatine though his strength of words and charisma is able to calm things down to a manageable level, before directing their attention towards padme Amidala for an important speech.

Padme is obviously nervous, fiddling with her attire and hesitant to begin. Palpatine reassures her however, reminding her of the people shes striving to save doing this which reaffirms padmes confidence. Padme begins her speech and it is impassioned, briefly detailing the hardships the late queen went through in order to save her people. Padme appeals to republic pride, to humanitarianism, and then she begins the important part of her speech included at palpatines insistence. She begins tearing into chancellor valrean. She drags him through the mud, reinforcing that such a failure of leadership and republic unity has happened on his watch, that his leniency against the trade federation has allowed them to act with impunity, it has fractured republic unity, and that people died because valrean failed. Her speech finished it is met with resounding applause and enthusiasm, much to her disbelief and happiness, and much bullying of valrean by the attending senators. Senator serrano stands, and proposes that a vote of no confidence be held immediately and that should it past, a senator of his peers choosing be given temporary executive power until a proper election can be held. Serrano in the same breath proposing palpatine as a potential candidate with other senators quickly throwing their hats and choices into the ring.

The votes go through simultaneously, a landslide majority to remove valrean and by a narrow margin propose senator palpatine as his replacement. Padme is relieved, palpatine is pleased. The plan went off without a hitch. With his new executive power palpatine approves immediate republic action in the form of a republic security fleet and a jedi strike team being sent to liberate the planet of naboo from an illegal occupation. Again to much applause. The senate breaks so that palpatine can legally enact these actions as the temporary chancellor, and as they leave the senate chambers he praises padme for her brilliance. Padme however is fired up, and she insists on being down there with the security team as they liberate naboo. Palpatine goes one step further, he’ll have her have immediate command of the security fleet on this mission as palpatines representative much to padmes shock. Grateful, padme tells palpatine that she wont let him down, palpatine smiles and says “I know you wont my dear.”

Cut to the courescant docks which is now in a commotion as a jedi strike team prepares to sortie with the republic security. The council isn’t happy about this, since they more so view the jedis role as mediators these days as opposed to the warriors, dare say the hitmen since their role is to capture the TF command on naboo, the senate seems to want them to be. Still, republic security is horribly outdated by this point lacking in both training and equipment so the assurance of having jedi on hand to help out is a comfort to the security forces. Plus with the reappearance of a sith its likely that he’ll be involved in naboo in some manner considering his hunt for jinns group on Tatooine. So, knock out two birds with one stone bringing peace to naboo and hopefully cutting off this sith menace before it gets out of hand.

Jinn will be in command of the strike force due to his familiarity with the situation and his seniority. Aside from him will be his padwan Kenobi and fifteen jedi knights. Republic security will be commanded by captain tarkin, a spoken critic of the jedi order and a military activist in republic politics but one who runs a tight ship and has experience as a commander. Jinn informs Anakin that anankin will not be coming on the assault despite anakins protests due to the danger it presents and that instead Anakin will be in the care of the temple for now. Jinn also informs anankin that a decision on anakins acceptance has not yet been made, but he lies that he feels confident in anakins chances. Anakin pouts and makes a reluctant goodbye and jinn prepares to leave with the strike team, though anankin quickly sneaks away and on board one of the republic security ships which takes off for naboo.

We cut to naboo at last, in a state of disrepair due to TF occupation and the once pristine landscape now being prepared for industrial work and TF factories in which the population will “work diligently to pay off their debts”. Naboo security forces have organized small resistance cells and have been trying to hit the TF wherever they can but they have yet to make a break through, and have been demoralized by rumors of queen amidalas death. They intercept messages however that the republic security forces along with jedi will be coming to naboo in short order to liberate it from TF control once again invigorating the nabooians to begin the fight for the republic. So when the republic does arrive, they arrive to open conflict in the naboo streets much to tarkins irritation. Not only do they have to retake naboo, they now have to do with naboo security forces getting in the way. Jinn proposes they alter the game plan, instead of a first strike to take the capital by surprise the security forces will draw out the bulk of the TF droid army well the jedi strike team will infiltrate and arrest nute gunray for his illegal occupation and shut off the droid army with the captured nutes help. Tarkin begrudgingly agrees despite his own desire to bomb key targets and sweep up as a matter of efficiency when padme agrees to jinns plan. Not to mention that nute gunray has managed to bring a TF battle sphere to the party which means the space battle is likely to be far more intense then anticipated. As such ten jedi will sortie to help in the space battle and the other seven including jinn and Kenobi will arrest gunray along with security soldiers [led by padme at her insistence, which tarkin allows since it makes his job easier not to have her hovering around his shoulder].

So the alarms start blarin and people rush to their battle stations. Anakin is caught having snuck aboard after accidently sneakin on board the shuttle padmes team are using to land in an effort to hide himself. With no time to spare as the space battle erupts into chaos he tags along with padmes team who get separated from the jedi team during the chaos. Each group will take a different route, padmes group making a stop near the prisons and the broadcast system to help rally the nabooian people and the jedi making a beeline for the TF command. Things generally go well, Anakin and padme develop more of a camaraderie and retort during this time as he proves surprisingly helpful both in his mechanical knowledge and his skills with a blaster, and Anakin comes to more so admire padme as she displays her own appreciation of his skills and shows off her own skills. Eventually the jedi and padmes group reconvene in the hanger bay, the jedi having chased nute gunray to here after discovering that the rest of the TF command has moved to the battlesphere in orbit. jinn is upset that Anakin tagged along but glad hes safe and Kenobi frazzled and on edge biting a bit. Before anything else can really happen however, darth maul makes his appearance.

Maul had been serving as something of an enforcer for nute gunray on sidiouses behalf, casually putting down groups of naboo security resistance and being the silent ‘muscle’ to gunrays brains. If only on mauls masters orders. Gunray retreats and gives maul the order to capture padme and eliminate the jedi, one which maul is more then happy to do. Jinn sets up to take on the sith lord with four of the knights and tasking Kenobi and another knight to protect padme much to kenobis irritation. Kenobi at first follows this order, but veers back to the fight shortly afterwards in a moment of ego to the knights panic. Anakin meanwhile sneaks onto a naboo fighter in order to help clear the way for padmes group to stabilize the situation but suddenly finds himself in an automated take off along with other newly activated fighters as they head off to support the space battle above naboo. Padme is panicking herself but remembering that palpatine said hes counting on her marshals her spirits to help direct the battle in the naboo streets as the current available highest ranking political officer.

Meanwhile the lightsaber duel is not going well. Despite being five on one maul is easily toying with his jedi attackers if still pressed on the defensive. Using clever tactics however maul is able to bait out two of the knights further from the others and quickly cuts them down with the opening to the horror of the others, causing a third knight to rush in out of a desire for vengeance but get cut down easily as well. Kenobi attacks maul at this point having witnessed the death of the other knights, forcing jinn from taking a more defensive strategy to an aggressive one despite jinn initially switching to that out of caution. three on one prove to be capable of handling maul for a little bit but maul manages to push Kenobi out of the way and kill the last of the knights before engaging jinn one on one. Jinns clearly getting pressed but hes able to hold his own fairly well against the superior duelist through clever force powers and flexibility as well as using the zabaraks anger against him.

Everything effectively climaxes at once during this point. Anakin panics at first in the space battle but is able to regain control and help land the decisive victory for the republic through his prodigious piloting skills. Padme helps to bring control to the battlefield of naboos capital and keep their forces holding out until the battle sphere is destroyed and the droids lose central command making them easy to mop up. Jinn and maul continue their duel and for a moment jinn is able to gain the upper hand, however Kenobi in a brash bullheaded desire to triumph over the sith rushes into the fight costing jinn the victory as jinn in the chaos of the fight sacrifices himself to push Kenobi out of the way of a lethal blow. Kenobi is devastated and at first tries to overwhelm maul in a rage. Maul being far superior to Kenobi as a duelist is easily able to overcome Kenobi even taking the time to mock and taunt Kenobi in a silent playful manner [the cat enjoying its catch as it were]. Maul has Kenobi on the ropes and is about to finish the job, but a dying jinn takes the time to try and interfere against mal with the force. Kenobi, coming to realize his own foolishness and touched by his masters care and desire to protect him “releases his anger into the force” and calms his mind, allowing him to reengage maul and catch him off guard wounding the sith across the chest and causing maul to limply fall down a reactor pipe thing. Its Kenobis victory effectively but its bitter sweet, as Kenobi grieves a dying jinn who insists that Kenobi take care of Anakin and train him as a jedi before bidding Kenobi a tearful farewell as a master to a student.

And so victory at naboo! Anakin lands his ship to a heroes welcome, padme involved in the celebration and giving an impassioned speech about naboos freedom from TF invasion, and Kenobi grieving over jinns dead body and the fallen jedi on this day. We cut to a quite and somber funeral for the fallen knights and jinn, a previously joyful Anakin and padme saddened by the loss of the man alongside a precision of jedi and a newly minted knight Kenobi. If one sith was capable of this, capable of besting one of the orders currently best duelists [despite jinns protests], then if any more of them exist then the jedi order is sorely unprepared. More stubborn members of the council and palpatine insist that the sith threat though brief has now passed once more and not to worry about it but yoda and windu aren’t convinced and Kenobi is inclined to agree with them, even working past the grief. It is here though, privately, that Kenobi makes lay to jinns last wish. Regardless of the councils feelings on the matter, Kenobi will see Anakin trained. In the future, Kenobi will adhere to the council as strictly as possible and never defy them again if they give him this one time to honour jinns memory, though the validity of that claim is not a certain truth. Windu and yoda still aren’t sure, but they relent as a matter to honour the late jinn and shelter the obvious talents of Anakin skywalker.

Cut again, this time to the celebrations of naboos liberation. It is an intensely joyous affair, fireworks music and banners everywhere. Anakin is clearly enamoured with it, him being one of the people directly honoured by the celebrations, but he is also still sad about jinns death. Palpatine comforts him a little in the grandfatherly way he had previously and expressing his interest in anakins future career as a jedi. Kenobi talks to Anakin about it, expressing similar grief and helping to cheer Anakin up promising to always be there for Anakin. Both as his master and as family though only privately espousing the family bit to himself. Anakin is now able to enjoy the celebrations in Ernest and he and Kenobi enjoy the day together and the promises of a brighter future. We end however with the reminder that this tale will end in tragedy, as the now official chancellor palpatine, thanks to “his victory on naboo”, watches on in bemusement before quietly slinking away into the shadows. “Great things are afoot. Great things indeed.” He book ends with a sinister tambour, and cut to credits.

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starwarseureviews-blog · 7 years

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Star Wars EU Reviews: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

My last two reviews may have given off the impression, despite my insistent protestations to the contrary, that I really dislike the Prequels. I hope with this final review of the Prequel Trilogy that I can make clear how I feel about them as a whole since I can and do hold them in high regard while still criticising them.

Revenge of the Sith is the best of the Prequels and even fans who hate them agree this one had the least problems. The story, while still having its own flaws, proves to be an excellent culmination of the entire trilogy and a riveting climax to all the events that were built up in The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.

As Episode III closes we can see the full extent of the subtle machinations of Palpatine as he rose to power. People complain how the Prequels had too much politics in them, but when you really think about it the integral theme and point of the Star Wars Prequels was to be a political commentary. While I agree the pacing of The Phantom Menace could have been improved by cutting some of the slower sequences, much of the Senate scenes and political dialogue are crucial plot points which enhance the story of how the Sith and the Dark Side ate at the Republic’s core, weakening it to the point that it was ripe for the taking. It had to be slower and less exciting, because having the Sith simply storm the Galactic Senate and conquer the Galaxy all at once would not have made sense. If certain things did not happen first the people would not have gone along with it and no Empire would have arisen. Slowly, but surely, we see Chancellor Palpatine create an environment within the Senate that isfriendly and open to reorganising the government into a Galactic Empire. When Senator Padme observed that “liberty dies…with thunderous applause” she knew she was in a room full of people who were scared. They endured a nearly three year long war with billions of losses across multiple worlds. The Jedi, who were supposedlyt keepers of the peace had been suddenly converted to generals and war leaders eventually causing them be not as popular as they had been. Much of this is why it was not difficult for Palpatine to turn others against the Jedi under the pretense that they were plotting to overthrow the senate. The senators and citizenry of the Republic felt threatened and they gave up their freedom for security. The “thunderous applause” was not for the death of liberty, but for a sense of safety after years of war, economic disasters, and massive loss of lives and resources.

Anakin was another victim of Palpatine’s machinations. The Sith for over a thousand years were plotting how to overthrow the Republic and the Jedi Order. The Rule of Two (that is there being only a single master and apprentice at any given time) helped keep the Sith hidden for centuries as they bided their time setting in motion the events that eventually led to Palpatine’s rise. Anakin had a natural desire for power and emotional insecurities and weaknesses that left him vulnerable to suggestion. When Anakin first met Palpatine he was a Senator from Naboo which was the same planet that Padme was from. He was also the only person who seemed to sympathise with Padme’s cause. In addition to Obi-Wan Palpatine became a second mentor who encouraged his feelings, pretended to empathise with them, and patted his ego. Palpatine would frequently tell him how he envisioned him becoming more powerful than even Master Yoda and that he did not need much guidance. This was followed by Palpatine’s continual interference with Jedi affairs such as recommending Anakin a seat on the Jedi Council and suggesting him to be the one to defeat General Grievous on Utapau. The Chancellor predicted that the Council would grant the request while withholding title of Master from Anakin which would naturally offend and anger him further contributing to his distrust and disillusionment with the Jedi Order. And if Palpatine had his way and got Skywalker on Utapau the defeat of Grievous would have left Anakin in the eyes of the people a war hero who effectively ended the Clone Wars. Anakin was one of the few Jedi popular with the Republic populace (no doubt encouraged by Palpatine) and this would have further ingratiated Anakin to the people prior to Palpatine becoming Emperor with Anakin at his side. Unfortunately that side of Palpatine’s plan failed and the consequences may very well have contributed to the Emperor’s downfall in the end. As we know Anakin never defeated Grievous, but Obi-Wan did instead. And when Anakin and Obi-Wan fought on Mustafar Anakin was left so badly injured that he was required to wear the Darth Vader suit for the rest of his life. Anakin was thought by the people to have been killed during Order 66 and the emergent figure of Darth Vader was assumed to be a separate entity. I believe that if Anakin was not injured on Mustafar and not subjected to the limiting and uncomfortable rigours of the suit he would have been more powerful than even Palpatine could have imagined. And the citizens of the Empire would still have had their war hero supporting the Empire making the Rebel Alliance less likely to gain any support.

Anakin’s growing distrust and disillusionment with the Jedi was not the only thing Palpatine preyed on. His fear of loss which was exacerbated by the death of his mother was probably Anakin Skywalker’s weakest point. Anakin’s attachment to Padme was such an important priority for him that his reverence for the Light Side and loyalty to the Republic were expendable. Yoda tried to warn him by saying that he needed to let go of what he feared to lose, however, Padme dominated Anakin’s thoughts and the advice was unheeded. So when Palpatine revealed to him that he was in fact Darth Sidious his following actions became confused and misguided. He attempted to do the right thing at first by informing Mace Windu of what he learned. Unfortunately, Anakin was too concerned with the possibility that Sidious might actually be able to teach him to save Padme from death which led him to interfering with the Chancellor’s arrest, causing Master Windu’s death, and ending with his conversion to the Dark Side of the Force.

Convinced the Jedi were the enemy Anakin proceeded to commit heinous acts of violence within the Jedi Temple including the murder of helpless children. Elsewhere Order 66 was executed and the majority of the Jedi throughout the Galaxy were extinguished. The Clone Army that was initially commissioned to fight tyranny became the military arm of the tyrant. It becomes evident very quickly that the Clone Wars and the formation of the Clone Army had been intentionally orchestrated by Palpatine and Count Dooku as a means to cripple the Republic, make it open to becoming an Empire, and providing a strong loyal military force to enforce the change in government.

In the end Anakin’s own motivations fail completely. His body is all but destroyed, Padme dies in childbirth, and all those he once called friends are either dead or left him. Anakin failed to learn the lesson he should have learned on Tatooine when his mother died. Anakin refused to acknowledge that death is a natural and inevitable thing and instead desired to find a way to stop it. At his mother’s grave he expresses self-loathing at his perceived failure to save her. Seeing power as the only solution to anything Anakin thinks every failure or every event that displeases him happens because of a lack of power. Wishing to avoid losing Padme he seeks more power and ironically it is that very power that kills her in the end. And once again in The Empire Strikes Back it is with power that he tries to seduce his son to the Dark Side. Craving power is a Sith trait and it is for that reason that I believe that Anakin was unconsciously partway converted to the Dark Side since Episode II already. His final initiation into the Sith Order and taking on of the Darth Vader mantle was achieved only when Anakin finally admitted that everything including the Light Side and his own conscience were expendable if Padme was saved. He only regretted Windu’s death for a moment before declaring “I will do whatever you ask…Just help me save Padme’s life. I can’t live without her.” Yoda’s statement about fear (“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering”) in The Phantom Menace was prophetic. Anakin feared losing Padme and the resultant anger caused him to hate the Jedi enough to cause the suffering of not only them but also of himself when Padme died and he was disfigured on Mustafar. All his hope was gone and he found himself wholly loyal to Darth Sidious the only friend he believed he had left. Unlike seeking power, hope is not a Sith trait. But it is a Jedi one. And it was that hope that led Yoda and Obi-Wan to have Anakin’s twins, Luke and Leia, sequestered. Bail Organa took Leia and adopted her into his family. Eventually she became a senator like her mother and served the Rebellion in secret and later openly following the Battle of Yavin. And Luke was the titular New Hope itself. On Tatooine living with his aunt and uncle Obi-Wan kept a close eye on Luke until he was ready to learn the ways of the Force, revive the Jedi Order, and defeat the Empire.

Now that is a fairly good story. But like the previous two films it had problems in its execution. While, I do appreciate how Palpatine subtly manipulated Anakin to join the Sith I do think there are some things that happened too quickly and are ergo less believable. Killing Younglings is such an evil, despicable thing to do that it bothers me that Anakin does it without any misgivings. His motivation isn’t supposed to be evil at this point. He is trying to save the woman he loves. While I do believe that if he was fully convinced that killing Younglings would somehow save her he would probably do so it would still stand to reason that he would do it with some reluctance and remorse afterwards. I also think he would question the decision initially since Younglings are hardly a fit scapegoat for his complaints against the Jedi. No one could reasonably accuse Younglings of trying to take over the Senate. And Younglings did not tell Anakin to spy on the Chancellor. And Younglings did not refuse to grant him the rank of master. Anakin isn’t a cruel brute like Darth Malak or someone trying to devote himself to the Dark Side by intentionally doing bad things like Kylo Ren. He is at this point a good guy trying to achieve a good thing by doing bad things. Killing Younglings should have bothered a man in his position.

I am also severely miffed at Padme’s treatment in this film. In the first two Prequels she was fierce, independent, and a strong leader who was setting the template for who her daughter would become in the future. But in Episode III she is none of that. She cries a lot, blindly defends Anakin to her friends, becomes an emotional train wreck, and dies of a broken heart. They softened her up. Dying of a broken heart is such an undignified way to make her character go and I would rather have had George Lucas write that Anakin killed her accidentally in anger. That would have made more sense.

I also wish the film had done a bit more to emphasise that one of Anakin’s motivations for turning to the Dark Side was a lust for power. In the Original Trilogy Darth Vader dominated every scene he was in, showcasing his power of intimidation as well as his mastery of the Force. He was bad in a cool way. In Revenge of the Sith a lot of this becomes lost and the story opts instead to make Anakin come across as naive and pathetic. He whines too much, gets choked up on dreams he is having, and becomes a Dark Lord of the Sith as a response more to heartbreak than power lust. Some viewers complained that this ruins the badass-ness of Darth Vader; and while I won’t go that far, I do see some fundamental flaws in how his character is portrayed in the film.

Some of the best points of Episode III are the soundtrack and special effects. John Williams creates another beautiful score for Revenge of the Sith with many of the vocal pieces being some of the best tracks he has ever composed for the Star Wars saga. And of course the sound effects and sound design are top notch. It does suffer a bit from the same blue screen problems that Attack of the Clones had, but overall the effects and sound are great. The opening battle over Coruscant is really cool and some of my favourite shots are the city scenes at night. The exterior shot of the opera house looks absolutely amazing and there are many other shots that are just breathtaking.

The Star Wars Prequels are good movies. And, yes, I am saying that with a straight face. I legitimately think they are good movies. They have some severe problems and they are very much far from perfect, and I have harshly dealt all the criticism I can dole out in these past reviews. But leaving all of those criticisms on the table I must add that I like these movies. I even like Episode II. Episodes I, II, and III tell a great story that is sums up to a crucial part of the Star Wars Saga. We see the Republic and Jedi at their prime. We see the rise of Emperor Palpatine and the fall of Anakin Skywalker. It’s an epic tale that continues to show that George Lucas is a national treasure and one of America’s greatest storytellers. And, again, I say all that with a straight face. Problems like Jar Jar, the execution of some of the plot points, the awkward dialogue, and bad acting among other things were never enough to make me call these bad movies. If you wanna see something bad in Star Wars go watch The Holiday Special, one of the Ewok Saturday morning cartoons, or play Masters of the Teras Kasi. Believe me, the Prequels are no where close to the bottom of the barrel. I, for one, think they are pretty great.

Tune in tomorrow for a review of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens and may the Force be with you.

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