In continuation to this post about Dooku’s stupid sad face, let’s wallow some more! This man is the worst and I wish he’d quit breaking my heart. 

Much like being ordered to use his connection to Yoda to try and destroy him visibly broke Dooku’s heart (no, I’m not kidding, I promise there’s evidence for that, please check it out, oh my gosh Dooku why are you like this), being told to get rid of Ventress clearly hurt him so much. 

There is just so much to talk about here. There are several key things in this episode (s3ep12 - Nightsisters). For one thing, after Dooku kneels to Sidious in the first scene, we never see him standing up again - except to kneel again, or when we see him through a com. So ‘Lord Tyranus’ is, in fact, nothing more than a beaten dog, whose only power is an image - that is, a mirage. It’s a nice touch, and a good reminder that those who follow the Dark Side are, in fact, nothing but slaves - and most notably, they are slaves to themselves, which is what happens here. 

Dooku does not want to give up Ventress. He readily admits that she is important to him - and isn’t that foolish? Why would you ever tell a Sith Lord that there is something in the Galaxy beside yourself that you value? What’s more, he immediately interjects when Sidious says that she is ‘too important.’ 

To question his Sith Master like that is reckless and dangerous. Dooku is cunning, calculating, and most of all, self-serving - so for him to speak out like this means he couldn’t help himself. That’s how much he valued her. Unfortunately, the Dark will always make you value yourself more. Indeed, when Sidious questions his loyalty - loyalty that is nothing but a sham, which they both know, because the way of the Sith is to stab each other in the back - Dooku is quick to say that he’d never train his own apprentice. (Which, you know, he does next episode when he gets Savage.)

But anyway, this is Dooku’s face right before he agrees to kill Ventress - and right before he bows - practically kowtows - to Sidious. It’s pure anger. 

But he agrees nonetheless. None of his anger, none of his hatred, none of his rage give him any power at all. And so, to preserve himself - because again, that’s what the Dark Side makes you do - he bows like an animal. When Anakin holds on to people because he can’t bear not to have them in his life, Dooku cuts people off because he is endangered by his connections, because of the position he put himself into in his quest for power. (Which is again quite ironic - a man called ‘Lord’ greets the man calling him that with complete subservience.) They go about it differently, but they are both undone by selfishness (and it’s not me saying it, it’s Lucas).

The most heartbreaking part about all of this though? When Dooku casts Ventress off, he’s not angry, he’s sad and defeated. 

Just look at his face when he calls her ‘child.’

He is framed as off-balanced and cracked, ffs! And just look at his eyes.

Listen to his voice in that scene! How slowly he talks, how regretful he sounds! He looks away when he tells her he’s ordered the troops to abandon her. And when he looks at her again, listen to how stiff and impersonal his words are, in direct contrast to his previous... well, gentleness.

To save himself, he destroys a part of himself. That’s Anakin’s story. That’s Maul’s story, that’s the story of the Dark - in trying to gain something for themselves, they give up what matters. Maul tries to gain power and loses his body, then tries to gain revenge and loses the remainder of his life to a pointless endeavor that will never fulfill him. Anakin tries to preserve himself from the pain of loss and ends up losing everything he holds dear to his own actions. Dooku tries to protect his own life, and in the end has nothing to live for, and eventually dies. They all hurt themselves through their self-centeredness. 

Just go and watch how defeated Dooku is when he says “I have done as you’ve asked, Asajj Ventress is dead.” Just look at his eyes right here:

And the worst thing is: this is the second time this has happened. Because Dooku did not fall because of Qui-Gon’s death - he was already a Sith when Naboo happened (as per s6ep10, The Lost One + the AotC timeline that was already too tight for him to have fallen, become Sidious’ apprentice and killed Syfo-Dias after Naboo rather than before). 

Dooku has been subjecting himself to the Dark - to his own base need for self-preservation - for over ten years at this point, and he keeps doing it. He keeps repeating the same mistakes, because no matter how much he loved Qui-Gon, or Ventress, or Yoda, when faced with the question ‘what do I choose between my own interest and the interest of someone I love’ the answer of the Dark is always: “I choose ME.” 

And the consequence is always suffering, for all the parties involved. 

It’s not a coincidence that this very ep shows us Ventress’ first Master - her real Master, in the ways that mattered - Ky Narec.

One looks at her with pride and love - the other with bitterness, and regret, when he can look at her.

One she looks up to with joy, absolute trust and equal love - the other leaves her terrified, betrayed and alone. 

Just compare Dooku to Obi-Wan - who always tries his hardest to save the ones he loves instead of preemptively cutting them off (Qui-Gon in TPM, Satine in s5, Ahsoka on Mortis, Cody in s7, Anakin because the Mustafar duel was choreographed to show that he was trying to let Anakin tire himself out and cool down, Luke in ANH) - and more often than not fails, but still tries no matter the cost to himself - and who lets go of what he has lost instead of holding onto bitterness and anger. Compare Dooku to Yoda, who is ready to give up his own safety and happiness, who is ready to die to protect Anakin (again, not kidding, here’s when it happens) rather than to pursue the outcome he wants. Yoda and Obi-Wan die with smiles on their faces, at peace, because the key to it all - the difference between love and attachment, and between love and self-preservation, and between letting go and cutting off, and between true power and the lies of the Sith - is always selflessness.

Whereas the Sith are slaves to their selfish impulses, the Jedi have the freedom to say no, I’m not going to save myself, I’m going to do what’s right, and I will be happier for it no matter how much it cost me. 

The whole point of this angstfest was to say: dammit, Dooku! He used to be wise enough and strong enough to know better, and he still did this to himself, and then dragged the entire Galaxy into chaos and darkness. And I love him so much, and this self destruction that is characteristic of the Sith breaks my heart.

If I’m Dead to You Why Are You At The Wake (pt 2)

Part One  Words: 1412   Pairing:  Poe Dameron x Reader Summary: On the long ride back to the Resistance Base, Poe confronts Reader trying to find out where they’ve been and what they have been doing all this time.

“Is your plan really to not talk to me the entire flight back?” Poe asked you. The Resistance base was still days away even by hyperspeed. After some debate, you and Rey had reached an agreement that regardless of who piloted the Falcon first, you’d eventually need the others as relief pilots. Since Chewbacca and Rey had done most of the flying to Dagobah, you would fly the first leg of the journey. Left with no better options, you were stuck with Mr. Forty Questions as your co-pilot.

“Tell me something, Commander.” You sighed, not looking away from the viewport in front of you. “This interrogation you’ve been attempting, is it all you or something The General put you up to?”

“She misses you, you know.” He deflected your question.

“Huh.” You grunted in a way that said you didn’t care at all but also cared immensely. It was a grunt only a Solo could perfect. “Miss me? I don’t think so. She misses him. Misses who he used to be anyway. Dad knew it too. He would have done anything to bring Ky-Ben home to her. It’s why he and Chewy stayed away for so long.” You looked away from your viewport to Poe. “I always wondered if she knew that. He couldn’t face her without bringing him back.”

“What about you?” He asked. You rolled your eyes and turned back to the viewport. Staring out into the endless blackness of space didn’t hurt as much as the earnest look in Poe’s brown eyes. There was silence again as he waited for your answer. When enough time had passed that Poe had begun to ask the question again, you spoke.

“My grandmother was a queen.” You leaned back in your seat and took your hands off the controls. You continued to look forward. “I’m not just talking about Brehan Organa either. You won’t find it in the history holos but for a short amount of time before defecting from the Jedi Order, Anakin Skywalker had been married.”

“Married? The legends always said it was forbidden for Jedi.” Poe recalled.

“And it was. But I’ve heard it on good authority that this story is true. Anakin was married to Padme Amidala and before her death she was pregnant with twins. My mother and Uncle.” You told him.

“Padme Amildala? She was the senator who died really young, right? I remember reading about her because she was a big inspiration for the people who formed the Rebellion during Leia’s early days.” He said. “I don’t remember how she died.”

“A broken heart.” You told him quietly. “I guess I’d take that over losing myself to anger, given the choice. Never thought it would be something we’d have to worry about with The General…”

“Why do you keep calling her that?” Poe sighed. “She’s your mother, [Y/N].”

“No, Poe she’s your mother.” You turned your chair so that you were facing him. “She’s always nurtured you and protect you like a mother should. What did Ben and I get? A ten-year long retreat with Uncle Luke. And the one time, the one time, Poe, that I tell her I need her? What does she do? She sends you because Force knows The General couldn’t possibly leave the war room. I bet she didn’t even have to sell it that hard. She just summoned for you like she does. General Organa said jump and you said how high. Does that sound about right?”

You’d struck a nerve with him, and you knew it. Poe had always admired your mother. She’d been his mentor well before whatever sordid past you and the commander shared. You’d told him a long time ago that you thought it was great they got along so well; it made him the ideal future son in law. You glared at him, waiting for him to argue back.

“So that’s it then?” He demanded. “It’s Kylo Ren’s fault that Han stayed away so long, but it was mine and Leia’s fault that you left. Oh, and I think you blamed Luke in there somewhere too. You know, I just find this whole conversation interesting because I remember you telling me that we’d never lie to each other.”

“That was a long time ago.” You mumbled. You swived your chair forward again and began monitoring your flight’s progress on the display in front of you.

“It feels like yesterday to me.” He said. “You wanted to know who I was asking so many questions for? I’m not asking for Leia. She’ll no doubt have a hundred questions for you when we get back. I’m asking for me. Because I need to know why you left. What did I do that made you feel like whatever was happening meant you couldn’t come to me.”

You moved your hands from the control panel in front of you and began to massage your temples. You’d known that this conversation was going to happen eventually, but you had hoped you could put it off until you’d had a decent night’s sleep.

“Did you ever, in all the time that I was gone, stop to consider the possibility that you might not like the answers to your questions?” You sighed.

“I’m not asking to boost my ego [Y/N].” He replied.

“Fine. If it’s so important to you.” You pressed a few buttons keying the Falcon into auto pilot and swiveled your chair to face him again. Poe did the same. “There was a reason I didn’t tell you where I was going or what I was planning. It was to protect you. If you knew where I was going or what I was doing and somehow you were captured by the first order, the less you knew about me the better. I told dad not the tell you or The Gener-Leia, either. She wouldn’t understand and she would have tried to stop me if she knew what I was planning.”

“What was your plan?” He asked impatiently. “Because I don’t understand how Dagobah…”

“Dagobah? I haven’t been just sitting on Dagobah all this time!” You hissed. “My plan was to join the Knights of Ren, convince Ben that I’d also defected from our family and over time gain his trust. Once I had that I could slowly being pulling him back towards the light side of the force.”

“That was your plan?” Poe exclaimed. “There’s no way Leia would have…”

“And that’s why Leia wasn’t involved. I knew you could never keep a secret that big from her. Your relationship with her was too important to you.” You told him.

“I would have for you.” He said.

“You would have tried.” You agreed. “But like I said it was safer for you not to know anyway. If anyone from the First Order got their hands on you…”

“I wouldn’t have been able to hide it from them.” He went on to tell you the story of how he’d come to meet Finn and how he’d been captured and tortured by Kylo Ren.

“I never knew that.” You felt like a heavy weight had been placed on your chest. More guilt added to the proverbial fire. “Poe I’d already scrapped my mission by then. I was stuck on Dagobah with a broken tie fighter. If I’d known you were there, I never would have let him…”

“I know.” He said getting up from his chair. Poe reached for your hands. You let him take each of them and hold them in his own. Poe gave your hands a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay. He asked me where you were, and I didn’t know. When he realized I was telling the truth he just started asking me more about the map.”

“I should have left him sooner. After a year I should have known I wasn’t making any progress with him. Four years was too long, I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of.” Poe let go of your hand to wipe a tear from your eye. You hadn’t even realized you were crying. “I have no idea how I’m going to face Mom. The things I’ve seen. The things I’ve done. I cut myself off from the force for a year to try and cope with the grief. All it did was make everything so much worse when I turned it all back on. I can’t be alone anymore Poe.”

“You’re not. I’m here. I’m right here.” He promised.

I’m sorry... ch. 2

A/N: thank you so much for reading!! I really wanna let y’all know that this is just a mini series. I’m not really sure if I should make it longer or not but y’all let me know if you do want me to make it longer. This story is just something I had on my phone. Anywho, Reader is now 20 years old y’all.

Warnings: angst

Pairings: Kylo Ren x Reader, General Hux x Reader

Poe caressed the wrinkled picture in his hands, nostalgia crossed his face as he looked at the smiling face of his deceased wife and long lost daughter. The eerie silence of his quarters didn't help either. It was too quiet. Uncomfortably quiet and he knew why.

It had been five years since Y/N left and was taken by Kylo Ren. He knew he had taken her when a message was delivered to him via hologram stating that she was safe and sound beside the dark Jedi. Poe knew she wasn't coming back. Yet he missed her terribly, guilt and shame plagued his mind every day and at night....oh those were the hardest.

A knock interrupted his thoughts and he looked up to see Leia at the doorway, a sympathetic look on her face. "It's time Poe" she said. Poe held back tears and walked side by side the General to the auditorium. When they got there it was already filled with every Resistance fighter, a buzz filled the room when they saw him making Poe incredibly uncomfortable. He sat at the very front General Leia, Finn, Rey and Rose beside him. The lights were turned off and soon the big screen in front of them was powered on. The first thing it showed was the First Order logo followed by a large audience in front of an altar. The room was packed with First Order sympathizers, Generals, Officers, Senators, Kings and Queens. But the one thing that struck out in the white room was the man himself; Kylo Ren. Dressed in all black in a different suit than the one he always wore his mask was off and his face was flushed.

The new scar he got from Rey adorned his face. Poe, and surely a lot of people, was surprised that the First Order would allow them to show everyone in the galaxy Ren's wedding. He didn't understand why.

Beside him Leia held her breath when she saw her son for the first time in years. And when Y/N came in accompanied by another officer she gasped at the wedding dress she was wearing. It was the same one her own mother wore years and years ago when she married her father.

Padme Amidala's wedding dress.

She didn't want to find out how her son got it in his possession.

Poe let out a sob when he saw his Y/N. She looked so beautiful, so much like a heavenly being that he couldn't believe he had fathered such a child. Her big e/c eyes looked at the crowd behind her, he saw her swallow and he couldn't tell if she was afraid, nervous or both. All of that went away when she was handed over to her husband to be. Poe saw the look on their face and anyone could tell that there was love in their eyes. True love. And for that he was grateful at least his little girl was now happy.

Without him.

__________________________

Supreme Leader Snoke had approved of their marriage because they were both Force sensitive. If she wasn't then she would have been disposed of as she had no use on board. Still, the couple was ecstatic with the arrangement and soon the preparations for the wedding begun.

After the ceremony, the reception was held in a beautiful palace. Exotic foods were in every dish, extravagant flowers adorned every corner of the palace. Y/N was out in the balcony watching the stars, a part of her wished her father was the one to walk her down the aisle, to bless her and Kylo on their new journey. Guilt washed over her. She missed her father terribly. Y/N sensed someone was watching her and turned around to see General Hux standing in the doorway of the balcony.

"Tij..." Y/N said and smiled brightly at him. They had been best friends since she arrived with Kylo, her only friend besides her husband. But lately, he had been acting strange.

He looked at her up and down and said breathlessly, "You are so...beautiful Y/N." She blushed at his comment. Hux walked over to her, she sensed he wanted to touch her cheek and took a small step back.

"I don't understand you, Y/N."

She frowned and took a sip of her wine. He continued, "I don't understand why you chose him." Y/N was really confused now.

At that moment, Y/N saw Kylo appear behind him with more drinks.

"There you are my love" he said and kissed her temple, "General." Y/N melted into his touch and took his arm. Hux nodded at him and to Y/N he said, "Congratulations....Lady Ren." The couple watched him disappear into the crowd.

"What's his problem?" Kylo asked.

Y/N shrugged her shoulders, "He's been acting strange lately Ky, almost like he doesn't want to be around me anymore but I also sense he wants to tell me something."

Kylo sighed and kissed her forehead, "Don't worry about him. Tonight is our night."

"Ben?"

"Mm?"

"Do you miss your family?" Kylo pulled away from her and in a low voice said, "Why would you ask me that Y/N?" She bit her bottom lip almost too afraid to continue, "Well...because I miss my dad sometimes and I can't help but wish he was here, you know? To walk me down the aisle and everything." Kylo sighed loudly and pulled her to him.

"You shouldn't think about him anymore. He didn't want you remember?"

"I miss him though..." she whispered. But her husband shook his head and put his hand under her chin so he could look into her eyes. "You have me now" and kissed her. He kissed her with so much passion and she kissed back with the same emotion. He led his new bride away from the party and to an adjacent room in the palace and proved to each other how much they loved one another.

Somewhere in the palace, General Hux watched the couple enviously. Jealousy flowed through his veins and wrath filled his heart.

He hated Ren for taking her away from her father. But mostly he hated him for winning her over.

@dtftheavengers @angelcvsmic

More details from Dooku: Jedi Lost: - Dooku’s biological sister (Jenza) says she learned about the Jedi from a documentary about them on the HoloNet! - The planet of Serenno is probably named after the house that rules it and has been for ages.  While I think it sounds like the family uses mononyms, if he was going to have a full name, it would be Dooku Serenno. - “Legend has it” that the planet was once part of the Sith empire but Jenza’s great-great-great-great-something-grandfather led the charge against them.  When Dooku was like, “Whoa, I thought it’d be the Jedi who did that!” his sister says, “Like a Serennian would let someone else take the credit!”  “If you believe the stories--and my father does, passionately--grandaddy Serenno fended them off single-handedly.  And the other houses submitted to his authority.” So, dump an entire salt shaker on that, but it’s certainly interesting in terms of furthering the whole unreliable narrator aspect of this story and in giving us detail about House Serenno. - When Dooku sees an ancient dragon statue of mystical importance on Serenno, he halfway hears it in his head even before he reaches out.  When he touches it, there’s a huge quake all around them, but worse is that there’s a screaming roaring in his head--another instance of how being Force-sensitive can really kind of suck in this galaxy sometimes! - Count Gora is furious when he hears Dooku’s name, screaming in front of him (at Yoda, who just rescued Dooku and Jenza from the quake collapsing rubble on top of them) that he never wanted to see him, that “He’s not my son!”  An interesting turn of how biological families aren’t always so great in the GFFA. Later, we find out (via Yoda) that Count Gora immediately contacted the Jedi when he realized what Dooku was, but had left him outside the castle walls, no clothes, no shelter, nothing to identify him.  There were spine-wolves in that forest, Dooku later finds out from research, if he hadn’t been found, he could have been killed.  Yikes, some people REALLY hate Force-sensitives in this galaxy. When Dooku comes back for a funeral (and because he desperately needs to comfort Jenza), Gora stumbles over him and attacks him physically, calling him a “freak”.  (By this point, Dooku’s definitely losing perspective and objectivity because of his desperate need to stay connected to Jenza and the whole funeral affair ends in a GIANT CLUSTERFUCK.) - Man, Dooku is a real shit in this!  He’s so determined to prove himself, no matter that nobody’s asking this of him, that he’s furious when Sifo-Dyas points out that he’s not the one lifting the rocks up off them.  Some embarrassment about being wrong (because it’s Yoda rescuing them) is understandable, but he’s definitely crossing the line about how pissed he is that he was better than everyone else. He comes back around later, there’s a decent person still in there right now, especially when he’s joking around with Sifo-Dyas, but his first instinct always seems to be an arrogant rage.  They’re all out to get him, he’s better than all of them, that his reaction is “I could have been so much more!” when finding out that he was royalty instead of just a common person.  He works through it each time, so Yoda’s concerned, but it’s not like That Kid’s A Walking Minefield, because the whole point of what the Jedi teach is that it’s not a one-time-and-you’re-done mastering of yourself, it’s a lifelong process, and there will always be a back and forth on this. - Yoda says that he’s worried about Dooku, he senses a lot of confusion there, and that they need to focus on him, rather than Count Gora being a dick to everyone.  Later, he visits him in the infirmary and apologizes, saying he was wrong to take him to Serenno.  (Which makes one wonder why he did anyway, presumably, because he thought that the connection to his home culture was important?) - Dooku gets a parcel while at the temple, it’s just handed to him and nobody intercepts this or anything, which seems to imply that it’s fine. - It’s not really said if Jenza was “stolen” because he’s from the Serenno family or because he was a Jedi or even because he’s the Separatists’ leader, it could be any of them. - Man, if supplementary material wasn’t so obscure, Dooku/Sifo-Dyas would be a HUGE pairing, they are SUPER bantery and adorable. - Ky saying all the things Asajj said about his corpse are a lie, and that she cried over his death.  Dooku saying the Jedi just left them on Rattatak, they could have come for her at any time~, but they didn’t~, Ky’s voice telling her not to listen, that she knows that’s not true.  MY HEART IS BREAKING FOR ASAJJ ALL OVER AGAIN. - The holos on the walls of Dooku’s personal cabin on his airship remind Asajj of Rattatak and she’s surprised to find she still misses the dustball that was her home.  I AM HAVING SO MANY ASAJJ FEELINGS. - One of the holos also talks about the Lost Twenty, confirming that they were Jedi Masters who became disillusioned, Yoda says.  Interestingly, this knowledge isn’t really hidden, it’s available as soon as someone asks and Yoda says it’s a good question.  The scene is, of course, wrapped up in unreliable narration to a degree, because it’s a scene of Asajj watching a holo of Dooku telling his sister about his day, and already he’s been established as being kind of real snotty and arrogant, there’s a sense of snobbery and disillusionment himself towards his surroundings (the narration of the scene has a brief moment of showing giving up wealth for the life of a Jedi is a HDU sort of thing, those were my riches!), but I think it’s reasonably reliable to assume that the basic details are right. Someone asks what happened to them, did they fall to the dark side?  The other Master and Yoda say, no, not all of them, some of them became leaders, others taught.  But most just vanished. “Remember them, we must.  Honor them, we must.  Learn from our failure.”  “Our failure?”  “To keep them where they belong.  But, the past they are.  The future, you are.”  And it’s clear that, given that they’re allowed to leave and the examples we have in canon of Jedi leaving are treated warmly by the Jedi Order (until they go full Sith, obv.) and Age of Republic - Count Dooku shows us that they don’t keep tabs on them, that Yoda doesn’t mean they’re wrong to leave, but that the Jedi should honor the memory of them and keep working to understand those who begin to disagree, to work to make themselves a better place for all of their people.  That if those Jedi felt they had to leave their home and people, they should be remembered and not just dismissed as “Oh, they didn’t understand.”  But that they should work to make sure everyone feels like they belong. - THE EVIL BACKGROUND MUSIC EVERY TIME DOOKU OR SIFO-DYAS STARTS DOING SOMETHING SHADY IS HILARIOUS. - GOD, DOOKU, WHAT A DICK.  He’s so mad that Yoda’s just sitting in the garden and meditating and not talking to him and it’d be easy for the reader to go OMG WTF YODA, except then Dooku (who is relating this to his sister) is INCENSED because HOW DARE YODA TREAT HIM THIS WAY, HE’S THE BEST, MASTER SINUBE SAID IT HIMSELF, HE WAS THE BEST STUDENT HE HAD, HOW DARE YODA IGNORE HIM, IT’S AN INSULT!, and you realize, oh, shit, Yoda is doing something about this, not just that he’s stepping in when he senses Dooku’s confusion, but taking on an active role to try to help him, because Dooku is real full of himself and Yoda’s trying to help him address that underlying problem. But doing so through the way the Jedi teach and the way George Lucas believes is the best teaching method--by forcing the student to start thinking about what’s going on here.  Not to just “drill and kill” rote answers into Dooku, because that’s not going to work, but to guide him to critical thinking skills.  UGH, I LOVE THE LITTLE FROG MAN. - Whoa, there’s some really interesting connections to the political unrest in the galaxy that led up to the Clone Wars, about how the “brave new Frontier” of the Outer Rim isn’t telling you about the organized crime that’s on the rise out there, and it’s touching on SO MUCH of what’s covered in Star Wars: Propaganda and reminded me SO STRONGLY of this passage from the book:

     “With eyes toward expansion into the uncharted reaches of the Outer Rim, the traditions of the Core became passé. Opportunity beckoned from beyond the borders of the Mid Rim worlds. The congested planets of the interior were saturated with messages of promise lying outward, a reversal from long-held notions that Coruscant represented the icon of advancement. Republic wordsmiths and artists collaborated to create a sense of civic duty, of manifest destiny, and of deep obligation to spread the Republic banner from Rim to Rim.      “For the well-settled and wealthy elite of the galaxy’s most crowded centers, such notions were quaint but uninspiring. It was the citizens of the Inner Rim, those who had been crowded out of opportunity in the Core, who answered the call for new life in the frontier of the Outer Rim. The Core Worlders became more enamored with the fleeting distractions of fame and fashion, transitory fascinations with sophistication that left little room for messages of faith or tradition that the Jedi exemplified. The lack of representation in the galactic mindshare undoubtedly fixed their future, as dark forces were on the rise that would poison the public sentiment toward the Jedi in the decades to come.” (--Star Wars Propaganda by Pablo Hidalgo) As always, if you want to get an overview of how the politics of the galaxy shaped everything, from the Republic before the Clone Wars all the way to the First Order, that book is excellent and an amazing read.

Blurred Lines Chapter 25 - It’s Complicated

woweee 25 chapters that’s pretty cool :D I’m having such fun with this I hope y’all like it too. We’re switching gears back to Kyradia as she contemplates what happened last time but also to Terri as both perspectives need some time. This one is a shorter chapter than my prior Gacen ventures hopefully it’s a nice change of pace :P

Terri fights off Ashara and Kyradia reels after the realisation of Zash’s return

Kyradia sat still unable to move as the last few minutes played back through her mind. Zash was back and she seemed stronger than ever, this wasn’t right this shouldn’t be happening, it couldn’t be. She closed the door on that chapter of her life she didn’t ever want to think about it again, how was she even back? she’d been locked in a mind prison. Kyradia wasn’t an expert on Rakatan tech but that seemed like the exact thing the prison wasn’t supposed to allow. But that was her no doubt about it Kyradia would recognise that arrogant tone anywhere she was back and she seemed vengeful. Her mind was filled with memories she’d rather forget, she’d been gaslighted for years as they trained together being told that she had a great purpose. The old hag had just wanted her body but that didn’t change all the years of manipulation. This was exactly what she was trying to avoid now this was a whole thing that she would have to commit to, all she wanted to do was to reconnect with Ashara!

                                                                                                                                Terri parried the yellow blade as it collided with her saber creating light green sparks that danced around the clashing sabers 

“leave us ALONE” Terri screamed at the orange Togruta who she had fighting since Lusari entered the temple. She pushed the Togruta back with the force giving her some distance to breath, Terri was very quickly running out of stamina this fight had been going on forever. They seemed evenly matched but Terri was still very wary of her inexperience with a saber however but she had to keep going to allow Lusi the time she needed.

The Togruta stood still for a second seemingly collecting herself, she definitely fit the Jedi bill she’d probably try to tell her she was misguided next.

“why are you doing this?” the Togruta said lightly smiling walking slowly towards Terri

“you wouldn’t understand Jedi” The Lady had explained Jedi would think what they were doing was against their precious code, Terri was inclined to agree from her limited experience the Jedi were hypocrites to say the least

“when I was a padawan I was manipulated into feeding my ancestors ghost to a sith lord giving me no other choice than to follow them” she paused looking confused “It was complicated, try me”

Terri hesitated for a second from her look she seemed like a Jedi but her story seemed truthful maybe she could understand why, if she just explained it right. Terri was about to open her mouth when she saw the red and blonde blur of Lusari running out the front of the temple “Terri!! we gotta go now!!” she ran past the Togruta and grabbed Terri by the hand and began to run into the forest

Terri quickly put the conversation with the Togruta to the back of her mind and turned to Lusari “did you do it?” she asked as they ran deeper into the forest. Terri looked back and surprisingly saw the Togruta wasn’t chasing them and instead heading into the temple, but? the sith lord manipulated her why would she go back? 

“yep next stop the temple of Exar Kun” Lusari said grinning Terri let the lingering curiosity go and smiled back at Lusi she couldn’t wait for this to be over.

the echoing voice rose around them laughing “yes not long now my dears I can’t wait to see the world like you do again”

                                                                                                                                Kyradia had been sitting there for way too long, they were getting away she should be chasing after them why was she just sitting here? She tried to get up and couldn’t bring herself to, she took a deep breath as she put her head in her hands. What was wrong with her? yeah Zash was back but she could easily destroy Zash, she’d dealt with powerful sith lords before Zash included why did this feel so much harder for her. Maybe because she had moved on from petty sith conflicts, if Marr had been right about one thing it was that sith infighting was the dumbest and most detrimental part of their society. She had to deal with this quickly don’t make it into a thing, it doesn’t have to be she can still catch them right? Zash would want a physical body almost certainly and the ritual had to have something to do with that right? and maybe those girls too. As she sat there she felt a hand on her shoulder, how long had that been there? suddenly it began shaking her.

“Kyradia! KYRADIA!” Ashara violently shook her as she returned to reality “are you ok?” Kyradia turned to Ashara without a word taking a deep breath “Kyradia! what happened?” Ashara continued wide-eyed as Kyradia let Ashara shake her

Kyradia took a deep breath and bit her lip as she got ready to talk “she’s back” Ashara squinted confused “Zash is back, she’s in that holocron they’re carrying around” Ashara’s brow raised as she stepped back a bit

“As in the woman who was inside Khem!!” Kyradia weakly smiled remembering how furious Zash had been stuck inside the Dashade.

“yeah the one who trained me and uh taught me to be sith” Kyradia fidgeted in the space not wanting to recall it

Ashara kneeled down putting a hand on Kyradia’s shoulder “we’re gonna catch her don’t worry” she smiled and leaned in hugging Kyradia tightly, Kyradia hugged her back looking off at the wall, she didn’t deserve this hug, she didn’t deserve any of it. They had to catch Zash and they had to soon, she felt a warm sensation on her eyelids and quickly wiped her eyes man this place was dusty.

Ashara let her go and looked at her maintaining eye contact “hey come on lets not let them get anymore of a head start” Kyradia nodded and got up

“where are they going now though” Kyradia had been so caught up in everything that she had let them get away “we have no idea where they’re going”

Ashara smirked “well signs point to the temple of Exar Kun” Kyradia frowned at her

“how do you know that?” Kyradia was under the impression there was multiple places they could go right now

Ashara’s smug look continued “i put a bug on the Milirian” Kyradia’s frown quickly turned into a devious grin 

“this is why you’re the best” Kyradia felt suddenly invigorated with a new energy, they could sort this quickly and simply they just had to catch up

Ashara grinned joking “I know Ky I’m pretty great” before grabbing her hand “now lets go catch a sith lord” they raced out the temple, Kyradia knew Ashara was right but she still could feel the lingering doubt that she hadn’t felt in a long time...

How I became a Reylo

I’ ve been an Anidala and Star Wars fan for more than 10 years now even though I was never part of online fandom and I am still trying to find my way around it. There is just something about Epic Cosmic Tragic romances that I really like seeing in fiction and Anidala fits all the tropes. From fated meeting in childhood to tokens of affection to their bond transceding distance. Not only that but the fact that it makes Darth Vader, one of the most iconing villains a more complex character and gives the relationship between the heroes and villain of the Original Trilogy an interesting underlying dynamic makes it even more likeable to me.

I also like Reylo quite a lot and I love what the Sequel Trilogy is doing in telling the story of the Skywalker Family. When I first saw Daisy Riddley I thought she would be playing the next gen Skywalker, which I always assumed will be born through Leia and Han, as Luke did not end the OT with a partner (technically you could say that he could have found someone in 30 years but is a lot to ask of the filmakers to make us care about Luke’s relationship with a faceless character when there is a well-developed on screen relationship that can produce Skywalker heirs just fine, misogyny be damned!!).  

As for Kylo Ren, I didn’t even think he could be a Skywalker but I thought that the fact that they showed him being obssessed with Darth Vader meant that: a)they were completely ignoring the Prequels and The Last Jedi and were pretending that Vader was a cool, unrepentant bastard or b) that having the new villain obssesing over the redeemed bad guy meant something more.

I found the rey*sky theory randomly because I was a big on reading fanfiction and think pieces. Initialy I liked and I thought if done properly it could be very interesting. However, i soon came to realise that this theory was full of misogynistic undertones. Particularly the Rey*ky theorists obssession with Ben’s backstoty being that he is the evil jealous cousin that tried to kill baby Rey because she supposedly comes from the male twin and he from the female! After TFA I was like “ I’m ok with either rey*ky or Reylo, as long as Evil Jealous Cousin (tm) is not a factor”.

However the more the releas of Episode VIII was approaching the more I found Reylo more compleling for a number of reasons:

1. Both the PT and OT are telling different stories in different settings that  complement each other and have some common narrative beats. The ST with rey*ky as its main point is basically the OT re-told, especialy with how TFA was set up. Rey as a newcomer that leads a BATB type of story with the Skywalker heir as her romantic interest is unique enough to make the Sequel Trilogy its own narrative and fairytale enough to be unmistakebly Star Wars.

2. There is no way the filmakers can shove the Rey is Luke’s daughter story without half of the movie becoming an imfo dumb fest. Rey*ky as a narrative demands that we learn about who her mother was, how her and Luke met and what was their relationship like and what Ben’s role in all this was. A bit hard to have Rey and Luke sit down and talk for half the movie when Rey has to carry the narrative forward and especialy to interact with the new generation Skywalker on a meaningful way.

3. Even if they could say that Luke met and fell in love with someone in the 30 years between ROTJ and TFA, it would still be an undeveloped, off screen relationship and producing the main Skywalker heir would feel unearned, especialy with both the relationship that produced Luke and Leia and the relationship that produced Ben being important,  on screen relationships. Rey becomes the sky heir without any backstory to “earn” her that role, just because she is Luke’s daughter.

While watching TLJ, I kept and open mind for any possibility but as the movie was proggressing it was clear the rey*ky was not an option. Even before the “You come from nothing” scene, Ben claims early on that Rey is searching for her parents in anyone she meets and brings both Han and Luke as examples, essentialy putting them in the same category as failled “contestants” for “Rey’s parent” award.

As for Reylo I will be very basic and say that it was the hut, hand touch scene where I started shipping it. This scene is just...so beautiful and warm!

I also loved the scene where they echoed Anidala upon the Supremacy and many more scenes but this is getting wayyy too long and propably no one’s gonna read it...

Last I have noticed that the inverse Anidala fandom are mainly Reylo shippers that enjoy how Anidala informs Reylo. I am quite the opposite as I have been an Anidal shipper fro years that got into Reylo mainly for how it informs and will most likely concluded itself and Anidala in this really fascinated inverse narrative.

Sorry for the rambling and long post and sorry for any grammar or structure mistakes, English is not my first language .

To any random internet wanderer that may read this,

Have a lovely week :-)

Reflections

A thorough examination of Rey and Kylo Ren and their scenes together in the Sequel Trilogy

This whole meta came about as a way to understand why Kylo Ren’s hunger for honesty in The Last Jedi was so goddamn sexy to me. Apart from the pornography that is Ben Swolo, why did the way he demanded Rey be honest with him and with herself feel so tense and sexual? Pondering an answer has led me to insights about their characters that I’m sharing here. It won’t be brief--I’m afraid I’m in over my head--but it is what it is. So let’s go!

DISCLAIMER:

A lot of the ideas I will mention have already been discussed within the fandom, but I couldn’t even begin to remember where I heard some of it or know who to give the credit to. Dissecting these characters is a collaborative effort. So building on the brilliance of others, let me add some of my thoughts--from a background in literature, creative writing and film--to the conversation.

Also, I will only be using the movies as a foundation for my claims. I realize that there’s tons of other canon material, but I think I can make my points using just The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

Before a writer even begins putting words on paper they must first do some foundational character work. Following those steps, I’m going to take Rey and Kylo and whittle them down to their cores, and I’m going to use the first half of The Force Awakens to do it. What follows that will be a detailed breakdown of every scene they’ve shared so far in the Sequel Trilogy. Oh man, my typing fingers are already trembling!

WHAT REY AND KYLO WANT

I am a big fan of Lisa Cron and her books Story Genius and Wired for Story. Cron is known for her discussion of the storytelling elements that are hardwired into our brains. Among them is giving your characters the proper start. Cron says that a protagonist must begin the story with two things:

In each movie Rey and Kylo have specific desires. In TFA Kylo wants to find Luke and Rey wants to get BB-8 back to the Resistance. In TLJ Kylo wants to get rid of Snoke and Rey wants to bring Luke back to the Resistance. (Is Rey the freaking errand girl for the Resistance?) But this is a trilogy which means that what they really want is much bigger and their specific goals are just steps towards achieving their ultimate desires. So here’s what I’ve decided are Rey and Kylo’s deep-seated desires the first time we see them in TFA.

REY WANTS A DESTINY

KYLO WANTS FREE WILL

Don’t worry, we’ll talk a lot more about their desires, but for now we must move on to misbeliefs. Cron compares the misbelief to the “fatal flaw” or “the wound the protagonist enters with.” She calls it a misbelief because the audience knows it is wrong, but the protagonist doesn’t. In fact, the protagonist must believe in it with all his heart. How he overcomes his misbelief is what the story is about.

Now for Rey and Kylo’s defining misbeliefs:

REY BELIEVES HER PARENTS WILL RETURN AND BESTOW HER WITH A DESTINY IF SHE IS PATIENT AND HOPEFUL

KYLO BELIEVES THAT HE MUST LET GO OF OR CONCEAL HIS PAST IN ORDER TO WRITE HIS OWN FUTURE

So let’s put it all together…

Rey believes that when her parents return for her, she will finally understand her place in the galaxy. They will give her a family name and a group to belong to--bequeathing her a destiny. Kylo believes that if he sheds the Skywalker/Solo name, then he can finally choose who he is and where he belongs--writing his own destiny. You’re starting to see where I’m going, aren’t you?

Since the Star Wars movies are always coming of age stories, Rey and Kylo are essentially seeking identity, but they’re going about it in opposite ways. It’s because these two characters are reflections of one another, created to strengthen the other’s arc. That’s what good writing strives to do, and you can bet that Disney knows this. He might not look it, but the Mouse is a master storyteller.

The very first time we see Kylo Ren he is decked out from head to toe in the costume he created to conceal his true identity. He goes by a different name, a name that recognizes him as the leader of a new kind of family, and this time it is a family of his choosing: the Knights of Ren.

Kylo’s first interaction is with Lor San Tekka who, with almost every line of dialogue, attempts to remind Kylo of his origin. “You may try but you cannot deny the truth that is your family,” San Tekka says, to which Kylo replies, “You’re so right,” and cuts him down.

Kylo is obviously referring to Darth Vader being part of his bloodline too. After all, in an act of rebellion against his family, Ben Solo created Kylo Ren--with Snoke’s guidance--as a sort of second Vader. (Note: Vader, not Jedi Anakin Skywalker). And let’s not forget that “Kylo” comes from SKYwalker and SoLO. So you could argue that part of Kylo doesn’t want to let go of his past, and at the very beginning of the story I would probably agree. But I would also argue that Kylo only wants to hold onto the parts of his past that suit him. He wants to choose which parts of it will define him and hide the rest under the mask of Kylo Ren.

The first time we see Rey she is alone in the hollow belly of a crashed Star Destroyer. The Destroyer is a literal remnant of the light’s triumph over darkness, as is the fallen AT-AT in which she lives. Even the Rebel helmet she puts on when she eats serves as evidence that good things happen if one remembers to keep hope alive. And that’s what Rey is busy doing from the very first moment we see her.

Rey’s life, as it’s presented to the audience, is built around the lie she created because the truth was too painful to face. Believing in the myth of her returning parents is easier than deciding who she wants to be in a whole galaxy of possibilities. Keeping her appearance the way her parents knew it and the wall of never-ending tally marks are just two of the visual representations of Rey’s misbelief. It’s almost as if Rey has put her life on hold waiting for their return. And perhaps this is why some fans infantilize her. She is a woman, but one that keeps everything as it was when she was a child.

As TFA goes on Kylo is continuously forced to confront his past. Characters like Hux and Snoke relish the opportunity to remind him of where he comes from like it’s a weakness Kylo must overcome. And he’s really trying. But the funny thing about Kylo is that the constant reminders keep him focused. Because he craves the truth. He needs it. As a child he listened in the shadows while his parents argued about his destiny. He was never told in brutal, stark honesty where he comes from. From Darth frickin’ Vader! Ben Solo believed that Snoke was honest with him when his family wasn’t--that’s why he sided with Snoke when everything fell apart. And that’s why Kylo invades people’s minds: because he doesn’t trust them to be honest with him. And why would he? Having a reliable route to the truth is a useful tool for a man who feels it was always kept from him. And while Kylo might not like the truth--which I think is made apparent by his frequent outbursts--he always demands it. It’s almost masochistic, but that’s our dark, beautiful space prince.

On the other side of things, we see Rey embark on a journey towards a destiny, but it’s not the one she imagined so she rejects it at every turn--from constantly telling Finn she has to get back to Jakku to turning down Han Solo’s job offer. She goes along with things for as long as she does because she is intrigued by the myth of the Jedi and Luke Skywalker. And we already know Rey prefers a good story to reality. It’s only when Rey becomes a part of this story, when she touches the legacy lightsaber, that problems arise. She experiences an incredible vision--one part troubling past and one part chilling future--but what it doesn’t show her is who she is or how she fits into everything. And that frightens her. So she runs.

Before I move on I want to point out how good of a foil Finn is for Rey and Kylo. Because Finn doesn’t want any kind of role. It’s no coincidence that all three are shown for the first time wearing masks. Finn’s is not a mask of his choosing, but Kylo’s is. And Rey’s is a mask of necessity. I could analyze Finn’s place in all of this, but that would probably tack on an extra thousand words, and I still haven’t gotten to The Last Jedi which, if you’re still with me, is where all of this is headed.

So there are our protagonists. True mirror opposites. Now let’s put them together, starting with the moment they meet. Or, actually, just before.

WHAT GIRL?

For many, the birth of Reylo occurred when Kylo laid into Lieutenant Mitaka. “What girl?” he growls. Kylo has felt an awakening in the Force and I think his curiosity has to do with that, but the question itself is meaningful. It’s as if he’s saying, “Who is this person? I’ve never heard of her before. She must not belong to a famous family.” This girl is already intriguing to him because she’s nobody. There’s no way he’s not exploring this further.

THE TAKODANA FOREST

The first time Rey sees Kylo for real, he is looming towards her--this scary creature from her vision. Oh no, the vision is coming true! She fires her blaster and he deflects, but he keeps coming, like the truth, persistent and undeniable. Kylo decides pretty quickly to take her with him and he even carries her in his arms. She is a curiosity, something to be handled with care.

THE INTERROGATION

When Rey awakens, she is restrained, but Kylo is kneeling before her, watching. Not looking inside her mind… just watching. Who is this girl? This scene has probably been analyzed more than any other, so I’ll try to keep my thoughts brief.

“You still want to kill me?” Kylo asks. “That’s what happens when you’re being hunted by a creature in a mask,” Rey responds. Kylo wants her to see what this creature she imagines really looks like--he wants her to see the truth--so he takes off his helmet. But he is not what Rey expects. Her perception doesn’t match what she’s seeing with her own eyes and it makes her uncomfortable. It’s no mistake that this is the first time the audience sees Kylo Ren unmasked too. Our reaction is supposed to mirror Rey’s. Mine sure as hell did.

Kylo sizes her up as well, this scavenger, this nobody. Why is she important? He asks her to tell him about the droid, giving her the chance to avoid his mind probe. When she doesn’t play along, he peeks inside her head. But instead of finding the information he needs, he looks first for what her life is like. He looks for her pain. And, surprisingly, it’s something he recognizes. Why did he seek this information first? We all know it’s because, at this point, he is more interested in “the girl” than in finding Luke. And here’s why…

Kylo is envious of Rey

She comes from no great family. She has no baggage, nothing holding her back from her destiny--or so he thinks. And he soon discovers just how strong with the Force she really is. She is a blank slate. She could be anything, achieve anything. She is what he wants to be.

And Rey’s confidence grows as the Force inside her grows, and she is able to push back and see inside Kylo’s mind. When she does, she sees through the pretense of Kylo Ren to the scared young man beneath: Ben Solo. Kylo is shocked and chagrined. For all his respect for objective truth, he keeps his own personal, subjective truth closely guarded. But tit for tat, Kylo. Now two can play that game.

HAN AND BEN

This was the scene that caused me to leap with wild abandon onto the Kylo Ren pain train, and it catapulted Adam Driver to the top of my list of favorite actors. How layered this scene is. How tragic!

“Take off that mask. You don’t need it,” Han says. “And what do you think you’ll see if I do?” Ben asks, curious. “The face of my son,” Han replies. Like he did earlier with Rey, Kylo removes his mask, letting his father see what he has become. We all know how the rest of the scene goes. They squabble, Han implores him to see the truth: Snoke is using him for his power. Kylo knows his father is right and he’s a hair’s breadth from returning home with him… then he remembers his misbelief. Forget the past. But this time forgetting isn’t enough. Now he must kill the past.

As Rey watches this play out, she is seeing a parent return for his child and the child rejecting that love. It floors her. It goes against everything she has ever wanted for herself. Ben Solo had parents who loved him, he had a name, a destiny. And he threw it all away. Okay, it should be obvious by now what I’m going to say…

Rey is envious of Ben Solo

Rey and Kylo are reflections of one another, plain and simple. If you don’t believe me, perhaps Adam Driver will convince you.

THE DARK FOREST

There’s one aspect of this scene that I absolutely love but never felt like I understood completely. Reexamining Kylo as I have for this meta, I think I get it now. And it makes so much sense. As Kylo faces off against Finn and Rey, he keeps hitting his wounded side, spattering the white snow with blood. Why would he do that? He’s showing the enemy his weakness and perhaps making the injury worse. Here’s my take…

Kylo hits his side in an effort to stay focused on reality, on truth. He’s fucking delirious right now. He just killed his father and it hurt, it messed him up bad. But that pain is a reminder of what he is capable of if he lets his misbelief guide him. Perhaps it is also a kind of flagellation or punishment for his deed. If I could ask Adam Driver one question it might be will you whisper something dirty in my ear why he chose to have Kylo repeatedly beat his wound. I feel the answer would reveal a lot.

Now let’s move on to “the look.” You know what I’m talking about. It’s the moment right after Rey summons the Skywalker lightsaber, the moment that many Reylos believe Kylo falls head over heels in love with her. Perhaps they’re right, but I think there’s more to it. In this moment the Force has chosen Rey. A nobody, a scavenger! And Kylo is in complete awe. He is shocked, he is enthralled, he is jealous. Who is this girl?

But Kylo’s shock is Rey’s call to action. When she ignites that lightsaber, she is essentially accepting the destiny it showed her, whatever it may be. And as they fight, her new power becomes undeniable to them both. Kylo offers to be her teacher because she needs training, but also because he needs to know more about her. And as the Force awakens inside of her, Kylo stares in total wonderment. Something earth-shattering is happening here and I’m not talking about the ground splitting open.

At the end of TFA, Rey and Kylo’s deep-seated desires are still the same, but their misbeliefs have changed a bit. Understanding why she has the Force becomes more important to Rey than going back to Jakku. She may no longer believe her parents will return for her, but what she believes now is that in order to accept her destiny, she must know exactly who she is and where she comes from. And it is no longer good enough to forget or conceal the past for Kylo. Now the past must be completely eradicated.

So with these things in mind, let’s dive into The Last Jedi and talk specifically about the ways in which Rey and Kylo react to truth. And maybe along the way we’ll figure out why the whole thing feels so unbearably sexy.

As far as Rey and Kylo go, Rian Johnson wrote the perfect movie. The Last Jedi is perfection. Per-fec-tion! *kisses fingertips* Rian understood just from reading the TFA script that Kylo and Rey are reflections of one another and he built on that in an incredibly profound way. He is a brilliant human being and I love him.

At the beginning of TLJ we find Rey attempting to bring Luke Skywalker back to the Resistance. She says “we” when referring to the Rebels so in a way she has accepted them as her new family. But there’s another reason why she sought out Luke. We know that Rey’s deep-seated desire is to uncover her destiny, and she thinks Luke can help her. “I need someone to show me my place in all this,” she says, but Luke isn’t all that interested in the job. While he does eventually start training her, Rey becomes more attracted to what the Force itself--both light and dark--has to show her. Luke’s disapproval of her dark-side curiosity only compounds Rey’s loneliness. Cue the Force Bond! But not yet. First we have to talk about Kylo.

When we first see him, Kylo is trying to save face with Supreme Leader Snoke. But it’s not going well. Snoke berates Kylo and zaps him with his dark lightning all while, once again, bringing up Kylo’s past. “The mighty Kylo Ren,” Snoke says. “When I found you I saw … something truly special. The potential of your bloodline. A new Vader. Now I fear I was mistaken.” Even if Snoke was just trying to piss off Kylo because he’d connected his mind to Rey’s and blah blah blah… it worked a little too well. In this moment, Kylo digs his heels into his new misbelief. Kill the past. And guess who just became part of it? Kylo knows when he leaves that throne room that he will never be able to write his own destiny with a wrinkled old perv telling him what to do. Snoke is a goner and doesn’t even know it.

Now Kylo goes off and smashes his helmet. If he’s going to truly kill the past then the Vader costume has to go. The guise of Kylo Ren is already dissolving. And the great irony is that, like Rey, Ben Solo also concocted a lie to hide an uncomfortable truth. He created Kylo Ren to cover up his true identity and all the baggage that came with it. That’s why he must now destroy Kylo Ren. Not only does the dishonesty of it disgust him, but it’s no longer enough to simply conceal the past. Now he must completely obliterate it. He must become something new.

Even though it may not seem like it, Kylo’s outburst has left him laser-focused. “Prepare my ship,” he barks when the elevator opens. It’s time to blow up some Rebels! And he does blow up a few when he hits the hangar, but when it comes to killing his mother, unsurprisingly, he can’t seem to do it. Still, he is lost and in pain and lonely as hell. Now cue the Force Bond!

FORCE BOND #1

The first time they connect it is a surprise for both of them. Rey reacts with her gut, pulling a blaster on Kylo, but Kylo just stares in awe... again. He follows her when she runs and after an embarrassing attempt to control her with the Force he says, “You’re not doing this. The effort would kill you. Can you see my surroundings?” He is like a scientist, eager to discover how and why such a thing has happened. Rey interrupts him to scream, “You’re gonna pay for what you did!” Rey is less interested in the how-and-why and more interested in the way the story is going to play out. A bad man killed his father, so justice should be served. Kylo continues, “I can’t see yours [surroundings]… just you. No, this is something else.” While this strange new connection is a curiosity for Kylo, for Rey it is something to be wary of. Earlier, when the Uneti tree called to her, she fell to her knees, unable to deny the power of the Force. But what does the Force mean by this?

FORCE BOND #2

The second Bond starts with Kylo asking, “Why is the Force connecting us? You and I?” to which Rey replies, “Murderous snake! You’re too late. You lost. I found Skywalker.” Rey has already made up her mind about Kylo, so the Bond is a waste of her time. But Kylo wants her to have the truth, he needs her to see him as he really is. Because nobody else does. “Did he tell you what happened? The night I destroyed his temple, did he tell you why?” he asks. “I know everything I need to know about you,” Rey snaps and I think she says it out loud, to hear it, because she’s afraid she might be wrong. Right now things are pretty black and white. No need to visit the gray area between.

“You do?” Kylo says. Then comes the liquid sex, “Ahh, you do.” Can a voice induce an orgasm? Asking for a friend. Kylo studies her closely. “You have that look in your eyes… from the forest. When you called me a monster.” “You are a monster,” Rey affirms. Then Kylo does something that throws her way off. He looks into her eyes, into her soul, and says, “Yes, I am.” This is another moment like when Kylo removed his helmet for Rey back in TFA, only this time her perception doesn’t match what she’s hearing. He agrees? Why would he do that?

After the second Force Bond, Rey is more curious about the truth. Myth is no longer enough to satisfy her. So she asks Luke about the night Ben Solo destroyed his temple and Luke gives his version of the story. What I might not have mentioned before, but you already know, is that Rey is a very trusting person. She believed Finn’s lie about being in the Resistance and now she believes Luke’s story. They’re the good guys, so that means they’re honest. By that logic, Kylo is a bad guy and also a liar. The truth, of course, is that Kylo is the only person who has ever been completely honest with her. But Rey isn’t ready to confront that yet.

I should also point out that Rey is beginning to think about the way that Luke became a legend: by believing there was still good in Darth Vader and refusing to give up on him. Luke tries to tell her that it’s not that simple, but Rey trusts in the power of myths. “The galaxy may need a legend,” she tells Luke. She still believes it’s that easy. That’s why it’s no surprise when she decides to run off and save Ben Solo just a few hours later. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

FORCE BOND #3

Here it is… the most candid exchange in the whole movie. It’s open, it’s naked, it’s raw and it’s vulnerable. And it spurs a series of monumentally important events. All because Rey saw Kylo shirtless. Of course I’m kidding about that last part, but I do think the nudity has something to do with it.

“I’d rather not do this now,” Rey says and we hear Kylo respond, softly, “Yeah, me too.” But they’re gonna do it. They’re gonna do it till it’s good and done. “Why did you hate your father,” Rey asks and turns to see that Kylo is shirtless. Immediately she wants him to put on a cowl, but she just asked him a very personal question and, symbolically, to put on a cowl would be to answer dishonestly. Kylo’s beautiful, broad, glistening chest is the embodiment of naked truth here.

“Why did you hate your father? Give me an honest answer,” she says--as if he’s ever lied to her before. Kylo moves closer, ready to lay it on her. “You had a father who loved you, who gave a damn about you,” Rey says, speaking from a place of sadness and envy. Remember Ben Solo had a life she would have cherished. Why did he throw it away? “I didn’t hate him,” Kylo says, getting to the core of what she means. “Then why?” Rey demands. “Why what?” Kylo retorts. Even though he already knows what she means, he’s going to make her say it. It’s important to hear it out loud. “Why did you… why did you kill him? I don’t understand,” Rey says, sobbing. Kylo answers, “No? Your parents threw you away like garbage.” Kylo feels that his parents threw him away too, but Rey doesn’t quite understand that about him yet. “They didn’t!” she snaps, still clinging to the myth of parents that loved her. Justifiably, it’s difficult for her to let go of the lie that comforted her for more than a decade. “They did, but you can’t stop needing them. It’s your greatest weakness. Looking for them everywhere, in Han Solo, now in Skywalker,” Kylo says. Rey assumed that Kylo killed Han Solo because he hated him, but what Kylo is essentially admitting is that he killed his father because he loved him… loved him so much that it made him weak. It’s another contradiction, another clash between perception and reality.

“Did he tell you what happened that night?” Kylo asks. He’s still curious because he wants Rey to really see him, to understand him. “Yes,” she barks, teeth bared. But Kylo can tell by her vehemence that she doesn’t have all the information. “No,” he says and proceeds to tell her about that night, the way he experienced it. “He had sensed my power as he senses yours. And he feared it.” Luke admitted as much just a few scenes ago, but Rey likes to resist. “Liar,” she says in what comes across as the most unconvincing retort ever. Of course it was supposed to feel inauthentic. At this point Rey knows in her heart that Kylo is telling her the truth, has always told her the truth. But he’s a bad guy, so it doesn’t add up.

Kylo advances on Rey, going in for the kill. His eyes bore into hers as the light gleams against his hot, oily chest. Dear Jesus, help me! “Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. It’s the only way to become what you’re meant to be,” he says. There it is: his mantra. It’s his deep-seated desire AND his misbelief all rolled into one. It’s the revelation that fuels him and he’s decided to share it with Rey--because he thinks she needs to hear it. He was envious of her “nobody” status before he understood that she was clinging to her past too. And now he wants to help her become something new, as he is becoming something new.

When the connection breaks, Rey is all stirred up. She finally sees him--not the façade of Kylo Ren or the abandoned Ben Solo, but Kylo as he is right damn now. The tension and intimacy of it is too much for me her, so she takes immediate action.

While this meta isn’t about story structure, I do want to point out that this scene occurs halfway through the movie. I know from years of screenwriting classes and dozens of books on the subject that all well-written films have a plot reversal midway through. Take a look at the halfway mark of any film you love and I can almost guarantee you’ll find that the story turns. Remarkably, around The Last Jedi’s halfway mark, not only does Rey’s story turn, but everyone else’s does too. This is no coincidence. It’s just good writing.

THE MIRROR CAVE

I love Rey for a lot of reasons, one of them being her passion-fueled bursts of fearlessness. After Kylo’s truth bomb, she could’ve gone back to Luke and demanded to know what really happened. She could’ve probed the gray area a little more. But that’s not how Rey works. Her life is changing and it’s changing fast. There’s no time for gray. The darkness offered her something she needs and, dammit, she’s going to take it. The only change I’d make to this sequence would be to have her swan dive into that dark mossy hole. I’m assuming Rian decided against this only because Rey probably doesn’t know how to dive. Anyway, Kylo’s advice--and his nakedness--has driven Rey to confront her misbelief, and now she must find out who her parents are.

There’s something I want to get out of the way before I jump into (heh) this scene. And it’s the notion of Rey’s parentage. Full disclosure, I was a Rey Kenobi stan after TFA. In fact, I took it a step further and believed she was the reincarnation of Obi-Wan, but I am so relieved to be wrong. One of the reasons I think people still cling to Rey’s parentage is because TFA set it up in such an exciting and mysterious way. Like Kylo, we all wanted to know, Who is this girl? But Rian is smarter than me and ReySkys and everyone else. Rian knew what Rey required in order to grow. Okay, moving on.

Ah, the mirror cave! How rife with symbolism this scene is. Water, for instance, almost always signifies rebirth, especially when a character is submerged in it. And of course when Rey emerges from this symbolic baptism, her hair is down for the first time. Like Kylo destroying his helmet, Rey lets her look morph into something different. It’s almost as if she’s allowing herself to finally become a woman. I don’t think I have to say it, but I will: every single shred of symbolism here is intentional. Remember this.

The first thing the mirror shows Rey is a seemingly infinite line of Reys. And they copy her actions with a slight delay. What does it mean? Well, it seems to mean that Rey’s future is hers to write. She can be any one of these Reys, depending upon the decisions she makes. But there is more. A female voice speaks to her. Is it Mom? Rey approaches a mirror-like wall and says, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” No, that’s not it. “Show me the Beast.” Not right either. “Let me see them. My parents. Please.” That’s it!

It’s funny that the cave is supposed to be Ahch-To’s place of darkness because it gives Rey the truth. It doesn’t dance around her request, offering her a perplexing Jedi aphorism. It shows her the reality of her situation: she is alone. Rey wants to see her parents, but the mirror doesn’t show them because they don’t exist anymore. They’re dead. So in lieu of sending two hobbling skeletons, the Force presents Rey with two shadowy figures. Mom and Dad, right? Sure, they’re probably supposed to represent her parents, but even the notion that it could be Rey and Kylo is enough to give that idea merit. And the fact that the two figures merge together could represent the union of Rey’s parents to create Rey or it could be Rey and Kylo merging to balance the Force. It’s all there. No interpretation is wrong. Many fans think they see Kylo in the lone figure--I see him too!--and we know from the concept art that they toyed with the idea of Kylo being in her reflection. But I’m getting a little sidetracked. The point, of course, is that when the image clears and Rey sees herself, she understands that she doesn’t have parents anymore. The female voice she heard before wasn’t her mother’s, it was hers. I know she goes on to tell Kylo, “I thought I’d find answers here. I was wrong,” but it’s only because she can’t yet admit what she already knows. We’re talking about Rey’s misbelief. If it were easy for her to move past, then she would’ve done it a long time ago.

One final thought about the mirror cave. I wonder what Kylo would’ve seen if he had been there? Personally, I think he would’ve seen his parents clear as day.

FORCE BOND #4 / THE HUT

Now I want to present this scene to you a little differently than you’re probably used to thinking about it. I don’t want to talk about the romance and the beauty and the intimacy. I want to talk about the eeriness. Yep, I want to tell you why this scene has a creepy edge to it. Because it definitely does. Don’t be afraid… it’ll be fun.

Okay, okay, I know I said earlier this meta wasn’t about story structure--and it isn’t--but I want to really break this scene down in order to study it more closely. Shawn Coyne’s book The Story Grid describes the scene as a “mini-story,” meaning it must have a beginning, middle and end, a protagonist and antagonist, but overall it must have conflict. Coyne says the easiest way to add conflict to a scene is to make sure the value state changes as the scene progresses. It can go from a positive value expression (like love) to a negative one (like hate) or vice versa, but it cannot stay static. If nothing changes, you don’t have a scene. So keeping the creepy angle and the scene components in mind, let’s talk through the hut scene, perhaps the most important scene in all three movies (yes, including Episode IX). Because I think that in two years’ time we’ll be able to say that this was the midpoint reversal of the whole trilogy. This was where everything started to change.

So the beginning of the hut scene is really the end of the mirror cave scene and it reveals that Rey has been talking to someone about her experience. “I’d never felt so alone,” she says, staring glassy-eyed at the fire. We wait with anticipation. Who’s going to answer her? Thunder sounds outside, the spatter of rain mingling with the crackling fire. The music here is quiet but creeps like a dark vine twisting around your ankle. Then we hear a voice, an oozing throaty whisper, “You’re not alone.” Rey looks up and finally we see who she’s talking to. Kylo sits in the shadows of his room on the Supremacy, untouched by the fire’s orange glow. He stares at Rey, intent and focused. So here’s the conflict… Rey is vulnerable and lonely, needing someone to lean on. Kylo is there, but he’s the villain, right? Now the scene becomes all about answering one very important question… What will happen when the good guy and the bad guy connect? What, indeed.

The middle of the scene has Rey making the decision to (literally) reach out to Kylo rather than pushing him away as she has always done before. “Neither are you,” she says, committing to her decision. The eeriness builds as we go out into the storm, to Luke. Lightning illuminates the dark clouds. Perhaps evil is coming for our heroes. Back inside the hut Rey says, “It isn’t too late.” The music is hesitant and unsure, uncommitted to a melody, just as we are unsure of what will happen. But Rey extends her hand to Kylo anyway. She doesn’t know if she can actually touch him through the Force Bond, but she knows that she must try. Kylo looks at her hand, curious, but moved by the honesty of her gesture. The only way that he can match her honesty is to remove his glove, but he is also dying to know if they can touch each other across light-years. Why is the Force connecting us? What does it all mean? A scene is a mini-story, remember? And this is the climax. Kylo’s hand slides into frame, moving towards Rey’s. The music swells, finding that note of tension and lingering on it. As their hands come together the firelight brightens Kylo’s face. Close on their fingers…

BOOOOOOOM! The whole universe explodes. Rey inhales sharply, stunned by the Force’s revelation. The scene’s question has been answered. What will happen when the good guy and the bad guy connect? I’ll tell you what will happen, the fucking Force Theme will play is what will happen. If the TLJ script is ever released, I bet my life savings the action line here will say “FORCE THEME BEGINS” because the song’s presence is more important than just about anything else. The Force Theme is the music of the good guys, of larger than life power, of destiny and goodness and love. I don’t think Rian would’ve left such a vital story point up to John Williams. Anyway, trembling and crying, Rey and Kylo both understand what they are experiencing: a genuine connection to another person. Have either of them ever lived a moment like this one? I highly doubt it. So, like Kylo, you might be wondering, What does it all mean? It means the Force connected them for a reason. Even when we find out later that Snoke bridged their minds, it was still the Force that brought their fingers together and it was the Force that showed them each a vision. This is where everything turns.

The hut scene ends with Luke (the scene’s antagonist) barging in and losing his mind. But he doesn’t understand--he can’t hear the Force Theme! Personally, I’m glad that Luke spoiled the fun because if he hadn’t, then Rey or Kylo would’ve had to. Luke being the scene’s antagonist means that Rey and Kylo both got to remain the protagonists. And honestly, we all know that if there’d been more time, Kylo probably would’ve said something kinda tone-deaf that would’ve made Rey second guess going after him. Breaking up their union leaves it unfinished, leaves more questions to be answered. It keeps the story moving. And for the record, the value state of this scene went from loneliness (-) to unity (+) to confusion (-)… or something like that.

After the connection is broken, Rey chases after Luke. “Did you do it? Did you create Kylo Ren? Tell me the truth!” she says. Girl is all about the truth now. She’s visited the light side and the dark side, but more importantly, she’s been to the area in between. She sees now that things are rarely black and white and the only way to understand what’s really going on is to demand the truth. She’s becoming more like Kylo. After Luke tells her the Jedi temple story again, she says, “You failed him by thinking his choice was made. It wasn’t.” She realizes that Ben Solo was never allowed to choose the person he wanted to become and that is the reason he turned into Kylo Ren. It’s funny that she seems to grasp this now because in just a few more lines she confidently explains to Luke that Kylo will choose to come back to the light. The Force showed her a vision (what the fuck did she see seriously I can’t get over this why couldn’t we see it we needed to see it Rian) and she believes in it. She believes in it so much that Kylo’s own free will is overshadowed. “If I go to him, Ben Solo will turn,” she says. As if it will be as easy as calling him “Ben” again. Han Solo tried that and it didn’t work out real great for him. But besides being all high on Force power, Rey is beginning to understand what she thinks is her destiny. Like Luke, she will turn the villain and end the war. It’s a good story, and this time it is Force-certified.

REY’S ARRIVAL

The first time I saw TLJ this was one of my favorite moments. It’s like Snow White being awakened by Prince Charming with true love’s kiss. Admittedly, I am a sucker for stories like that. But this one is better.

Clutching the legacy lightsaber--a kind of peace offering--Rey climbs inside the escape pod and launches toward the Supremacy. Luke didn’t want the saber or the hero’s title so Rey’s bringing them both to Ben Solo. She looks so pretty inside the coffin-like pod, her lips pink and full and her chest heaving. Fog clouds the air as the pod opens. Will Kylo be there? And then he is there and he looks just as beautiful as Rey. Her eyes widen. For all she knows he’s going to reach down and scoop her out, carry her like he did once before to a shuttle he has prepared for their departure. But stormtroopers stand behind him, and one opens a pair of binders, binders meant for her. “This is not going to go the way you think,” Luke said, but she hadn’t believed him. If you were afraid Kylo wouldn’t return to the Resistance with Rey, this was red flag number one.

THE ELEVATOR

I’m not going to say much about this scene because I already have in my first meta titled LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ELEVATOR SCENE. In it I analyze every line of dialogue and explain how they foreshadow what happens in the throne room. I wrote it sometime in January and shortly thereafter Rian answered a fan question that actually confirmed one of my points. If you want to read it, you can get to it by clicking on the link above.

But I do want to point out a few new revelations I’ve had about this scene. Rey calls Kylo “Ben” here because she thinks she’s appealing to his true nature, but remember that Kylo is changing. His misbelief is that he must kill the past. And Ben Solo is past. Also she says, “You will not bow before Snoke. You’ll turn. I’ll help you. I saw it.” When Rey saw Kylo’s future, did she see him standing up to Snoke? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that she did because it would make sense as to why she would think they could end the war. Then Kylo tells Rey that he saw something too and what he saw means that she will be the one to switch sides. We all know that he saw her parents when they touched hands and he believes that knowing their identity will free her up to follow her destiny. It’s ironic that the Force showed them what the other wants. Why didn’t the Force show Rey the identity of her parents or show Kylo Snoke’s bisected corpse? It’s because the Force wants to bring them together. Their union is kinda the whole point. Rey has something Kylo wants and Kylo has something Rey wants. Make them work together to get it. And oh boy, do they ever work together!

THE THRONE ROOM

I don’t really want to talk much about Snoke because, well, he’s unimportant. Rian was right: Snoke was an obstacle in the path of Kylo’s transformation. He had to go. But we have to start at the beginning of the scene, so I’d better get going.

Kylo brings Rey to Snoke, playing the dutiful servant, but all along he’s looking for a way to overthrow the old man. Make no mistake, Kylo has already chosen Rey. She is precious to him because she is his reflection. There was never a question of allegiance. Kylo does let Snoke torture her a bit, but he doesn’t have much choice because he hasn’t figured out how he’s going to defeat Snoke yet. When Snoke confesses that he bridged their minds, Kylo’s head shoots up and his expression wilts. The question he’s been asking himself since the first Force Bond has just been answered. It was Snoke? But we touched across spacetime, the Force showed us visions. It was real! You know anger is building in Kylo to the point of exploding, but he does a remarkable job of staying calm. Our boy is growing up!

One bit of symbolism in this scene worth drawing attention to is the magnifying glass apparatus that Snoke uses to show Rey the Resistance fleet. Like a mirror, a magnifying glass is a tool to better help one see the truth. Rey doesn���t care much for this particular truth, so she Force grabs Kylo’s lightsaber to attack Snoke. Her attack is easily thwarted, but when Kylo’s lightsaber returns to him spinning at his feet he figures out exactly how to kill Snoke. The look in his eyes here is so hot resolved. The rest of the trio’s interaction just serves to pile on the suspense and, goddamn, it does a good job. When Kylo finally kills Snoke and brings the legacy saber to Rey, the Force Theme starts up again. Why does the Force Theme always play when these two join together? It’s amazing how many self-professed fans can’t even answer this question. Anyway, we all know what happens next… I lose my fucking mind when that red glow hits Kylo’s face and his lightsaber purrrrrrrrs

The fight that follows is a thing of beauty. It’s a painting in passionate reds and harsh shadows; it’s a dance; it’s lovemaking… it’s actually a whole lot of murder which, if you think about it, makes the sexiness of it feel a little wrong. But let’s not kid ourselves. When the fight was over, we all wanted them to tear off each other’s clothes and raw dog it in the middle of all those dead bodies, their sweat streaking the hard black floor, their moans echoing in the hot air as fire whirled down around them. Jesus… time out.

Okay, I’m back. Let’s move on. As much as we might like to fantasize about things going differently, the conclusion of the throne room scene is exactly what the story and characters demanded. Kylo is finally free. He has followed his misbelief and killed his past--well, not quite, but close enough. Now he has the freedom he’s always desired. Now he can decide who he wants to be. His transformation is almost complete. “It’s time to let old things die,” he says to Rey and to his credit he thinks it’s good advice, he thinks it will work for her because it has worked for him. Kylo goes on, listing all of the things they should let die, “Snoke, Skywalker, the Sith, the Jedi, the Rebels… Let it all die.” All of this is in keeping with his desire to become something new, something the galaxy has never seen before. And, of course, Rey is part of his new vision. Why wouldn’t she be? They are bound now and to tear apart that bond would only cause them both pain. “Rey, I want you to join me,” he says. “We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy.” You can almost see the boner in his pants as he considers this new life. And it’s so close to happening… so close! If Rey says yes, then he will have everything he wants.

But Rey knows that it’s not that simple. The past can never be erased. It will always be there. It will always matter. Even though she understands that her own parents are never returning, it’s okay because she has a new family now: the Resistance. And Kylo wants to let them blow up. “Don’t do this, Ben. Please don’t go this way,” Rey says. But, again, she’s not talking to Ben. I’m sorry, folks, but Ben Solo is gone. Even if he eventually reclaims the name--and I think he will--he’s been through too much to ever be that hopeful young man again. And if he’s to learn his lesson, then he won’t be able to conceal or kill his past anymore and that will include his past as Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader of the First Order. He’ll have to transform again. Perhaps into Ben Solo, but a new Ben Solo.

Kylo understands what’s going on with Rey and seeks to remedy the problem. “No, no. You’re still holding on. Let go!” he shouts. You’ve gotta admit, it’s a sexy idea. To forget everything that has ever caused you pain, to fly off into the stars with a person who has looked into your soul and accepted that it is broken. To heal together. It’s all still possible because Kylo has one last card to play. “Do you want to know the truth about your parents? Or have you always known? And you’ve just hidden it away. You know the truth. Say it. Say it.” Kylo isn’t being manipulative or dishonest. He’s seen inside her head. He knows about her misbelief. And Rey does say it because she does know the truth. She’s always known the truth. “They were nobody,” she says. Yes, this is the hardest thing for Rey to hear; yes, it will help her character grow; yes, it means that anyone can be a Force user. But do you know the number one reason Rey’s parents had to be nobodies? Because Rey would not have been Kylo’s reflection otherwise. She would not have been his mirror opposite. If she were a Kenobi or a Skywalker, then the yin-yang wouldn’t balance. And if this trilogy isn’t about balance then just kill me now because I won’t survive Episode IX.

Anyway, Kylo lays it on thick. “You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You’re nothing. But not to me.” He’s not the most suave conversationalist, but that’s because he speaks the truth. He doesn’t sugar coat it--that’s dishonest. The truth is the truth is the truth and now it’s time to move on. “Join me,” Kylo says, offering Rey his gloved hand. “Please.” If only he’d taken off his glove! It was a genuine appeal, so whipping off that glove should’ve occurred to him. But perhaps Rey would’ve seen that as a small manipulation. The real manipulation, of course, is when Rey reaches out to Kylo to throw him off. Look at his face here. The life he wants is so close to happening… it’s just within his grasp! But then Rey goes for the saber instead. It’s heart wrenching.

We all know that the lightsaber hovering between them means that they are equals now. There’s really no denying it. But the way it’s all shot is also quite enlightening. Remember in TFA when Kylo calls the legacy saber, but it flies past him to Rey. We didn’t see her reaching for the saber, we only saw her as its destination. It’s filmed in such a way that the audience shares Kylo’s surprise. In TLJ we have something similar. Rey reaches for the saber and it moves to her hand… but then it stops. The camera pans around and we learn why: Kylo has equal pull now. Like Kylo and Rey, these scenes are reflections of one another. Filmmaking is cool, huh? Of course, the riven Kyber crystal is significant too. Kylo and Rey (but mainly Rey) are bending the will of the Force, pulling against gravity, until the lightsaber splits in half. It’s considerate of the Force to separate them before the explosion. They definitely wouldn’t be “uniting” in the future if they were both missing half of their skin.

SUPREME LEADER

Here it is, friends: the big transformation scene. When Kylo wakes up in the throne room with Hux, he is no longer Kylo Ren or Ben Solo. He is Supreme Leader. He wanted Rey, but he didn’t get her, so whatever he might’ve transformed into before (Partner, Husband, Co-Supreme Leader) is lost. What’s left is Supreme Leader of the First Order and he accepts the title with breathless (heh) enthusiasm. He has followed his misbelief and achieved his deep-seated desire. His future is his to write. And, likewise, Rey has followed her own misbelief, discovered her origin and accepted her destiny. Her destiny, she thinks, is to help the Resistance (her new family) defeat the tyrannical First Order. Rey and Kylo have both gotten what they wanted and the only real sacrifice required was a potential future together. So what now? If the movie ended here, I might be worried.

THE BATTLE OF CRAIT

Lucky for us, TLJ has a final chapter, but it almost feels like the first chapter of a new movie. That’s because our two protagonists have achieved their goals and accepted their new roles. Now let’s see them in action!

The new Supreme Leader is a hot mess, but this is his chance to prove himself and end the Resistance once and for all. He’s set on doing just that until his uncle struts onto the battlefield. Of course Kylo takes the bait and uses an inordinate amount of firepower to finally end Luke’s life. Hmmm… he’s gotten what he wanted, so why does his past still bother him? When it turns out that Luke is alive, Kylo goes down to see what’s really going on, but also to face him. We all know how that goes. Lucky for Kylo, he doesn’t even have to kill Luke, but Luke’s presence as a Force projection really shakes Kylo’s foundation. For once the truth is more complicated than what his eyes can see or his hands can touch. Even though Kylo is free now to be the person he wants to be, something isn’t quite right.

And wouldn’t you know, even their transformations mirror each other. Rey’s transformation scene comes when she lifts the rocks to save the Resistance heroes. She is no longer Rey of Jakku, now she is Jedi Rey of the Resistance--the last Jedi. She has a destiny and a family. It’s time to fly off into the stars… but not so fast.

FORCE BOND #5

Aw shucks, the Resistance lived to see another day! But there’s only like twenty Rebels left. The new Supreme Leader really shouldn’t be all that worried. Why then, as he kneels down and scoops up his father’s golden dice, does he look so unsettled? Not a great time to connect with your ex-girlfriend. Rey stares down at Kylo with crushing disappointment, as if he has betrayed her. But she never really understood his misbelief. And he never fully understood hers. When Rey shuts the door of the Millennium Falcon on Kylo, she is essentially committing to her new role. She thinks that the Force will choose her path now. She did a better job than Kylo in the heat of the battle, so it seems like Rey is going to be okay. But, like Kylo, she’s arrived at her goal through her misbelief. Rey thought that she needed to know herself before she could act instead of acting first and letting those actions make her into the person she’s meant to be. If the end of a scene is supposed to answer a question, then the disappearing dice does a hell of a job at it. For both Kylo and Rey, there are still illusions left to conquer.

LOOKING AHEAD TO EPISODE IX

Kylo and Rey got what they wanted through a mistake in thinking. This is why they won’t be happy at the beginning of Episode IX. Their new lives will feel inauthentic and fruitless. And all they’ve really done is traded one set of misbeliefs for another.

Rey’s new desire is to fulfill her destiny and her new misbelief is that in order to do it she has to fill the role of Jedi Rey for the Resistance.

Kylo’s new desire is to fulfill his destiny and his new misbelief is that in order to do it he has to fill the role of Supreme Leader for the First Order.

They’ve got a lot to overcome. But it had to happen this way. If Rey had stayed with Kylo she would’ve always regretted not saving her friends. She would’ve resented Kylo for allowing this to happen and ultimately rejected him in favor of their untainted memory. If Kylo had gone back to the Resistance with Rey he would’ve become Ben Solo again, reverting back to a persona he had grown beyond. He would’ve always wondered what he could’ve been on his own two feet and eventually he would’ve resented Rey for luring him away from his destiny. Let’s all be glad it didn’t happen this way. The story that is left to tell will be much better.

I really hate to say it, guys, but Baldo Ren is a real possibility. It makes more sense than the Kylo Ren mask returning. Or any mask for that matter. Kylo has transformed and his look should reflect that. Personally, I think a leather, form-fitting Supreme Leader’s outfit will check this box just fine--no need to chop those lush black locks--but make no mistake, a new look won’t bolster Kylo’s mood for long. He’s going to discover that even with all the power in the galaxy, he can’t create the life he really wants. There has to be another way. Looking for another way, he’ll see the folly of his misbelief and move beyond it. To atone for trying to kill his past I think he’ll decide to safeguard the future and work with Rey to end the war. But if I’m not being clear enough, I’ll go ahead and spell it out: R-E-D-E-M-P-T-I-O-N. It’s going to happen, but it has to happen a certain way. If Kylo is redeemed but dies, then he isn’t Rey’s reflection. If Kylo lives but isn’t redeemed (which wouldn’t happen) then he isn’t Rey’s reflection. Their fate must be exactly the same. So the only two options I see are: Rey and Kylo achieve self-actualization and live, saving the galaxy in the process, or they achieve self-actualization and die, saving the galaxy in the process. Those are the only two ways to achieve true balance. Otherwise, the audience won’t feel right. We’ll leave the theater feeling that something was off. But I wouldn’t worry too much because, as I said before, the Mouse is a master storyteller. And if you’re wondering which of the two above options I think the Mouse will choose, just remember that Star Wars is about hope. (psst... they’re gonna live).

Like Kylo, Rey is also going to acquire something that indicates her new position. We all know what I’m talking about: she’s going to construct a lightsaber. Yep, she’s going to play the role of Jedi Rey even though it won’t feel right. I have a hunch that the Jedi texts she stole from Ahch-To will really emphasize balance, forcing her to make a few decisions that seem unconventional or against the will of the Force. She’ll meet resistance from the Resistance, but she will overcome her misbelief and choose right this time, even though her choices will be hard. And one of those choices will be saving what she loves instead of fighting what she hates. This is why Rey will be the one to initiate “the big kiss.” It has to be her. It’s her destiny because it’s this impossible union with Kylo that will redefine the Force forever. It’s the way they will achieve self-actualization and save the galaxy. I just hope Rey doesn’t mind Kylo’s bald head. ;)

WHY’S IT ALL SO SEXY?

Oh, Jesus… after 10,000 words I don’t really want to start psychoanalyzing myself. You don’t want it either. So let’s just say all the honest-talk is sexy because it’s basically seeing things as they really are and then admitting that you just don’t care… you still want to fuck the bad guy. I’ll add a picture to help you see my point.

IN CONCLUSION

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Doesn’t that sound like something one of the old Jedi texts would say? Some ancient, fundamental law that must be obeyed in order for the fabric of the universe to hold. Perhaps this is the missing piece, the key to finally balancing the Force. The battle between good and evil will never end so long as both sides keep fighting. If only they could cast aside their differences and accept that life is a quagmire of opposing forces. It is possible to feel love and hate at the very same time--and it happens often! How could this be? Sounds impossible, right? But to balance the Force, this impossible truth must be faced. And accepted.

Thanks for sticking with me for more than 10,000 words! If by some fluke you want to read more, you can check out my fanfic THE MIDDLE PLACE. It’s essentially my headcanon for Episode IX, but it also correlates with a lot of what I’ve discussed here. (And there’s some universe-altering sex, if that’s what you’re into). I’ve also written a companion meta to my fanfiction titled REY AND KYLO’S UNION WILL REDEFINE THE FORCE. And, of course, I’m always down to answer questions or chat with anyone about this stuff. It’s the air I breathe right now. But you guys know how it feels.

Peace!

tbh your blog sums up everything that is wrong in the sw fandom. if you didn't like tlj and if you don't get ben solo's character, just shut tf up.

If Rey had been a Skywalker or a Solo and either Luke’s daughter or Han and Leia’s daughter, that would’ve ruined these characters. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo, then again, is a Skywalker, not Poe or Finn. And btw Solo is a good movie, not the best one but good. It’d be amazing if people like you would just delete their blogs bc you make the Star Wars fandom toxic and not fun to be part of.

Kylo has been emotionally and physically abused for his whole life and you’re telling us he’s evil and the bad guy and abuses rey and doesn’t deserve a thing and doesn’t deserve to be in a poster that portrays the skywalkers? Lol your precious Luke Skywalker wouldn’t approve.

i’m replying to those messages for two main reasons. one, i’ve been getting hate about my stance on tlj/rey*o since december, both in my askbox and under my edits, and while i don’t really care about it, i’m torn about not publishing those messages/replies/tags because the rey*o fandom is a riot and i feel guilty about deleting evidence of their harassment. two, this new discourse is actually extremely relevant, so here we are.

since you’re writing this on anon, i assume you know i’m not the problem here, you are. i keep my opinions to my blog, i don’t look for a fight, i always tag properly. i’m not even an active anti. tlj really hurt my star wars obsession, and i needed to vent for a while, which i did, but then i moved on, and my blog is discourse-free once again. i’m assuming those messages were prompted by my tags under a post criticizing the comic-con poster fiasco.

we obviously have different interpretations of tlj, and you’re bothered by mine. i find it very reasonable though, given that ky*o did recreate anakin’s decision from rotj, and then proceeded to almost destroy everything his grandpa’s great redemption accomplished (saving luke and the rebellion). thankfully, he didn’t succeed (yes, luke died, but it was framed as a defeat for ky*o), and the legacy lives on. through whom? well, luke tells us: “the rebellion is reborn today, the war is just beginning, and i will not be the last jedi”. the editing shows us who will carry out this fight for the light side. the movie ends ky*o’s arc with his promise to destroy the new heroes. so yeah, for that reason i think finn and poe belong in that poster right next to rey, since all three were branded as the new rightful heirs. i get that you’re reading the film differently, probably hoping for ky*o’s eventual redemption and a happily ever after with rey, and honestly, there is nothing i can do about your opinion, so i’m not gonna try to. neither of us decides which interpretation is canonically correct. in the end, it’s jj’s choice, which was probably made back when he was creating those characters.

taking all of this into account, i’m hoping you could suppot two men of color who are an important part of the sequel trilogy’s narrative, whether you agree with my opinions about tlj or not. they were given their own storylines and character development, and they’re tied to the main conflict as leaders of the anti-facist movement. they deserve to be recognized as crucial to this story, and they deserve a spot in the comic-con poster.

my ramblings in the tags mean nothing. you sending anon hate means nothing. neither of those things matters in shaping the narrative for episode ix. quarrels over a ship becoming canon don’t influence the final outcome of this trilogy. however, people defending and supporting two characters of color in a predominantly white franchise means a lot, and can change a lot, at least in the long run.

we have our own opinions, and that’s alright. i voiced mine on my blog, in the tags of a random post. you were lurking on my blog, and sent me hate. i’m not the one who’s toxic here. we’re in the same boat, really- you will absolutely hate it if ky*o dies/doesn’t get redeemed, i will hate it if your ship becomes canon. the answer to that anxiety you’re feeling is to find a different thing to fixate on, and let go for the time being. or just keep your opinions to your blog, and don’t harass people by telling them to delete their tumblrs.

to address other things you mentioned in your messages (they’re standard rey*o talking points, so it should be quick):-  there is no canonical proof that ky*o has been abused his whole life. a dark presence watching him as a fetus/baby doesn’t equal grooming or emotional/physical abuse. it’s defenitely what his relationship with snoke is when we meet up with them in tlj, but we have no idea how and when this partnership was formed. that being said, i admit it’s possible that some additional information about kylo’s fall will be revealed, and it could change my opinion about this character. however…- even if kylo was abused, it wouldn’t justify his actions. he kills his alleged abuser in tlj, and continues to be a major ass, so yeah, he’s the bad guy. (to be revealed) cool motive, still murder*. - yes, kylo’s relationship with rey is abusive, both physically (throwing her into a tree, restraining her) and emotionally (invading her mind, telling her she’s nothing, lying to and gaslighting her). they’ve known each other for a couple of days, had five/six conversations in total, and the amount of time she didn’t want him dead could be counted in hours, i think. she asked him to stop killing her friends, he refused. conceptually it’s such an awful groundwork for romance it’s almost funny. she literally closed the door on him, flying away with his mother on his father’s ship, gripping his uncle’s and grandpa’s lightsaber, the literally destroyed heirloom of the skywalker family. leia said to her “we have everything we need”, completing rey’s tlj!arc of realizing that she’s destined to become the new legend despite her humble beginnings, disillusionment, self-doubt and abandonment issues. this is probably the point where you jump in to say the symbolism of the final scene between leia and rey foreshadows rey mending the lightsaber/redeeming ky*o, but i have three problems with that. one, rey already tried that, it didn’t end well. two, i don’t think jj gives two shits about vague symbolism of tlj, given that rian didn’t bother to uphold basic continuity between his movie and tfa. three, it would be incredibly sexist if rey, instead of being the true heir to the chosen one legacy, was used as a tool for redemption of the failed heir that almost destroyed it. this legacy, along with the one of leadership and rebellion, no longer belong to the skywalkers**. luke’s aforementioned quote makes this clear.- i never said kylo doesn’t belong in the comic-con poster. i only said finn and poe should be there as well. if you feel like their presence in the story threatens your predictions for kylo’s arc, then maybe those hopes you have are not well-founded in canon and you need to distort it in order to make your ship seem more plausible. just maybe. also, luke wouldn’t be able to approve or disapprove this opinion of mine that i never had.

and you’re right, luke skywalker is very precious to me.

* there is a great post going around arguing that ky*o’s apparent lack of relateable reasons for turning to the dark side is a great metaphor for neo-facism and current alt-right movements, and it makes him an excellent and very relevant villain. i agree.

** of course, this plotpoint would change if rey/finn turned out to be a solo/skywalker. i have complicated feelings about this concept, and voicing them would make this already long reply even longer, so i’m not gonna do that.

Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott, 2019

Not much is known of the mysterious leader of the Independent Systems. Former Jedi Master, Count of Serenno, philanthropist, political genius and secretly Lord of the Sith. 

This is his story. From birth to Jedi-hood and sub sequential fall to the Darkside. It follows Dooku’s growth, the friends he made, his journey as a Master of two controversial Padawans and his fascination with ancient Sith relics and Jedi prophecies.

-

First audiobook I ever listened to, and while a paper version was later published, I think the book works better in his original audio format (I’ll explain later).

The book starts just before the events of the Clone Wars. Ventress is starting her apprenticeship with Dooku and is given the task to find a woman that has close ties to the former Jedi Master.

The narration jumps from present to past through audiologs of Dooku’s childhood as Initiate, Padawan and into adulthood as a Knight and Master. 

I found this narrating choice to be very effective and while other books can fall into the trap of blurring the lines between past and present events, confusing the reader, here the author manages to keep the two distict.

One of the most interesting parts of this novel is Dooku’s family and their history. We discover how he came to be in the Jedi Order and his father’s resentment of him. It’s revealed he has two siblings, a sister named Jenza and a brother, Ramil. During the novel we see their relationship grow. And while Jenza cares for Dooku and stays in contact with him through the years, Ramil takes from their father and resents Dooku and wants nothing to do with him.

Serenno as a world is further explored. From their repulsion for Force sensitive beings to an ancient mural depicting a creature capable of destroying the world: the Tirra’Taka.

We also explore Dooku’s relationship with Sifo-Dyas, a fellow Initiate and Padawan, and his slow descent into madness that will lead him to create the Clone Army.

Sadly Yoda is written as a crappy master and it feels really out of character. He chooses Dooku, but almost immediately leaves him with another Master and barely teaches him anything. I feel like this was a lost opportunity to explore their bond and the reasons Dooku resents Yoda so much in the future (I guess for that we have the EU).

The reason why this story works better in audio format can be summarised in a scene when Dooku hears voices in a vision when only a Padawan learner (some among them are Ventress, Savage, Sidious, Qui-Gon, Yoda, etc...). I loved this moment, although it begs the question if Dooku always had this ability. Sure it could be tallied to this being a Disney book and therefore “there are no rules”, but some consistency would be appreciated.

As the story switches to Ventress’s PoV, we learn more abou Ky Narec through her recalling of events, and his voice acts as a conscience to the Sith assassin. A conscience she tries to bury.

I would also like to share some of my favourite moments from this book (no spoilers):

D: “There’s no harm in feeling pride. I’m proud of you after all.” “If I never do anything of note ever again, I will watch you rise through the Order, changing it forever”

Q: “For the better?”

D: *soft, warm laugh*

This is probably one of my favourite moments. We see Dooku’s clear affection towards Qui-Gon and knowing the faith of the latter, it makes it even more heartbreaking (Euan Morton does an amazing job, that laugh kills me). It also allows us to understand more clearly why Dooku fell to the Dark Side, making the reader empathize with him.

D: “You are wise beyond your years, Qui-Gon Jinn. With a connection to the Living Force that may even rival Yoda.”

Q: “I doubt that”

[Oh, Qui, you don’t even know the half of it.]

D: “I have faith in you and faith in the Force”

[How do you go from this to the bitter man of CW?]

As events unfold, Dooku and Qui-Gon are sent by the Coucil to attend a Swooper race, where they encounter Ramil, who’s there as a pilot.

The action picks up as his swooper is sabotaged and the two Jedi chase the culprits through the underground levels of Coruscant, and we discover where Qui-Gon gets his maverik streak, or better, from who he gets it.

The chase leads them to confront a criminal boss. The confrontation enrages Dooku to the point he has to fight the lightning that threatens to escape, keeping it inside, controling it. Which is interesting, but also contradicts what we know about Force lightning, aka only those who are subjected to it in prolonged periods of time can use it. So it begs the question of how can Dooku use this ability if he was never exposed to it. But, again, this is a Disney novel, so lore consistency is not really expected. Here instead it’s treated as a force from within and the only way to control it is to accept it.

Another interesting side-plot it’s when a member of the Council is revealed to be allied with the underground boss, but only to protect a fellow Jedi, later revealed to be her son. The Master in question is Yula Braylon, a fromer seeker (a Jedi who finds Force sensitive children and brings them to the Temple). Her son instead is revealed to be Dooku’s training rival, Arath.

This opens a whole conversation about what’s wrong with the Order, because how sad is it that when threatened, a Jedi feels it’s safer to comply with the requests of a criminal, that to ask the Council for help. In the end, both Breylon and Arath are arrested.

The story then shifts to Dooku’s homeworld of Serenno, that is under invasion, the Republic doesn’t care (so neither does the Order) because they see it as an “internal fewd”, although they are under attack from a foreign world. Jenza sends a official help request, but the Order decides to ignore it. Dooku defies the Council and along with Sifo-Dyas and his Master, Kostana, travel to Serenno.

Ramil is revealed to be behind the invasion, the Houses of Serenno are in shambles and the population is forced out into the plains as refugees. The situation is dire.

Everything escaletes when Dooku and Kostana fall into a crevice and find the mythical Tirra’Taka.

To save his people Dooku mind melds with him and has accesses its memories, discovering that the Tirra’Taka was enslaved by the Sith and abandoned on Serenno after their defeat at the hands of House Serenno. He also discoveres that the beast hates force-sensitives and that he reawakened when Dooku returned all those years ago.  Finally explaining the fear and aberration Dooku’s father, Count Gora, felt towards him and how he saw his son’s Force-sensitivity as a threat to Serenno and wanted him as far away as possible. 

Along with these revelations Sifo-Dyas is rapidly losing his mind, having nonstop visions, caused by the growing distress of the creature. I’ll be honest, Syfo’s abilities don’t make much sense and seem to be there just to hype the drama.

Before Ramil can kill Jenza and the rest of the people, Dooku summons the Tirra’Taka and uses it to destroy the invading army. This causes Sifo-Dyas to lose his mind completely. The fight ends with Dooku killing his brother.

Sadly the beast goes insane and Dooku is reluctantly forced to kill it to save Kostana, Sifo and Jenza.

D: “I never ment to hurt you. Not like the others. Never ment to bend you to my will. I’m sorry. So, so sorry.”

Here the author has me perplexed. He describes Dooku striking down the beast with his “golden blade”. Since when does Dooku have a golden kyber? It makes no sense, but again, it’s Disney...

After the battle, they discover this new, rare and, therefore, expensive ore called Zaccanium and now the Repubblic is interested in helping. This makes Dooku livid, keeping in line with his character and his contempt for the corruption of the Republic.

Yoda: “More than a name, the Jedi are. More than a title”.

Because of this Dooku decides to remain on Serenno as the new Count. Sealing his fate, as Sifo says “All the futures have become one. One path”.

D: “Please tell Rael and Qui-Gon... tell them the Force will be with them, always.”

This concludes the flashback section of the book and we return to the present, where Ventress finds the woman she was tasked to hunt down. 

She’s revealed to be Jenza, who wanted to go ask the Jedi to help her brother, for she fears he’s walking down a dark path, but was instead kindnapped by Republic agents and tortured for informations about the Separatists.  Dooku arrives she begs him to get help form the Council and to stop listening to the “hooded man”.

Meanwhile, Narec’s voice is still trying to convince Ventress to run away and gives her a vision of what awaits the former Jedi Master. As she’s trown back to reality, Dooku gives her an order, to which Narec tries again to convince Ventress to run away, in the last desperate attempt to keep her in the Light, but she doesn’t.  She obeys the Sith and Narec finally disapears. She made her choice.

-

Lore wise: it’s interesting. Through the course of the movies and animated series, we never really see or learn about Dooku as a character (his motivations, aspirations, bonds if he ever had any). the most we get is a hint of his affection for Qui-Gon in Episode II or, his almost panicked reaction at Sidious’s order to kill Ventress (you could also count the ROTS novelization by M. Stover, where he tries to convince Sidious not to kill Obi-Wan, because he sees him as a grandson).

I liked the concept that Dooku gained the Force lightning before becoming a Sith, because it kind of shows that although it’s associated with the Dark Side, it’s still part of the Force.

The biggest change this book makes (also “Master and Apprentice”) is probably to the timeline In the EU, Dooku and Qui-Gon were 10 years apart, making Qui-Gon in Episode I 60 yrs old and Dooku 70 (80 in Ep II). While now, in the Disney canon, Qui-Gon is 47 and Dooku is still 70. Not a big deal I guess, but it does raise the question: how does Qui-Gon have the rank of Master in TPM, if Obi-Wan is his only Padawan? Qui-Gon was 22 when Obi-Wan was born, so that leaves approximately a 13 years gap, in which they could squeeze in another Padawan.

At least it’s implied that Dooku still joined Sidious after Qui-Gon’s death, I was afraid they’d retcon that. I always liked that it was that loss that pushed him to the edge.

Voice acting: Orlagh Cassidy as Ventress is good, she sounds very similar to Nika Futterman. Morton’s Dooku grows on you after a while, although the not so pronounced british accent is quite distracting, but what can I say, there’s only one Chistopher Lee. Qui-Gon is... interesting. Like, I know he should be 13/14 when he’s first introduced, but he sounds way older (sometimes older that Dooku), but to his credit the slight irish accent is delightful. Also Jonathan Davis delivery and speech patterns mimic those of Liam Neeson pretty well. On the other hand I was not expecting Rael’s voice to sound like that! Nice.

So, in conclusion:

Jenza deserved better

Ventress deserved better

Dooku is a dick, like his father and brother before him

But in all seriousness, this is a very well acted audiobook, with an amazing soundtrack and an interesting story that sheds light on one of the most unexplored characters of the Prequel Trilogy.

———————

Rating: It’s a buy!

I have like a million other things that I’m in the middle of writing but I just had a thought that I felt the need to get down. Yeah yeah, it’s another crack AU idea... Such a surprise. I know. But still just imagine what might have been:

It is a time of supposed galactic stability. It will be decades yet before Sidious’ plans will come to fruition, and a certain Not-Yet-Negotiator is currently training under his Maverick Master as per canon. However in this universe there is one, marked difference.

In the halls of the great archives beneath the Jedi temple a minor cataloguing program designed to collate external references to Jedi deployed in the field (mentions in galactic news media, bounty descriptions, general gossip - the kind of things that might indicate a problem for long term missions) brings up a discrepancy for further review. It is the kind of thing which might easily be dismissed- a possible mention that cannot be appended to the relevant individual’s file because it is no longer in active circulation. This isn’t an unheard of occurrence; no program is perfect and it is easy to shrug off the match with a Jedi listed as having been deceased for years as being a false positive due to mistaken identity.

Which is what probably would have happened, had the Senior Padawan in charge of reviewing the system reports not had the unfortunate luck to have been caught sneaking an open container of Muja Juice into the archives by Madame Nu that morning and been dismissed for punishment duty. As a result it was the head archivist herself who ended up reading the report of a pirate arrested coming out of the Rattanak system, who in his interrogation happened to mention a man who bore a remarkable resemblance to Jedi Knight Ky Narec, missing, presumed dead, following the loss of his ship five years previously. Now Jocasta Nu is nothing if not meticulous, and instead of dismissing the report instead double checks the initial case - while not probable, it is possible that the ship may have made it to a nearby system, and Rattanak is within feasible distance...

As such, in this universe, the Jedi Order sends a team to Rattanak to investigate Ky Narec’s possible survival. And so it is that the long lost knight returns to the Temple.There is however consternation in the Council - Ky Narec’s return from the dead is an unexpected blessing, but at the same time he is loudly and vociferously demanding to be allowed to return and finish his self appointed mission. And then there is the matter of his preteen “Padawan”...

Asajj Ventress is indisputably strong in the force, but she has never seen the inside of the creche. When Ky found her she was already old for an initiate, and the years since have been focused on skills relevant to their immediate survival rather than providing a broad understanding of Jedi principles. But the bond between Master and Padawan is strong, and there is no question that her training must continue. But still, what is the council to to with a semi-feral Padawan who has spent years in an active warzone and her headstrong master who has an unshakeable belief in his own judgement?

The answer is obvious. Team them up with another problem pair and hope they balance each other out. And so it is that a smirking Master Yoda informs Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon that their expertise is required for a very special mission...

Qui-Gon is quite happy with his new assignment. Applying his years of experience to formulate an appropriate plan for dealing with the ongoing conflict on Rattanak is not easy, however Ky is a highly perceptive man and has an excellent understanding of the relative dynamics between the different players. The lost knight also has a delightfully dry sense of humour and is passionate in his defence of his student, which endears him very much to the older Master for a number of reasons. For his own part Ky Narec is pleasantly surprised by how well Master Jinn is actually listening to his arguments. Oh he challenges Ky’s conclusions, but he does not dismiss his knowledge or suggest that the situation might best be left to develop on its own (unlike other Jedi Ky could mention). Indeed, he suspects their proposal has a very good chance of working. 

Obi-Wan on the other hand is wondering how long the council intends to punish him for his various misdeeds. The Padawan he has been instructed to tutor is barely old enough to meet the standard definition of the term, has barely any understanding of most core teaching subjects and is only very begrudgingly separated from her master for more than an hour at a time. She is vicious, defensive and... and far too like himself in the wake of Melida/Daan. He remembers what it is like to be always on a hair trigger, always waiting for the next attack, desperately holding on to what you have because tomorrow it could be gone. He also remembers what it was like on his return. The scornful looks and disapproving frowns that left him feeling isolated, the endless nightmares and constant twitching at loud noises, the way the only one who seemed to have faith in him was his own Master - and little Asajj is far younger than he was... 

Asajj is not sure she likes the Temple, no matter how much Master Ky says she will learn to call it home. The food is good, and it’s nice not to have to worry about sentry duty, but the people are stupid. Do they think she doesn’t notice the way they look at her? The way the snicker just because she doesn’t know who some karking bigwig from the shouting hou... Senate is? Master Ky tells her not to worry, that she will catch up in no time, but he’s busy these days with the tall Master who makes the others groan and she’s been left with this Padawan Kenobi who seems just as stupid as the rest of them! Except... Padawan Kenobi never laughs at her in the mess hall for eating too fast, just hands her extra seed rolls to squirrel away in her robes for later. Padawan Kenobi might roll his eyes at her when she complains about her reading, but he doesn’t raise his voice or tell her she’s stupid. Padawan Kenobi will spar with her, and while he knows just what to say to get a rise out of Asajj he never toys with her or tries to embarass her. And come to think of it, he always seems to make enough noise for her avoid being startled by him. Maybe Padawan Ken... no, Obi-Wan isn’t so bad after all. It doesn’t mean she’s going to make life easy for him though!

To cut a long story short (and oh are there ever stories, because honestly the Council dearly begins to regret setting this up) Obi-Wan has a new friend and Qui-Gon has a new partner in crime.  Ky and Qui-Gon will watch in amusement while Obi-Wan and Asajj attempt to verbally eviscerate  whatever hapless individual has earned their scorn, and the Padawans will sigh and trade stories about reckless masters who can’t seem to go anywhere without attracting trouble. Over time (once Asajj has grown enough not to horrify civilians when she pulls our her blades) when one pairing gets into trouble more often than not it is the other who comes to bail them out. Which is more frequent than you’d think. Ky and Asajj are not diplomats. On the other hand given the trouble Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan usually end up causing, having a pair or terrifyingly efficient warriors familiar with the seedier side of the galaxy is a distinct advantage.

Which is why when the Temple loses contact with pair after sending them to negotiate an end to the trade dispute on Naboo, Ky and Asajj just look at one another and start preparing for an extraction mission. As it turns out they don’t need to launch as rescue as surprise surprise the pair turn up on Coruscant accompanying the missing Queen and with a new stray in tow...

Let’s backtrack a bit here. Because while the core events remained the same, the details do not. Qui-Gon Jinn lands on Tatooine and immediately starts cursing as he recalls everything Ky has told him about Outer Rim economics. Still, they need to do what they can, so into town he heads, with a foolish Gungan and a disguised Queen by his side. And when he meets Anakin Skywalker and his mother, Qui-Gon Jinn remembers a young Dathomiri Padawan matter of factly telling him “Hal’Sted wasn’t a bad master, it could have been much worse” before explaining exactly how in great depth, and his blood runs cold. 

Similarly, as their ship leaves behind the sand and suns of Tatooine, Obi-Wan Kenobi looks at his Master’s newest acquisition and thinks “Two of them. Bant is never going to let me hear the end of this.” and proceeds to do his best to reassure the boy and get him settled because experience has taught him that the easiest way to deal with a non-Temple raised force sensitive is to earn their trust as quickly as possible and worry about attachment issues later.

(Oh Obi-Wan, you have NO IDEA what you’ve just done)

What happens next is up in the air. Perhaps there are two more Jedi on the return to Naboo. Perhaps it changes things, and Qui-Gon lives to sort out his mess. Perhaps it doesn’t, and two padawans lose their masters that day. Perhaps Maul swears vengeance against two Jedi instead of one, and Asajj first tastes the Dark as the Sith that might once have been a brother takes away not only the man she sees as her father, but the Master who supported them both from the start.

But perhaps it doesn’t change things. Perhaps a grieving Obi-Wan returns to the Temple with his tiny new Padawan only to be hugged within an inch of his life by a teenage menace who will flatly deny it if she is ever asked. Perhaps things are easier in a world where the Council has already had to deal with one overaged Padawan in the last decade (At least Skywalker doesn’t appear to be about to stab anyone who looks at him wrong). Certainly Obi-Wan has a better grip on Anakin’s lingering issues regarding slavery.

(”It's different.” Whispers an unusually gentle Asajj when little Ani asks her. “You are HIS Padawan, but he is YOUR Master, and you have a claim on each other.” She smiles. “And if you truly wanted to leave, he would let you go.”)

They’re not large changes, not world breaking shifts in the way the galaxy will turn. But that doesn’t matter. 

I just want you all to imagine Knight Ventress.

Knight Ventress who is the unacknowledged master of Jar Kai and whose appearance has been known to send pirates running to the authorities to give themselves in.

Knight Ventress who is sharp and righteous anger, but never lets the Dark take hold, because she has too much to protect.

Knight Ventress who appears out of nowhere to snark at Kenobi and pat Skywalker on the head even after he grows to be taller than her.

 Knight Ventress who has a horrifically complicated on-off relationship with Quinlan Vos that the entire Temple is trying to pretend Does. Not. Exist.   

Knight Ventress who stalks into the middle of the Council chambers following the Battle of Geonosis and icily demands to know why they are leading a slave army.

Knight Ventress who repeatedly engages Dooku’s assassin, the brutish Savage Oppress, knowing that they share a heritage and that had things been different it might have been a far darker master she was sold to.

Knight Ventress who teases Knight Skywalker about his new Padawan, and promising to corrupt her lightsaber habits.

Knight Ventress who takes one look at the Duchess of Mandalore and just smirks knowingly at Obi-Wan.

Just... Knight Ventress. 

Who stands beside Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi as they take down Darth Sidious and watch the galaxy still fall...

Isn’t it an interesting thought?

Woke up thinking about TLJ, what went wrong, what went horribly wrong, what should be changed or taken out completely, and just generally how to make it a better movie. As one does. 

Make Snoke a more convincing villain + a villain with more impact. They built him up so much in TFA, and then just dropped him completely and he became this really disappointing detail in the story. Whether he turns out to be Sidious’ former master who survived because Dark Side of the Force, a jedi who survived the clones’ betrayal and became disenchanted with the whole thing and decided to train real good and make himself superdeeduperly powerful, or something else, is entirely open. 

I came up with this idea, using the whole ‘our minds are connected and we can somehow see each other and talk from way far away!’ thing that they forced on Rey and KyleRenBen (which didn’t make much sense in the context of those two, because if snoke found Rey’s mind to connect the two of them, that means he found Rey, so he would know where she was and, by extension, where Luke was and just??? the story would have gone mighty differently dudes), that Leia would reach out to KRB and have a similar sort of scene where she’s trying to directly ask him to drop all of this and come home. Right when it seems like he might take her up on the offer Snoke sweeps in and takes the vision by the throat. Leia starts to say something like “you can’t have my son” but Snoke cuts her off, replying that she can’t tell him what he can or can’t do, because he can do anything. He throws her out of the vision with explosive force and that’s what sends her into her coma. 

Weird things keep happening on and around the ship and no one’s really sure how, but it later is revealed that Leia still has some use of The Force even in her coma, and she’s been helping out as much as she can while her mind recovers

This adds a point of tension between Snoke and KyRB, where K still really wants to be Big Powerful Dude but he’s also still really attached to mom and kind of wants to go home now, thanks, but Smoke starts hinting that he can’t leave. There’s potentially a scene where smoke either implies or outright states that kyrb’s willingness to cooperate is nice, but ultimately not necessary, because smoke can actually just mess with his mind and have a Force-wielding soldier anyway. This adds a bit of distress to Kyle’s position and helps to later sway him back towards the light (also potentially- snoke was manipulating his mind- quite literally -for years, and while the frustrations are inherent to Ky, the extreme action is through snoke’s influence)

Played with the idea of KyRB’s killing of Han being a vision forced on him by Snoke, to see if he was actually ready and willing to kill Han. So the event itself in effect did not happen. Where’s Han? He went with Rey, of course. To find his friend and drag his ass home to Leia.

Luke did not give up on anyone.

LUKE DID NOT GIVE UP ON ANYONE

Luke ran away to a place where no one could find him, so that he could train up Real Good and take on Snoke and sweep Kyrby off his feet and right back to Leia’s waiting arms (and hand. with a smack). This could be shown off at some point with some super neat trick that shows he’s gotten a lot stronger and more in tune with shit (I thought about having some Force Moses scene, where he pushes back the ocean from around the island some distance, it’s probably then when Rey sees the x-wing as it’s revealed from the water pulling back and she potentially lifts it out right then as a show of how powerful she’s become (this would probably take place later in her training)).

Luke is, of course, upset about what’s going on and is very into the idea of training Rey, because of course, and they have many epic training sequences, and Rey does lift and/or carry Luke at some point (because of course).

They have a scene one evening, sitting beside a fire, where Rey is fixing her hair because it came all undone from it’s wee knobs during trainin that day, and Luke watches and says something about how apprentices used to have to chop off all their hair as some sort of small rite, like ‘if you’re willing to let go of this one little thing, it makes letting go of everything else a bit easier. small steps’ or somethin like that idk I just really want there to be a scene where Rey disappears for a little while and shows up with ob/younganakin’s apprentice hairdo or something similar because wouldn’t that just be the cutest

This leads somewhat into the reveal that Rey is, actually, a descendant of Obi-Juan; reasonably, his grandaughter. Her parents really weren’t anyone of note and are long gone and out of the story. But her link to ob gives a nice mirroring to Kyrby’s obsession with his grandfather and the different ways they handle their ancestors. Rey learns and accepts obi’s strengths and weaknesses and learns from all of that, but ultimately does decide to forge her own path regardless of his actions.

MEANWHILE...~~~

Finn and PoeDAMNeron are NOT separated. Leia is in a coma and Lauradern is in command (and she doesn’t keep them out of the plan? for some reason?? she tells them what’s going on and they respect all of that and they tell her their thoughts and plans and she respects that too and they work something out so no one is going against anyone’s orders and we’re all a team here folks???). They get their mitts on an enemy ship and the plan is to go back and find Snoke’s ship (because we are not going to pull that ‘lol mine’s bigger’ bullshit with the ships, ok, that was ridiculous, you keep those ships at a reasonable size, dipshit) , because he’s actually a fairly smart dude and has a ship that blends with the rest of the fleet and no one’s really sure just where he is, only that he is definitely there.

Cue epic team-up sequences starring my Very Good Excitable Sons

Rose is there as a rather disillusioned empire mechanic who sees The Boys are Up To Shit and wants to help. She and Finn navigate the ship with Poe standing there looking Pretty

MEANWHILE...~~~

Rey, Luke, Han, and Chewie make their way back, see what’s going on with the ships, and Use The Force to figure out where Kyrbie is, which happens to be the same ship that Them Boys and Rose are on

Han drops off Rey and Luke and takes to space to help out in the Epic Space Battle that has ensued with their arrival. Rey and Luke become separated at some point, but Rey meets back up with Her Boys and also meets Rose and they all wander off to try and find Luke, Kyle, and/or Snoke

Kyle’s with Snoke, of course, and Luke finds them and they have a bit of Deep convo and back-and-forth, mostly with Kyle to the side and still not really sure which path he wants to take, but really quite shaken now that some more of Snoke’s plan and abilities have been revealed to him and he’s got a bit of his own mind back now

Luke and Snoke fight, quite evenly matched, but a ways into the fight Rey and Co. run up on them, in a scene very like Ob’s death in ANH. Luke is distratced for a beat which is all that Snoke needs to drive down on him in what would be a killing blow, but then Ben swoops in, pushes Luke out of the way, getting his hand cut off in the process (!!), and pissing Snoke off Majorly

The battle outside has basically been won by the resistance and Han comes back to the ship to pick everyone up and he lands in the hanger just in time to see Snoke dragging Kyle onto a ship to retreat. KRB sees Han, sees that he’s really alive, and that’s really the last nail that needs to be driven in the coffin of Ben Tried the Dark Side Once, and he is now fully on board with trying to recover and go to The Light again, but his ass is being dragged off and he can’t do anything to stop it, but there’s hints that he’s gonna be fighting the shit out of Snoke in the next movie, as Snoke works to completely control Ben’s mind

potentially, Snoke’s army are all similarly brainwashed folks, Phasma may at some point get some similar head-clearing and Redemption, and Snoke may also reveal he’s got a growing army of Force-sensitives he’s been messing with the heads of

Gang gets The Fuck off the ship that is now going down. Rose breaks off to rejoin the empire personnel escaping from the ship, hoping to maybe find some people like herself and tackle the empire from the inside

Gang’s back on the ship. Rey, Finn, and Poe all have a super excited “you were fantastic!” “no, YOU were incredible!” “no, YOU-” moment (a la TFA scene between Rey and Finn) and basically my Polyromantic Trio is alive and well and also canon (please)

Leia is still in a coma and recovering from Snoke’s mental attack (and potentially still being further attacked via Force by Snoke, just to add some urgency). Han sets down next to her and tells her about seeing Ben, that Ben’s fighting and he thinks he can come back from The Dark and that Han’s not going to give up on him. 

The movie ends on a rather hopeful note, with the rebellion heading towards another planet where some resistance allies have holed up and with the idea that they’re gonna build up their army even more and then take Snoke on again (hopefully not in space this time, where it’s easier for him to fly off and disappear).

The last shot is of Rey, Finn, and Poe all standing with each other, looking very Fierce and Determined and Gorgeous (respectively) 

Cut to credits

fuck reean j I will probably never forgive him for wasting the last movie we had with carrie on that absolute convoluted travesty that was TLJ

get back the crew that made Rogue One because THAT, ok, TTHHHAAATTT was a STAR WARS movie (I love RO it was incredible it felt like watching the original trilogy again but with all the progress that the series should have made given the gap between trilogies (only some of the progress having been seen in the prequel trilogy). I just love it so much you guys, I love Rogue One and I want another like it