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tmarshconnors · 10 months

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US Government Rant

Oh, where do I even begin with the ever-so-efficient, flawless, and oh-so-transparent U.S. government? It's like watching a well-oiled machine run by geniuses who always have their citizens' best interests at heart! 🙄

I mean, it's truly astounding how they manage to navigate complex issues with such grace and decisiveness. The way they handle healthcare, for instance, is simply a masterclass in efficiency and compassion. It's so touching to see them bicker endlessly while millions of Americans struggle to afford basic medical care. But hey, who needs affordable healthcare when you can have endless debates, right?

And let's not forget the political circus, where politicians put on a breathtaking show of finger-pointing, grandstanding, and empty promises. Who needs honest, transparent leadership when you can have politicians who can twist words better than a pretzel?

Of course, the U.S. government's track record on foreign policy is second to none. They've got a knack for intervening in other countries' affairs and leaving behind nothing but peace, stability, and gratitude from the locals. It's almost like they've mastered the art of winning hearts and minds on a global scale.

Oh, and the cherry on top is the awe-inspiring efficiency of the bureaucracy! The way they navigate through mounds of paperwork, red tape, and bureaucratic hurdles is truly awe-inspiring. It's almost as if they deliberately designed the system to make simple tasks as convoluted as possible.

But hey, let's not forget about the ever-growing national debt. Who needs to worry about living within your means when you can just keep borrowing and kicking the can down the road? It's not like future generations will have to deal with the consequences of our financial irresponsibility, right?

In conclusion, hats off to the U.S. government for consistently setting the bar high when it comes to, well, let's just say "unique" approaches to governance. It's truly a sight to behold, and we're all so lucky to witness this grand spectacle of political prowess and wisdom. Bravo! 👏

#U.S. Government #Government Policies #Political System #Bureaucracy #Healthcare System #Foreign Policy #National Debt #Political Leadership #Democracy #Legislative Process #Executive Branch #Judicial System #Political Discourse #Public Administration #Government Accountability #today on tumblr

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bookishbrigitta · 1 year

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Me, setting up my weekly pillbox: I'm taking care of my health! Yippee! Looks like I only have 6 of these pills left. Better contact my pharmacy for a refill. I am being proactive and on-top of this! Plus then it will be filled by tomorrow and I can pick it up on my way home!

Pharmacy: Lol, no, go ask your doctor.

Me: Okay! I am not letting this setback get to me! I am being proactive! I will make a phone call before I forget!

Doctor's office: How many pills do you have?

Me: 6.

Doctor: Oh, we set it up to only be refillable after X date, when you have 5 pills. So call the pharmacy again tomorrow, and then they'll contact us.

*slow blinking*

Why is my healthcare team cock-blocking my executive functioning right now?? It's an SSRI. It is what is giving me the motivation and calmness to deal with these situations. I'm trying to plan ahead to reduce my anxiety. You know, the thing the pill is helping with.

#mental health #pharmacy #bureaucracy #executive function #anxiety #adulting #healthcare #the baffling life of bookishbrigitta

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sytoran · 8 months

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𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟎𝟎𝟐 — 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐉𝐎𝐁

kinktober day 002 | secretary!natalie rushman x ceo!reader

natasha's mission to retrieve a thumbdrive file involves seducing a high-ranking executive, and the seduction goes smoothly. a little too well, in fact, that she doesn't notice you're not all you seem to be.

cont. reader has a cock, power play, begging

word count. 1869

kinktober masterlist || main masterlist

To Natasha, you were nothing more than just another target.

She was an unfathomably, dangerously-skilled assassin, feared across nations and intelligence bureaucracies. She was a Red Room widow gone rogue, taking things in her own stride and shifting the world upside down as she pleased. Renowned political figures and billionaire executives were dropping like flies, and you, were no different.

This time, Natasha Romanoff was going undercover as Natalie Rushman.

It had been embarrassingly easy for her to infiltrate security and create a false persona for herself. Climbing up the ranks of a corporate business like this one had been more time-consuming, sure, spanning over a few months, but Natalie would reap what she sow.

Chief Executive Officer Y/N L/N was all-too-easy to fool, even more gullible than the other targets Natasha had preyed upon.

All it took was the classic seduction: bending over to ‘pick up a pen’, coincidentally right in your field of vision, clinging onto your arm and looking up with wide doe eyes while you talked, giggling shyly when you made a joke and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

In the end, all her targets got caught up in the Widow’s Web. You were rendered useless and completely at Natasha’s mercy, waiting to be preyed upon for manipulation and her own personal gain.

Or at least, that’s what you let her think.

“Fuck, baby,” you cursed, eyes screwed shut as your secretary bobbed her head up and down the girthy length of your cock, lewd noises escaping both your lips.

Natalie looked up at you through glossy eyes, bottle-red lipstick smeared but unarguably pretty, batting her eyelashes every so often. It had only taken a week of flirting before you took her home, your actions seemingly foolish.

“Take it all down your throat, Natalie, fuck,” you said breathily, hands tugging onto her hair as you chased your own high. Natasha almost choked on the length in her mouth at the fast pace you had set, but she quickly hollowed out her cheeks to engulf your wet heat once more.

Shit, it had been a while since Natasha had gotten such a thick cock, above average in length, too. Normally, these high-ranking executives had disappointingly miniscule excuses of a member, but this was thrillingly different.

Still, Natasha couldn’t forget why she had made all this effort to get to your house.

“Fuck, babe, you’re too good at this,” you comment breathlessly, chest heaving as you come down from your high. “Bedroom?”

To speed up the process, Natasha finished you off with her hands working on the base of your cock, calculated squeezes and strokes that had you jerking your hips up as you toppled over the edge. Jets of hot white come went down Natasha’s throat, as she greedily sucked and swallowed.

Tastes fucking good too, she thought. Maybe this won’t be so bad.

Natasha had to refrain from rolling her eyes. What you wanted was predictable, to have your cock inside her. She wanted something different, though. It was why she had embarked on this mission in the first place.

“Can we go to your office?” Natasha asks instead, never failing to load up on that sultry tone that had people falling to their knees. She licks her lips drenched in your seed, kissing her way up your unbuttoned shirt as she rises to her feet. Her navigation of your surprisingly well-built body ends at the column of your neck.

Calculatedly, Natasha presses her slick lips to the hot skin of your neck, her residual lipstick making an enviable mark there.

“I want you to bend me over your office desk.”

Natasha can’t help but smirk at your affected reaction. You hastily lift your secretary up by the back of her thighs, letting her hook her legs around your torso. A sloppy kiss kickstarts your burning need to meet her needs.

Of course, the sole reason why Natasha wanted to go to your office was to retrieve a very important thumb drive that was stored there. As you were the CEO of an incredibly powerful corporate firm, being able to have that kind of information meant a wealth of power, influence, and information.

There isn’t a doubt of the sinful possibilities floating through your mind right now, as you single-handedly unclasp her bra and rid of her remaining garments, as you stumble your way over to your office.

Everything was going according to Natasha's plan.

As if on cue, you kick open the door of your office and ungracefully deposit Natasha onto your desk. The way you’re manhandling her is arguably hot, and when you trail kisses down the back of Natasha’s neck, she quite nearly forgets what she came here to do.

“Need you inside me, now,” Natasha growls out, because she needs to get this operation going. What scares her for a moment is that her statement isn’t entirely untrue, because you were evidently more skilled than any of her previous counterparts and she so craved release.

You certainly don’t disappoint in that aspect, forcefully bending Natasha over the desk as she wished, then painstakingly slowly dragging her skirt down with your teeth.

“Fuck,” Natasha doesn’t mean to whimper when your cock slides between her wet folds, collecting slick arousal with that huge shaft, but she does whimper, and you let out a low noise from your chest.

As you’re busy getting your cock lubricated enough to enter her, Natasha seizes this opportune moment of your distraction to slides her hand over the desk to where your laptop was, unplugging the thumbdrive just as you speak up again.

“You’re fucking naughty, hm?” you growl, and Natasha freezes.

The fear envelops her whole, before Natasha realizes that you’ve remained blissfully oblivious to her actions and were trapped in the haze of sex.

“You’re fuckin’ naughty, wanting me to bend you over my table like that. Beg for my cock, and maybe I’ll let you use it.”

Natasha gulps, not understanding why she’s threatening to start drooling onto your desk, her body building up so much slick.

She’s the Black Widow, for fuck’s sakes, and she bowed down to no one. She was in control, dictating the decisions that crafted this very situation, hooking you around her pretty little finger.

After all, she had already retrieved the thumb drive. Her mission was already over, already completed. She had no reason to stay. She could knock you out cold in a matter of mere seconds, so why was she so hesitant?

Your grip hardens at her disobedience, and Natasha can’t help the whine that tumbles out when you pull your cock way from her wet heat.

“You want it, hm? Then beg for it,” you repeat, dangerously close to Natasha’s ear, raising goosebumps with your hot breath brushing the surface of her skin.

Natasha wails when you push her back into the desk, pebbled nipples pressing into the cold glass. She’s clenching around nothing, wet walls fluttering emptily, slick arousal dripping down her thighs.

Suddenly, you bring your hand up and harshly slap Natasha’s ass. The moan she lets out is downright pornographic, high-pitched and long-lasting as a red blush blossoms on her rounded ass, the pain stinging her skin and pricking tears behind her eyes.

It’s been so long, her body screams at her. You need this. Need to be fucked, need to be used.

“Beg for it.”

“Please! Need your cock, please,” Natasha babbles, finally, giving in to your urges. When you thrust your whole length down her tight pussy, all in one go, Natasha almost falls apart instantly.

You thrust up into her, hard, thick length pushing past her slick walls. If Natasha thought you were big before, with your cock in her mouth, now she knew you were fucking huge.

It isn’t long before you’re fucking into her with an animalistic nature, skin slapping against skin with dirty, lewd noises. “Can’t take the size, baby?” you question dryly, pulling on her hair as Natasha drools onto your desk.

Your cock is hitting her cervix with almost every thrust. The pleasure not only stems from the fact that you were the biggest she had ever taken, but also from your sheer skill.

Natasha’s first orgasm of the night comes in a tidal wave. It’s like water breaking through a dam, hitting her with a strength she didn’t know her body possessed. Her walls flutter around your girthy cock as she squirts.

“Oh, Y/N!” Sinful moans of your name fall from Natasha’s lips as you thrust even deeper than she thought imaginable.

In other words, that was only the beginning of the rollercoaster-esque high you would bring Natasha to.

***

Natasha awakes with groggy eyes. There’s a warm, muscled forearm splayed over her torso, and it takes a fraction of a second before Natasha remembers it’s you.

“Shit,” she whispers, looking out of the window at the rising sun. She was supposed to leave your house last night, but the events had gotten more than out of hand.

The ache in Natasha’s legs and back is a blaring reminder of that fact. The image of sweaty, slick bodies moving together in a darkened room flashes across Natasha’s mind, and she has the decency to flush a pink-red.

Checking again for the thumbdrive in her strewn clothes, Natasha nods to herself assuredly and gets herself together to make an exit. Her eyes float to your sleeping figure. Looks like she had worn you out.

“You’re kinda stupid, but you were a good fuck,” she whispers with a tilted head.

As soon as the front door of your house clicks shut, you sit up slowly, letting the blanket slide over your toned abdominal muscles and down to your waistline.

“Just a good fuck?” you ask amusedly. “Squirting three times in a row seems better than good, if I do say so myself.” Relaxed, you reach over to your bedside and take your phone.

Dialling in a number that you’d memorised by heart, the receiver picks up in less than two rings. “You’re fuckin’ late,” a gruff voice sounds out. “What did we tell you about not fucking the targets for the whole bloody night?”

You scoff in half-annoyance and amusement. As long as you got the job done, your bosses didn’t have any reason to question your methods. "You’re just jealous you didn’t get a taste of that sweet pussy,” you drawl out contedly, delighting in the aggravated huff that crackles over the line.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist,” you continue, your face taking on a more serious expression. “The Widow left my house thirty seconds ago, with the false thumb drive."

"Details?"

"Swapped it out while she was cumming on my cock, sir."

"......Microchip tracking device?"

"Implanted in the top button of her blouse."

"Audio recorder?"

"In the hem of her very scandalous skirt.”

There is a pause on the line, but you know not to fear. When a low chuckle is emitted from the other end, you can’t help but smirk in smug satisfaction. The next words you hear are almost as sweet as Natasha’s moans of your name.

"Well done, Agent. Your mission is complete."

if you liked this, please give it a reblog! it means the absolute world to me <3

kinktober masterlist || main masterlist

#sytoran's kinktober 2023 #kinktober #kinktober fic #kinktober 2023 #natasha romanoff x reader smut #natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff smut #natalie rushman #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x you smut #natasha romanoff x y/n #natasha x reader smut #natasha x reader #wlw smut #gxg smut #sub natasha romanoff #bottom natasha romanoff #top reader #dom reader

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mechaknight-98 · 25 days

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Many Paths Few Resolutions (NSFW) FT Yujin

Authors Note: An Ask I thought would be interesting to do but wanted to do my spin on. If you see a nod or an easter egg you recognize it is probably intentional

Officer's Log March 4 22,003,456 " Begin Log: The Federation has recently appointed Officer Yujin Ahn as my second-in-command following my defense of her at the tribunal regarding her potential execution. While I stand by my decision, the weight of responsibility over her causes me great distress. I feel ill-equipped to handle her unique condition as a joined symbiont, especially considering her previous host's infamy as a warlord, which greatly troubled the Council. At times, I find myself questioning whether I should have left her to her own devices. Yet, I know deep down that such thoughts are rooted in my own selfish concerns. I made the right choice, and any trepidation I feel stems from my own shortcomings. End Log."

Captain Arthur Sisko is a well-known figure within the Council. His leadership in navigating his ship and crew through the war-torn Klaxosaur quadrant has earned him widespread recognition, making him the youngest captain in Council history. Alongside his accomplishments, he tirelessly advocates for improved relations between core and tertiary planets under Council jurisdiction. Despite his vocal criticism of Council bureaucracy, he remains one of their most esteemed members. Recently, his decisive action saved the Council from potential annihilation at the hands of the Uru-kai Warlord Majin-ahn, whom he defeated in an honorable duel to the death.

This victory resulted in the symbiont leaving Majin and bonding with Yujin. Despite the Council's concerns that Yujin would follow in Majin's footsteps, Captain Sisko fought vehemently to spare her from execution, ultimately securing her position as vice-captain aboard his warship, the Altruist.

As Captain Sisko concluded his preparations for his inaugural voyage as captain, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," he called out, adjusting his uniform with precision.

"Captain, Vice Captain Yujin reporting for duty," Yujin announced as the door swung open. Captain Sisko's gaze meandered to Yujin. Despite her previous host's volatile temperament and nature, Sisko found himself enchanted by the Uru-Kai. her short hair and big soft eyes drew him in and he found himself reminded of his childhood friend Tendi. He wondered what happened to her.

"At ease, Vice Captain. Please, call me Arthur. We're peers here," Sisko replied warmly. Yujin nodded, entering with an endearing smile. Both she and the symbiont had developed a fondness for the young captain. Hailing from the Periphery planet Sentai-V and sharing immortality with her symbiont, Yujin regarded Captain Sisko as an equal.

Unbeknownst to him, he had crossed paths with three hosts of the symbiont before his Academy Combat Teacher Ayami, Majin, whom he faced in singular combat, and Tali, the symbiont's first host, whose heroic spirit left an indelible mark.

"So, Yujin, I haven't had the chance to learn much about you. Why did you join the fleet?" Sisko inquired.

"My planet, Uru-Kai, was being coerced into war by Majin, and I wanted to put an end to it. But it seems my worries were unfounded, with the fleet under the command of such an accomplished and handsome officer," Yujin replied with a playful smile.

"Yujin-ahn, while I appreciate the compliment, I believe it's best to maintain a strictly professional relationship," Sisko responded, his tone gentle yet firm. Yujin smirked in response.

"Okay, one thing though, is it okay if I still call you Arty?" Yujin asked, and Captain Sisko froze in surprise.

Yujin's question hung in the air, a thread of curiosity wrapped in familiarity that tugged at the edges of Captain Sisko's consciousness. He froze, his mind racing through the corridors of memory, searching for the connection that Yujin's words hinted at.

"Arty," Yujin persisted, the name a gentle prod against the barriers of time and space.

Sisko's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing as recognition dawned. "Only five people in the entire universe would know to call me that," he murmured, the weight of years and lifetimes settling upon his shoulders.

He fixed Yujin with a piercing gaze, his voice low and measured. "I am going to ask this once. Vice Captain Yujin-Ahn, did you have a host by the name of Tendi-Ahn?"

There was a pregnant pause, the air thick with anticipation, before Yujin's response shattered the stillness.

"Took you long enough to recognize me," Yujin quipped, their tone laced with a hint of amusement. "Although I don't blame you, since my skin isn't green anymore."

Sisko's blood ran cold and hot simultaneously, a rush of conflicting emotions coursing through him like a tidal wave. The first thought through Captain Sisko's mind was relief that quickly morphed into immense worry all of his fears of another Majin were gone and replaced with the obvious Conflict of Interest that Having his first Love being his second in command.

"I am unsurprised that you grew to such Heights. you were always more than capable in whatever you applied yourself to," Yujin flirted with her Captain. Memories of better times flooded her brain as did the fight between "her", and the Sentairian. it combined to make a very unique form of arousal that only served to further her desire for the captain. Unsure how to proceed Captain Sisko did what believed was right and began the procedures of reporting to the proper authorities the situation. When Officer Yujin saw what her Captain was doing she was both impressed (Majin's consciousness) and disappointed (Yujin's consciousness).

"You betray your feelings for the for the Fleet?" Yujin asked intrigued.

Captain Sisko nodded before responding, "Despite my mixed feelings towards you. Our crew deserves a level-headed Captain and I can't be that with you around."

Yujin smiled and before she could stop herself she said, "See a man of conviction. A true Warrior through and through. Not an autocrat who's only looking out for his own skin. No wonder you were deemed worthy by Embercleave and able to defeat me." as Yujin spoke she drew closer to Sisko. Memories flooded between and around them as she caressed his face. her eyes shone as they reflected in his.

"See that's what I always liked about you. You always do the right thing, even if you don't want to," Yujin-Ahn said as she stared into Captain Sisko's eyes before taking his lips into hers. Sisko couldn't help himself and gave in to his body's wild demands. Yujin stripped the officer of his uniform and hers as the two shared a Volcanically Violent kiss that made their mating molten. Yujin's idle fingers found their destination as they meandered down to Captain Sisko's cock.

"Oh Captain, my Captain! You're so hard for me. I should do something about that," Yujin cooed as she lined Arthur's cock with her snatch. She gently pulled him into her. Sisko could only feel relief as he entered the young lady, as if years of tension finally released. which in a way were. Yujin moaned as she helped Sisko bottom out in her.

"God you're so big," She moaned into his ear. Yujin's face held an evil smile knowing she was about to "Corrupt" the "Incorruptible" Captain Sisko. She relished giving him something he "earned" in her eyes.

"Go on fuck me. you know you want to," Yujin Ahn moaned. Captain Sisko overwhelmed by his own biology pushed her down to the ground of his chambers and "filled" her request. At first, his movements were reflective of his outward persona. Slow, Methodical, and calculated. However, as he fell deeper into Yujin's web he found himself losing control. His thrusts became wilder and more erratic as he chased his own release.

"God Yujin. you feel so good," Arthur Sisko moaned completely lost in lust.

Yujin smiled as she replied smugly, "Why of course we were destined to be together eventually," Her walls and pussy were gentle to the weary warriors. Her body tight and firm was a reprieve from all the chaos of the Fleet and the galaxy's conflicts he had faced. as their coupling grew more intense the two found themselves eye to eye. Yujin smiled as she saw the unhinged man before her. A fire she once saw when he was a child. An untamed spark that threatened to burn everything down flickered in his eyes.

"Yes, Captain. give into that fire. let it consume you. let it guide you. You earned it," Yujin moaned as her Captain exploded in her. She smiled as her release also hit her.

When their rationality came back both returned to their personas before cleaning up and getting ready for the shift. on the way to the ship, Yujin asked Captain Sisko this,

"So Captain what are my first orders?"

#kpop fanfic #fanfic #male reader #yujin smut #yujin izone #ive yujin #ahn yujin

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brighteuphony · 22 days

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Gonna bundle these two questions! (ALSO SPICY AT THE BOTTOM)

Sakura had one 'relationship' and that was/is with Aren Uzumaki.

Some backstory:

On their way back from Chiyo's, Saeko, Enji and Sakura were unable to port back in Tea Country- as the civil war came into full effect, and an embargo was placed on all the major ports in an attempt to cripple trade/starve out the big trading cities/ take control of the capital (which was on the coast).

For a few weeks, Sakura and Co. were prisoners on an enemy ship that captured the previous Daimyo's niece, Unami (now heir apparent, given that the rest of her family was murdered).

On their way towards the capital (for a nice public execution), they were boarded by famed Pirate Captain/Smuggler Aren Uzumaki of The Last Sparrow- who took them aboard along with the rest of the spoils.

As the enemy closed all the ports, Sakura realized they would never make it to land for the foreseeable future and offered her services as a healer for the duration of the war in exchange for Saeko, Enji's, and Unami's safety.

Furthermore, Enji helped Unami cut a deal with Aren, in which he was promised legitimacy and exclusive trading contracts with the South under her future rule. Thus, the Last Sparrow became the Command Center for the Civil War for the next eight months.

During that time, Sakura healed, fought, and hassled Aren into teaching her basic strategy, war, and bureaucracy - something the Captain (and Unami) realized she had a good head for. (Sakura would later serve as Unami's consul after the war).

As for Aren, he is extremely intelligent, shrewd, and a powerful fuinjutsu specialist. He's a respected captain and only chose the pirate/smuggler life after the decimation of the Uzumaki clan. When Konoha didn't come to their aid in time during the third war, Aren swore never to be beholden to a shinobi village and took to the seas, denouncing shinobi-hood.

Sakura approached Aren and asked to spend the night with him on the eve of the last battle, and had an on-again, off-again relationship after the war. Aren's first love was the sea, and Sakura never wanted to be second (or third) place in anyone's life ever again, so while they aren't in any official relationship, they do find themselves in each other's arms when they cross paths. (fun fact, Aren calls Sakura 'Wildflower')

When Kankuro was poisoned, The Last Sparrow (legal now!!!) had fortuitously docked at one of Fire Country's port cities. So they could take that to Suna and cut a week off their travel time.

Kakashi was surprised to see that Aren and Sakura knew each other.

He was very unpleasantly surprised to see HOW well they knew each other. He spent a full week seething- as he watched some sleazy Icha-icha knock-off pirate Lothario take advantage of Sakura.

Once again, thank you so much for the lovely words and all the support for this AU!

SPICY UNDER CUT.

#naruto #haruno sakura #coven!sakura #kakashi hatake #kakasaku #aren uzumaki #As for her piercings Aren's ship has a tradition that any new blood's first successful battle is celebrated with a tattoo or a piercing!#we're grounding shinobi powers in some measure of reality #because someone did the math and canonically they traveled over 3k miles in TWO days to get to Suna #3k miles in two days AND had enough energy to fight S rank nin????????????????????????????#NOT ON MY WATCH #it now takes the average genin/chunnin almost two weeks to get to suna pushing HARD- which is still insane but not quite 'two days' insane #kakashi: crying screaming throwing up #Kakashi is still struggling with recognizing feelings #and he's also struggling to cope with the fact that Sakura lived a whole life that he has no idea about #PLUS all the guilt #also to be very clear Aren did NOT take advantage of Sakura lol that's just kakashi's copium

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david-talks-sw · 8 months

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"The idea of it..."

This is obviously a reference to the ol' argument:

"The Jedi weren't bad but the Jedi Order as an institution needed to go."

So as a quick reminder I thought I'd point out:

1) George Lucas describes the Jedi's eradication as a sad thing, not something sad-but-necessary:

"[The] Jedi getting killed through the Order 66 of the clones is just done as one of those kind of inevitable pay offs in terms of getting rid of everybody, the Emperor is getting rid of all his enemies, but there’s a certain inevitability of it all and a sadness to it. - Revenge of the Sith, Director’s Commentary, 2005

2) Out of 770 George Lucas quotes, I've never seen him refer to the Jedi Order as "an institution" once.

He does refer to the Republic itself as an institution.

"[In The Phantom Menace one of the many storylines is] the story of a young queen who's faced with the total annihilation of a people, and how she can get a sluggish political institution to pay attention to what's going on." - Premiere, 1999

He might be referring to the Senate instead of the Republic as a whole, but the point stands: he's not talking about the Jedi.

Which tracks with what Lucas defined as Dooku's reason for leaving the Order: his disenchantment with the Republic/Senate, not the Jedi themselves.

But let's go slightly further:

The Jedi Temple was designed as a place of worship that would contrast with the corporate coldness of the Senate.

Also, the Jedi were originally designed as a more organized police force. As the script evolved, they were turned into peacekeepers, diplomats.

Mace's room was redesigned so as to not convey that the Jedi were mired in bureaucracy and protocol.

And when describing the political situation of the Prequels, Lucas doesn't blame the Jedi, but rather the corporations and Senate:

"But as often happens when wealth and power grow beyond all reasonable proportion, an evil fueled by greed arose. The massive organs of commerce mushroomed in power, the Senate became corrupt, and an ambitious named Palpatine was voted Supreme Chancellor." - Shatterpoint, Prologue, 2004

Wow, it's looking like not only is the "Jedi Order as an institution needed to go" narrative not a thing per Lucas, but

3) Lucas went out of his way to make it clear that the Jedi aren't the issue, here, the Republic/Senate is.

So how did we get this narrative?

Well, it comes from a generation of fans and Star Wars creators who were not the target audience.

You know the type. It's the kind who, when asked if they like the Prequel Trilogy, will respond that they liked...

... but not the execution.

AKA they disliked the Prequels, but then EU books and The Clone Wars came out and provided them with enough material to form a headcanon justifying why they didn't like the Jedi, despite wanting to: it's because the Jedi are meant to be disliked! Totally!

The Jedi failed as an institution is an idea that comes from authors who wanted to engage with the material (it IS Star Wars, after all) but not the narrative that George Lucas had crafted, whose work then influenced older fans who preferred the author's retconned version of the story to the original one.

The rest is history.

As Prequels producer Rick McCallum put it:

"The myth begins on paper. During preproduction, filming, and postproduction, the myth becomes visible through the work of hundreds of dedicated people. Following the film's release, the myth becomes public and the public makes it its own." - Rick McCallum, Mythmaking: Behind the Scenes of Attack of the Clones, 2002

#I find it ironic that Filoni unwittingly gave Baylan the same line repeated by 'Prequel fans' who only became fans by...#... injecting gray morality into the films and said “it was there all along! the Prequels are subversive films!”#They're not. They're films for kids. The SITUATION is more complex than in the Original Trilogy... but the morality is still good vs evil.#baylan skoll #ahsoka series #jedi order #george lucas #meta #star wars #ahsoka spoilers #ahsoka show #ahsoka #in defense of the jedi

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ryin-silverfish · 13 days

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Y'know, as much as I like to sass Li Jing (who deserves every bit of sassing) I'm not exactly a fan of the "power hungry usurper" theory.

Don't get me wrong, Li Jing is an asshole; he's just not that flavor of asshole, both in JTTW and FSYY.

In JTTW, he's the Lawful Stupid general who's way too trigger-happy. Like, he's ready to execute the Mighty Spirit God for losing to SWK, and his reaction to SWK filing a lawsuit against him in the Lady Earth Flow arc is "How dare you sue me! Eat sword!"

That said, he is also terrified of Nezha. In the aforementioned scene, Nezha steps forth to block his blade, and he just panicks bc he forgets to bring his pagoda with him, and thinks Nezha is picking up the whole "patricide" hobby again!

In FSYY, his Asshole Arc starts after Nezha's death, when he shouts at his wife for crying after seeing Nezha in a dream, and later destroys Nezha's temple for fear that it will get him into trouble at court.

Historical context: the last part is reminiscent of the destruction of 淫祠, illicit temples that aren't officially sanctioned by the imperial bureaucracy. Permitting their continued existence may look bad on the local officials, and Li Jing said outright that, since he didn't want to associate with the two corrupt ministers at King Zhou's court, if someone used this to attack him politically, he could very well lose his job.

It's the assholeness of a petty bureaucrat who values his job more than his dead kid, but if he is truly power-hungry, he won't have any problem with bribing the corrupt ministers and getting chummy with them.

...idk man, I feel like Li Jing as your conniving, power-hungry martial usurper archetype is just giving him too much credit. He strikes me as the sort of man who doesn't even have the creativity required to be a proper traitor, and will blindly uphold the old laws and order against all logic and common sense.

That's why I don't have a problem with Li Jing being used as a tool by smarter, more powerful figures and factions. My problem is with the choice of that faction; like, even for a Lawful Stupid celestial with a hard-on for rules and hierarchy, the Dead People Supreme Court doesn't have that kind of authority over him.

#lego monkie kid #lmk s5 spoilers #lmk season 5 #lmk li jing #journey to the west #investiture of the gods #lmk theory #li jing #nezha

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