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kefalion · 2 years

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Thoughts on Kenobi Episode 5

I adored episode 5 to tiny pieces. It started so strong. I paused to cry for 2 minutes at the sight of Anakin's nerf tail hair cut, like "WE'RE GETTING A FLASHBACK!!! AT LONG LAST!!! I'M SO HAPPY!"

Then I saw their faces and cringed ever so slightly, but got over myself because it doesn't matter that they didn’t use seating technology on Hayden and Ewan’s wig was questionable. It was them! Pre Attack of the clones! So innocent. And you betcha I watched that first flashback bit three times before proceeding to watch the rest. Did you notice how freaking beautiful the little room in the Temple that they sparred in was? The shiny stone with patterns in different colours and that incredible view of Coruscant? Whenever I watch the prequels I am always surprised by how incredibly beautiful it is inside the Jedi Temple. The halls are huge and richly decorated in contrast to the austere clothes the Jedi wear.

I loved how they balanced getting into the psychology of the characters with the action. They actually lingered on the characters, showing their thoughts and motivations before delving into the action. And the action scenes were sweet. The hallway battle was intense and scary and you felt the stakes. Tala's death scene was well done too. I felt Obi-Wan's despair over losing yet another good person he's begun to care about and how they set it up by her explaining her regrets and how she wished to atone. Yeah, it couldn’t have been handled much better.

And then Vader in action again. The amount of power he has is staggering. Watching him own Reva was an incredible treat. It was the comics brought to life. Like he went so long without a light saber while she did everything she could. It didn’t phase him in the least. It was studied cruelty, something I felt he revelled in since he was angry Obi-Wan got away. With the flashbacks to the temple during order 66 we see that he knows exactly where she started out, what drives her and how he can both use it for his own purposes and use it to destroy her. She hates being weak. He makes sure she sees how weak she is.

Also that Obi-Wan predicted he'd go for the first ship. JKJLJDLSKF. So good. This episode with the flashbacks showed so well how intimately Obi-Wan understands Vader, but Vader doesn't really understand Obi-Wan. Or rather, he always resented the patience that was Obi-Wan's strength. He knew Obi-Wan would put others before himself and thought it a weakness, thought it meant his victory was secure, but he underestimates what people working together can achieve. Nor does he understand that rushing ahead and relying on aggression blinds him. 13 years later and the lesson we saw Obi-Wan try to teach him hasn’t been learned.

Finally, I was so tense wondering who'd pick up the communicator with the message from Bail. Makes sense that it was Reva. The OT could never happen if Vader had found it. It would be game over for the Rebels and the Jedi.

I feel like they can manage to end the series well. Not sure how exactly. For the climax to be satisfying, Vader and Obi-Wan have to meet again, but it can't happen on Tatooine. That would mean game over too. Reva will need to go there and face her destiny, whether that will be her death or something else, and Vader and Obi-Wan need to meet elsewhere. Alderaan perhaps. Leia needs to go there. If Vader looses to Obi-Wan on Alderaan it would add a reason for him to be more okay with the planet’s distraction in A New Hope. He’d be petty like that.

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void-tiger · 2 years

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My only complaint with Kenobi is how dark nearly every single scene is shot. I mean, sure they’re often in low-light environments, but they could’ve done something with the contrast of texture or…something? I have an easier time watching Moria and Night Scenes from Peter Jackson’s LotR than I do really any Kenobi Scene that wasn’t in strong, direct sunlight.

(Oh yeah, and the absense of clones aside from the homeless vet. I know it was a slim chance to actually see Cody or anyone else from the 212th, but still! I just. Really wanted to see the clones. Let Ben and the clones have that closure of “it was the chip. They never wanted to turn on eachother. Their relationships mattered.”

(I also see a LOT of flack about Reva and the Inquisitors which…is hard to NOT be suspicious about? Filoni started that? They’re well-established? They make SENSE as a way to control surviving jedi and force-users (that WILL continue to be born)? Kenobi’s about healing? So Reva being a youngling-survivor who was made into an Inquisitor actually makes sense as a foil for Ben and Vader (and Quinlan)? WHATEVER. Kenobi handled the Canon Walls FAR better than either Rebels or The Mandelorian.)

And about Leia and Ben—

Okay. This actually gives depth to “Help me, Obi-wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.” Specifically reaching out to Ben who’s living in hiding as a hermit on Tatooine. And goshdarnit FINALLY Leia is remembered (and Padme) verses this obsession with the Skywalker Men. (As well as the Organas.)

We also get a better Why to why Ben didn’t train up Luke—less because of Owen, more because Owen was (somewhat) right. As well as why Leia wasn’t trained (and didn’t even know she was force-sensitive despite easily resisting Vader’s attempt to use the Force to pull information out of her + Twin Telepathy to save Luke.) It was frankly far safer for them that way (and their Force Sensitivity to develop on its own in more discrete ways than chucking rocks—Leia’s Mindshields. Luke’s Reflexes.)

And LIKE. Lucas has a LONG habit of retconning his own lore (like OT Leia allegedly remembering her birth mother in what’s quite frankly a throwaway line as Luke doesn’t follow up on that At All after asking her about their mother. Then we meet Padme who…dies. Because Reasons. after childbirth.) and approving really bullshit things in the EU/Legends (like “Somehow…Palpatine survived.” Yeah that’s right Disney BORROWED that one. Palps and Cloned Palps has been an unfortunate franchise-device since preBuyOut. And a MAJOR reason why I never cared to read the EU material (aside from HUNDREDS of books and comics OH MY) as a child-then-teen.)

So like. Kenobi handled all that gracefully. Within set-norms for the greater franchise (including when the creator kept full-rights/last word.)

It works as a midquel and as a near stand-alone. WITHOUT killing everyone off or wiping minds or yeeting through a wormhole or portal to outside the galaxy or another dimensional reality. And in SW? That’s INCREDIBLY difficult to do—without deliberately working from the framework of “this is a Tragedy” (like The Clone Wars and Rogue One.)

#kenobi spoilers #kenobi analysis #sw analysis #sw wank #fandom wank #to be clear: my frustration is 1) at the fandom and 2) sw always being Very Inconsistant Anyway (and the fandom blithefully forgetting #(because…they just really really cannot stand it when 1) black and/or female characters Exist and 2) they’re actually fleshed out #(somehow I HIGHLY doubt it that these neckbeards would be so :U #(if Kenobi had Ben interacting with Luke vs Leia and fucking up the Hutt Syndicate. despite OT CanonWalls)#but i digress

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intermundia · 9 months

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today on "absolutely unhinged things for stover to put on paper and lucas to approve," the depiction of obi-wan's self-aware attachment to anakin here, how ready he'd be to kill yoda for the greater good, and how he'd let yoda kill him too, but anakin is the exception to their entire order and to obi-wan's moral judgment.

all three of them here, arguably the three most important jedi in the galaxy, they all know with wariness that anakin, the chosen one, has failed to grasp the central tenet of their code, and they don't know what to do about it. obi-wan thinks he failed him, failed to teach him; he knows anakin failed to learn, failed to accept it, how he'd would never let a friend go.

obi-wan here offers keen, intimate analysis of anakin's inner workings, shining a light on who darth vader really is in his heart, his loyalty beyond any moral or ethical bounds. obi-wan is painfully aware of how he is complicit in fostering this inappropriate attachment, only encouraging anakin's behavior. we see why he apologized in the kenobi show, how he was already sorry.

tbh this page changed me—my understanding of the characters, and my appreciation of the entire tragedy, like.. look how anakin has compromised obi-wan, and look at how much obi-wan loves him anyway. look at how the heart of this incipient monster is described with tender, ruthless clarity by the one who knows it best... on the next page obi-wan's literally crying about what they've done... i'm astrally projecting into the sun

#obi-wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #darth vader #obikin #rots novelization my beloved #sw books #sw #the way this frames the battle at mustafar like #god i could write pages of analysis about Them #fuck

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charmwasjess · 7 months

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Strap in for the Soresu form III Obi-Wan lightsaber post. This is gonna be a sad one, girlies. We’re getting into Obi-Wan’s Fucking Trauma.

Qui-Gon’s death changed literally everything about Obi-Wan’s life, right down to the lightsaber form. Still a Padawan himself, he had to watch as an extinct monster from his nightmares* utterly took apart the form he’d learned since he was a child, and then, to complete the destruction, slaughtered the teacher who’d taught him the form and raised him. The devastation of Qui-Gon’s actual death had to be the last in a cascading series of horrors that started with the gut-sinking realization that Qui-Gon was losing. And if all of that weren’t enough, Obi-Wan also loses his own lightsaber in the same duel, a psychological blow to his personhood which we don’t have to guess at the significance of. Obi-Wan tells us the cost of it himself in AotC: this weapon is your life.

The Duel of the Fates on a sheer physical level is a devastating thing to consider. It’s a grueling, full out running battle, the likes of which we don’t see elsewhere in the saga. The beauty (and pounding musical score) of the fight distracts from the sheer brutality of it. Maul is physically attacking them at every turn; he manages to kick Qui-Gon hard enough to knock all 6’3 of him off his feet; he dumps Obi-Wan into a fall that seems to be several stories high. We don’t see Obi-Wan get back up off the floor with Qui-Gon’s body at the end of the duel, and I’d be surprised if he was physically able to even stand again so after the adrenaline faded and the soreness and exhaustion took over. He just been whirled in a lightsaber blender.

I can’t imagine how hard it was for him to pick up a lightsaber again after the trauma of that battle - much less, a new, unfamiliar one, not the kyber crystal that had been his since he was a child. The new canon’s emphasis on the spiritual relationship between a Jedi and their crystal makes this detail even more excruciating. The Ataru form itself must have felt broken and unusable. How can you put your trust in a form once you watched it be broken so ruthlessly?

And this is where Obi-Wan is so endlessly beautiful as a character. He goes through this horrifying experience of violent unmaking, and instead of avoiding lightsabers as an understandable trauma response, or picking up an overwhelming power and dominance form like V, he remakes himself into a master of Soresu: a form of simple, complete defense. He doesn’t attempt to become a weapon of attack like Maul did to disintegrate Ataru; he makes himself invincible, untouchable, with a perfect defense. Soresu works the pieces that fell apart for the Jedi in the Duel of the Fates to an advantage. It is a form of ultimate endurance, of playing out your opponent and staying up in a fight until the attacker is exhausted or angry. It preserves and it lasts. It is philosophical. It is considered. It lacks the showy flash of Makashi or Ataru and returns to the basics, even working in some of that battlefield meditation that Qui-Gon so believed in. And in that simple economy, it’s gorgeous and effective.

I have to wonder: is Soresu, on some level, a form of kinetic self-soothing for a person who faced an incredibly traumatic battle at a young age? Does Obi-Wan use it that way?

All of this is perfectly in keeping with the themes of the character. Obi-Wan’s story remains about life, about hope, about survival. The word he uses to describe the Jedi to Luke in the OT is important to me. “Jedi knights were the guardians of peace and justice.” Guardians. And what better lightsaber approach for a person who sees his role as one of protection than a form whose signature move is called “The Circle of Shelter?”

*Maul, of course, is a tragedy in his own right, but that’s a different post.

#star wars analysis #lightsaber nerd stuff #lightsaber forms #qui gon jinn #obi wan kenobi #disaster lineage #the clone wars #duel of the fates #the phantom menace #soresu #darth maul #star wars meta

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artist-issues · 8 months

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also, about Anakin—I distinctly remember realizing when I was first watching Star Wars that part of what makes Anakin’s relationship with Obi-Wan so compelling is that his love for Obi-Wan is as much forbidden as his love for Padme.

I mean, here’s this kid who’s too old to be trained as a Jedi, not because he’ll be prideful or have to catch up or anything, but because he’s old enough to have already learned how to get attached. And the Council was right; he never, ever unlearns that.

But the very first person aside from Padme that Padawan Anakin got attached to was Obi-Wan. And so all through his training, as he’s growing up and Obi-Wan is growing up too, Anakin is thinking “this is my guy. This is my older brother, this is my best friend, this is the only father I’ve ever known” and just recently discovered that someone like that (Qui-Gonn) can be killed and ripped away from you.

All through his training, that fierce attachment is growing, even more steadily than his love for Padme because he’s never separate from Obi-Wan…and the difference is, Obi-Wan shuts it down. It’s obvious that they love one another like brothers, but Obi-Wan never says it until Anakin is lying like chopped-up charred hibachi on the banks of Mustafar.

I mean, imagine having a father or older brother who you know loves you, but who refuses to say so? Except through his actions, almost in spite of himself?

And then imagine yourself as someone who never gets on board and believes in the code that says you can’t attach? So you know that your father-brother-figure is a hypocrite, about, like, the thing you think is the most important and also the stupidest part of the code?

Because he can’t say it! Because he’s supposed to be teaching Anakin not to get attached—what’s he gonna do, tell Anakin “I’m so glad you’re safe” every time they escape an adventure? Tell Anakin he doesn’t know what he’d do if he lost him? Remind Anakin that he cares? And then say “but attachment is bad. Trust the Force.” No, he’s not going to do that. He’s going to keep that aloof-thing going, even though Anakin knows Obi-Wan loves him.

So Anakin, a very dramatic young man who likes his declarations of affection super up-front, never gets that from Obi-Wan. And he’s so sensitive in the Force, and they’re so connected for such a long time—he must be feeling, constantly, that Obi-Wan loves him too. But Obi-Wan never says it. And even though Anakin knows why, it’s a constant source of frustration, because Anakin doesn’t actually respect the code and he doesn’t see why Obi-Wan does.

So constantly, Anakin feels like Obi-Wan is hiding affection for him, or withholding it. Keeping something good for him back. He’s feeling like Obi-Wan is, on some level, a little two-faced. He’s feeling like Obi-Wan’s willing enough to save his life and stick up for him—clearly Obi-Wan is attached—but coming out and saying it? Admitting it: “hey little bro, I know you’re attached to me but you have to stop; it’s not the Jedi way. I know how you feel, I’m attached to you too—we’ll just have to figure that out together?”

No, he never does that. Not until it’s way too late, and Anakin has already conflated Obi-Wan’s refusal to express their bond out loud with how deceitful and two-faced the Jedi are, and they have to be enemies.

which, you know, understandable, considering who Obi-Wan is as a character. but still.

Yeesh. I love this character, I feel like he was when I first started thinking about the tangled web of character motivations and conflicts, but the poor guy.

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servethelight · 23 days

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Shit I’ve noticed during my clone wars rewatch and my interpretation (very Obi-Wan focused because he’s my favorite character lmao):

(Includes spoilers obviously)

+ I love this show to bits, but it has horrible issues with consistency. Every other episode there is a new weapon or something introduced and we’ll never see it again. This is very prevalent in especially the first seasons.

+ Obi-Wan is such a fucking enabler. Like he tells Anakin his plans are stupid at least twice during the Malevolence episodes, but then joins him on all of those. It’s literally like: “Anakin this plan is reckless and won’t work, anyways what’s my part in your plan?”

+ Rex running into that metal pipe. I forgot about that and laughed for 20 minutes straight.

+ Anakin pulls a “Are ya winning son?” on Obi-Wan about Ahsoka.

+ I once saw a post that it isn’t confirmed that Obi-Wan and Cody are friends, but you have Obi-Wan literally marveling on how competent the commander is and Cody always going the extra mile to save his general’s ass. To me that’s pretty much a friendship.

+ The Jedi are in general very gentle, but quite touchy. They might not go for hugs, but there is always someone touching someone’s shoulder or waist. And they’re just so fucking kind. I don’t think I ever noticed that as a kid, but they’re so respectful about life and culture and always helping someone. I just love them so much.

+ And I love the understanding and kindness the clones have. They’re soldiers and programmed to kill, but they’re also good people in most cases. I just wanna hug most of them.

+ My mother told me I cried as a child during the episodes with the Zillo beast. Well, I didn’t cry again, but I’m still so fucking mad at Palpatine for putting that poor creature in that position. If he just had listened to Mace Windu (more of the characters should actually, just saying) that poor animal wouldn’t have killed people and found its end like that.

+ Mortis is quite hated by the fandom but for me it’s a defining showcase of Obi-Wan’s, Anakin’s and Ahsoka’s relationship. I’ve seen people in the fandom saying that Anakin would’ve turned out differently if Obi-Wan would’ve told him he’s proud and took care of his feelings. This episodes literally show that he does exactly that and Anakin still doesn’t give a shit.

+ Anakin tells the son in his dream, that he’ll never come to the dark side willingly. Only to walk over to the literal manifestation of the dark side like 10 minutes later to save Ashoka. I came to the conclusion that the only way to tempt him was by promising to save his loved ones. I still think it was a really awful and greedy thing to become Vader for that, but I must admit it’s a noble character trait to put others first.

+ Kit Fisto doesn’t have nipples. Therefore I’ve concluded he’s isn’t a mammal and hatched from an egg like Nemo the clownfish. (And no, that isn’t a animation thing, Rex does have nipples when his shirt is off).

+ The discussion with my gf about Kit Fisto nipples and Star Wars biology also touched the topic of “how does Maul use the bathroom”. My conclusion is: he has a stoma, because the lower abdomen, where that would be, is always covered.

+ Hardcase mentions he is hyperactive. I now see him as my favorite ADHD clone, because having ADHD myself I can fucking relate.

+ I forgot Waxer died on Umbara and bawled my eyes out. Waxer is one my favorite clones and when he cried while dying I just couldn’t take it.

+ My friend spent the entire Umbara arc just simping for the clones (mostly Jesse), while I was suffering. So maybe they look hot or something for people attracted to men in this episodes.

+ In the episode after the Umbara the duo usually consisting of Waxer and Boil is sent out, but this time it’s just Boil and I was about to bawl again.

+ For being called “the negotiator” Obi-Wan gets his ass beat quite a lot after his “negotiations” (aggressive flirting).

+ While I’ll never forgive Obi-Wan for doing that Raako Hardeen shit, I nearly pissed myself when the Ziro the Hutt’s ex gf is flirting with not one but two women there. Like I didn’t expect her to be the fucking gay rep in clone wars.

+ I’m seriously never forgiving Obi-Wan for that. I can’t get over Ahsoka’s tear filled eyes while she’s holding his corpse. Also she doesn’t seem angry like Anakin just massively sad and disappointed after it is revealed that he’s still alive. Personally I believe she’s starting to doubt the order here.

+ Point three on hating on my favorite character for that shit, I feel like Anakin becomes quieter and less playful after that disaster.

+ Maul is me. He’s obsessed with Obi-Wan and mentions that he has massive problems what is going on inside his head. As a mentally ill person, that makes me feel really seen lmao.

+ The underwater episodes and the ones with Ventress on that train were just the most beautiful worlds I’ve ever seen. Like the planets in general are so beautifully designed in clone wars, I’m so in love.

+ Motherfucking “I said fuck the council and became a child soldier for a rebellion at 13” Obi-Wan Kenobi seems very reluctant on doing it again. There are two entire arcs of him disagreeing on helping rebels. First I didn’t understand, because like dude you literally did this before, but since he talks about his worries about bringing the separatists in or worsen the situation, I think the poor man is just a little bit traumatized.

+ After the events of Onderon I’m pretty sure Ashoka is already filled with doubts about the order, the republic and the war. I also feel like she’s feeling massively led down by Obi-Wan again, which broke my heart because I love their relationship.

+ I just realized he fails Ahsoka a third time, when she is captured by Hondo and Obi-Wan is supposed to help her. Instead he gets attacked by Grievous and is forced to postpone the helping them until they help themselves. I mean it’s not his fault but in Ahsoka’s place that wouldn’t feel good to me.

+ This particular fight with Grievous ignited my love for Obi-Wan again. Before he attacks Grievous he helps an injured clone and when he goes into the fight, Grievous directly kills a clone. Instead of his usual witty remarks, he just goes: “you’re gonna regret that” and jumps Grievous. He just loves his clones as much as I do.

+ One of the most beautiful shots in the entire series for me is in the episode before the droids find Gregor. This WAC droid looks into the desert and it reflects in his eye. Because of the cracks in the desert ground it looks almost like a retina. Beautiful metaphor of combining something artificial and metallic with an organic and almost human part. This was such a fucking raw shot for me, it took my breath away.

+ Tarkin is an asshole, but he’s climbed the asshole latter so hard after he has been mean to Plo Koon.

+ Shotout to Obi-Wan for convincing the order to let Anakin go after Ahsoka. Additionally the whole time he acts in her support only to be shut down by the council. I didn’t remember him doing that so I was surprised.

+ Fives tells the plot with the inhibitor chips to a cab driver. Do you think the cap driver ever thinks back after the war and is like: “Fuuuuuuck”?

+ I kid you not, the clone bar has gender neutral bathrooms (and no, it’s not bc the clones are all male, in the bar are also women). The bathroom are just decided by humans, hutts and a third species I cannot quite recognize.

+ I forgot Teckla gets shot, NOOOOOOO

+ I always say clone wars anakin is better, but Jesus stop acting like a jealous bitch. Padmè deserves an award for putting up with his bullshit. Obi-Wan too. He even tries to give him reassurance by telling him that feelings are not forbidden and Anakin just bitches at him.

+ Obi-Wan casually passing on babysitting duty for Jar Jar fucking killed me (and yes, taking care of Jar Jar is babysitting duty).

+ Never in a million years I would have thought to see Jar Jar admitting to fucking this queen, but here we have him saying he was making love to her last night. Imma set myself on fire and I believe Windu will join me.

+ You could also call the clone wars the exposition wars. Every episode has their one minute exposition in the beginning, but I feel like a lot of the dialogue is used for exposition.

+ Obi-Wan doesn’t learn shit. That man got drugged by Hondo, but yet still accepts drinks from the Pykes. MY BROTHER IN CHRIST PLEASE DONT

+ I AN GOING TO SCREAM. You have been informed that the Clones have a behavior influencing chip in their brains and then you find out Dooku was behind the creation of the clones and no one connects the fucking dots. I love the Jedi, but goddamn are you all dense.

+ Do you think Hunter thought Rex was screwing his general? Because their conversation sounded kinda suggestive and then they trail off to do something secret.

+ Ahsoka going “my older brother thought me”after kicking a guy where it hurts most. I now imagine Anakin going to Ahsoka as soon she got to be his padawan: “Listen up Snips, if you ever facing a creepy guy, you kick them right there”

+ When the sisters make their escape I don’t get why they don’t let Ahsoka fly. She’s clearly the more capable pilot.

+ Controversial opinion: I have a strong dislike for Bo Katan. She’s a fucking terrorist who doesn’t betray the deathwatch when they murder an entire innocent village, no but when there’s Maul trying to take their authority. Says a lot about her character if you ask me.

+ I mcfucking cried when the clones painted their helmets according to Ahsoka’s face markings and my flatmates gf came in and asked me if everything’s alright. I am fucking embarrassing I have seen this scene three times already but I still bawl like a baby.

+ Also my dear Obi-Wan can you quit being an ass? A “hello Ahsoka, nice to see you” wouldn’t have killed you.

+ Through the whole show most of the characters seemed to appear increasingly tired towards the end. Especially Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, but other characters aswell. The only one who seems to stay energized is Anakin. He becomes more serious but I feel like he’s the only one at the end that is still going into battles with full energy. It almost felt like he’s especially thriving in a war scenario which is incredibly sad.

+ The beauty of that last scene with Vader is truly unparalleled. I don’t ever think a tv show can recreate that.

+ I still love this show to bits and I cried 5 times total during that rewatch, shit this was nice.

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evawritesstuff · 4 months

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Anakin/ Darth is the epitome of " I hate you/ I love you". He calls Obi wan wise all the time, then proceeds to call him a failure. He says before their fight that he is what Obi wan made him, yet, in the end, tells him it's not his fault. In my opinion, he acts like a very bitter jilted lover. He never calls him wise in his face, only behind his back. And he doesn't tell him it's not his fault until Obi wan starts crying.

When Palpatine told Anakin to leave unconscious Obi wan behind, Anakin told him that he would have the same fate as them. See, Anakin being immature and very passionate, can't tell himself apart from other people in a healthy way. You are either his enemy or his ally. He'll either die with you or kill you. There's no in between. He'll either rule the galaxy with you or choke you if you deny him ( Padme ). And he knows that he is in pain as much when he hurts the people he loves. More than anything he wants to kill himself. But he'll kill you first because he perceives you as something that's his, an "unfinished business". An egocentric type of love.

He reminds me of the " love me or die" song so much. The narrator/ singer knows that he did something evil ( poisoning and killing his love interest after getting rejected ). He knows that she didn't deserve it, yet, being too far gone like Anakin, believes that there wasn't any other way. In the end, he laments that both of them will go to hell and meet again. In his mind, even tho she is perceived to be the lesser evil, they both sinned and for that, they deserve it.

I believe that's how Anakin perceived his own situation too. He loved Obi wan and he knew Obi wan loved him too ( it's possible that in the song, Matilda loved the narrator but being repulsed by his dirty money and connections, turned him down ).

But in his mind, he wronged him, and Anakin wronged Obi wan too. And for that, they both deserve to die and meet in hell.

It's canon that Anakin felt extremely lonely and empty after killing Obi wan. It's also canon that more than everything he was miserable and hated himself. He was aware of his atrocities. I believe that he thought that he would pay in the afterlife. I believe that he thought Obi wan would be there too, paying for his own sins.

Till Luke came and showed him what true love is like. Non egocentric, more beautiful than ugly, patient, idealistic and forgiving. Darth seeing so many qualities in Luke that reminded him of Padme and Obi wan softened at first his heart a little bit, opening the way for Luke to save him due to his own perseverance in the end.

When Anakin died, he met Obi wan again but not in hell and he accepted that, now knowing how to let go.

#star wars meta #star wars #darth vader #anakin skywalker #luke skywalker #obi wan kenobi #padme amidala #anakin and padme #Vader #force ghost #love me or die #anakin and obi wan #anakin x padme #star wars analysis #i love star wars

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phoenixyfriend · 2 years

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Hot take: Qui-Gon's survival would have contributed to keeping Anakin stable and not prone to attachment.

This is not because Qui-Gon would have been a better master than Obi-Wan, but because Qui-Gon's immediate death after playing such a crucial role in Anakin's life contributed majorly to his traumas regarding the loss of people important to him, which was a massive element of his later attachment issues.

Anakin left his mom and immediately experienced the death of the new adult in his life. Not just another separation, but full on death. The books even mention that he used to go sleep in front of Obi-Wan's door or on the floor next to Obi-Wan's bed (which Obi-Wan was unaware of until he woke up) because he was so scared that Someone Else Was Going To Leave Him.

I think it's understandable for the Jedi to underestimate how much Qui-Gon's death affected Anakin, because they did only know each other for like. Three days. And the Jedi probably didn't know just how much Qui-Gon impacted Anakin's life in a personal sense, rather than as just Some Distant Official.

And in the subsequent fallout of Anakin's Many Traumas, he fixated on two people:

Obi-Wan, an older brother slash father figure that was an authority on a personal level, and around him constantly, and basically took the Mom role that Shmi had had.

Palpatine, and elderly grandfather figure that was not a personal authority (telling him when to go to bed, what to eat, etc), that he only saw occasionally and would indulge him, and basically took on the Qui-Gon role.

Like there's this major crack in Anakin's foundation that needed patching up, and because it wasn't competently filled---because Obi-Wan was also grieving and cracked open, and Palpatine was malicious---we end up with a guy who has a whole FUCKTON of attachment issues.

I feel like Qui-Gon's death and its impact on Anakin, not just Obi-Wan, tends to get undersold by fandom at large.

#Anakin Skywalker #Qui Gon Jinn #Obi Wan Kenobi #Shmi Skywalker #sheev palpatine #star wars #phoenix talks #character analysis

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oreolesbian · 1 year

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Let’s discuss two clips taken from a scene in Return of the Jedi.

The first thing to establish is the metatextual disclaimer that ROTJ was released in 1983. The prequel trilogy was released in 1999, 2002 and 2005 respectively. Because of this, it is important to note that most of the lore about the Jedi Order we know from newer canon does not apply when talking about this film in isolation. In an in-canon context discussion, this is irrelevant, but here I want to discuss specifically the themes and pivotal points to the characterization of Luke Skywalker as established by the original trilogy as a whole.

The entire ROTJ Dagobah sequence as it sits in the narrative is a direct response to the events of the ending of Empire Strikes Back, where Luke disobeyed Ben and Yoda’s instructions and abandoned his training to confront Vader and save his friends before he was ready. That scene in ESB on its own already establishes a rift between Luke’s values and the values of Ben and Yoda. However, it is heavily implied that Luke was wrong to do this because he loses to Vader on Bespin and nearly dies, just as Ben and Yoda feared. However, the revelation of Vader being Luke’s father changes the scenario drastically.

In the scene above and the scene prior to it (Yoda’s death), Luke directly confronts both of his teachers on being lied to about Vader’s true identity. Because up to this point, Luke knows he has been training to eventually kill Vader (and the Emperor). Not bring him to justice - kill him.

Luke, having idolized his father since childhood (as A New Hope establishes), is realistically troubled by the news that he now has to kill his father. So troubled, that he asks Yoda, “Is Vader my father?” just so he can be sure. Luke is visibly angry in this scene when Yoda insists that he knowing would have only made him act more irrationally and emotionally. That he wasn’t ready for the truth. But the underlying question remains, did Yoda or Ben ever really plan to tell Luke the truth? After all, Yoda is disappointed that Luke found out, because he knew it would create resistance.

Yoda and Ben are fearful of another Vader, and it’s why Yoda was reluctant to train Luke in the first place.

After this, Luke confronts Ben with the same question, upsetly saying, “You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father.”

So now we have a second scene of Luke directly doubting his mentors’ motives. Whichever character you agree with being in the right as an audience member, however, is irrelevant, because in terms of character, Luke believes he is right, Ben believes he is right, Yoda believes he is right, etc. And instead of Luke blindly following the wills of his teachers, he truly starts to question whether being a Jedi for him is directly what Yoda and Ben want from him.

Ben laments in the scene above that Luke is their only hope and that Luke’s refusal to kill his own father without at least attempting to find the man he used to be is a doomed scenario. Ben and Yoda have every right to think this - they have seen Vader in both forms and have effectively lost hope in him. Luke, who has only seen a dark side of Vader, has more room for optimism to reclaim the Jedi Knight his father once was.

Not only this, but as a scene, Luke turning against Ben and Yoda’s wishes directly leads an audience to think: ‘Hmm. Vader went against the teachings of Ben and Yoda. Now Luke is doing it too. Is this his path to the Dark Side?’ Which is another narrative point to the scene. All of ROTJ is pushing this ‘what if’ now that we know Luke and Vader are related — all which builds to the ultimate climax of Luke’s decision in the final throne room fight.

“You cannot escape your destiny,” is what Ben says to Luke. But this is what Luke does.

He proves Ben and Yoda wrong.

He proudly proclaims that he’s still a Jedi, but in a way he believes in.

And it’s not even to say that he fully disagrees with Yoda and Ben, because he clearly respects them as his mentors. But Luke changes from ANH to ROTJ. He starts to form his own ideas about what a Jedi is to him, rather than what he’s supposed to do for the good of the galaxy. He makes a decision that he alone can stop Vader without killing him. That he’d rather lay down his life and die a Jedi than do what Yoda and Ben asked him to do (and ironically, what Palpatine also wanted him to do) and live as something he doesn’t believe in.

“Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor.”

For full context, Ben says this immediately after revealing Leia’s true identity to Luke - which leads us to believe that Luke’s care for his sister is something that could be used against him (as we see in the throne room fight when Vader threatens Leia). Luke cares for Leia and Han immensely, hence why he risks everything to rescue them on Bespin. And ultimately his fear of losing Leia is what makes him snap in his fight on the Second Death Star (which we later learn in the prequels, of course, as a direct parallel, is that Anakin’s fear of loss is what drove him to the Dark as well - so it matches up that Lucas is focused on fear as the emotion Jedi must control above all else, and interestingly enough, fear is driving Yoda and Ben throughout the duration of the OT). His feelings served what the Emperor wanted from him - to kill Vader and take his place.

But Ben also says - “[your feelings] do you credit.”

A simple acknowledgment that maybe, maybe Luke’s endless compassion and determination could change something. For the audience, who is fearful that Luke may fall Dark, and for Ben, whose last bit of hope is left lingering on a sentence. “You were our last hope.”

Luke Skywalker is hope. He’s hope. He’s Ben’s hope. He’s Padmé’s hope. He’s Anakin’s hope. He’s Han and Leia’s hope. He’s the Rebellion’s hope. He’s the Jedi’s hope. He’s the universe’s hope. He’s a New Hope.

He represents all of that in this film - in this few seconds, we get so much character.

And this - quintessentially - is why ROTJ is the perfect blueprint for understanding Luke’s character. How he interprets the Jedi way, how he has complicated emotions that both serve him well and lead him astray, and how he triumphs through hope.

So in full — Luke redefines what being a Jedi is for himself. In ANH, he expects it to be a whimsical adventure (it is not). In ESB, he expects it to be whatever Yoda and Ben have planned for him (it is not). And in ROTJ, he doesn’t know what to expect anymore, but embracing what he feels is the right thing to do is what pushes him forward.

He claims the Jedi title in a way that is fully earned and does not need the approval of his mentors nor the standard training (that he would never get in his era anyway). The Jedi return because of Luke - but they come back different. And not in a direct ‘the Jedi of old were all bad’ way, but in a ‘looking towards the future’ way. Because Luke believes in and values the idea of making your own destiny and the flexibility of the Force’s will. An idea which would inevitably pass to his students (who would then have their own personal interpretations of the Jedi way or even the Force in general).

So yes — writing Luke in a way where he teaches exactly the way the old Code would’ve gone without critical thought, or having him lose faith in a student over a single bad feeling, or disregarding him (meta-textually) as a Jedi, or presenting him as sticking to a very strict and specific set of rules for how training is supposed to work, etc., is all directly contrasting to the arc we are presented in the original trilogy.

#sw meta #rotj #obi wan kenobi #yoda #luke skywalker #sw #mini essay #me using my film student analysis abilities to be 100% annoying about how much luke is such a good character 🤪#and how rotj perfects that character #and how disney keeps FUCKING IT UP #🥰#also wow this is longer than i thought it would be lol #long post

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david-talks-sw · 2 years

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Analyzing Qui-Gon Jinn

As I already covered here, I don't think Qui-Gon is meant to be this "'True Jedi' who's ahead of the curb and who would've prevented Anakin from joining the Dark Side had he lived". He's not "the father figure Anakin should've had". To me, that's fanon extrapolation combined with now-non-canon EU material. I can't find any evidence in any of the (many) George Lucas quotes I've read to support the idea that this interpretation of the character was the "intended narrative".

Instead, I'd argue Qui-Gon's character has three purposes.

1) Out-of-universe, functional purposes:

SHOWING THE JEDI ARE MORTALS.

In every draft of The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon dies at the end. This mirrors Ben's death in A New Hope... but not quite. When Qui-Gon dies, his body doesn't disappear. He dies like a regular person would.

There's a reason for this.

"I wanted to convey the idea that Jedi are all very powerful, but they’re also vulnerable — which is why I wanted to kill Qui-Gon. That is to say, “Hey, these guys aren’t Superman.” These guys are people who are vulnerable, just like every other person." - George Lucas, The Phantom Menace Commentary, 1999

Qui-Gon's character is there to show the audience that - albeit being very powerful - the Jedi have limits, they have weaknesses, they can't fight a war on their own. They're not superheroes, they can be killed.

DELIVERING EXPOSITION.

Originally, Qui-Gon came in much later in The Phantom Menace.

In the first draft of the script, up until the moment when the Queen gets to Coruscant, it was just Obi-Wan, alone, on the Trade Federation ship...

... meeting Jar Jar, saving the Queen, finding and freeing Anakin and presenting him to the Council.

But it became clear to George that - especially at the beginning - the dialog was gonna be tricky because Obi-Wan alone didn’t have much to react to. Like, he'd either be completely quiet or he'd only be talking to himself.

So, when Lucas rewrote the script...

... instead of having Qui-Gon enter the story waaay later (when the gang arrives on Coruscant), George put him in the film from the start. Now Obi-Wan, has a sounding board and some of the complexities of the galaxy in the time of the Prequels can be explained as he and Qui-Gon interact.

And it's an interesting dynamic too.

Qui-Gon acts on instinct. He is wise, yet can also be reckless. He's always on the move, but sometimes that leads him into danger.

Obi-Wan acts on logic. He is very skilled and prudent... but being too prudent will lead him to being a stickler for the rules.

They complement each other perfectly, yet they both still have much to learn. Which brings me to my next point:

2) Qui-Gon is what Obi-Wan will grow beyond.

Qui-Gon says it himself.

Simply put, Qui-Gon is...

THE MENTOR'S MENTOR.

"Liam Neeson is a master Jedi, the center of the movie — just like Alec Guinness was in the first movie. When you start to cast a character like this, you think, ‘Where are we going to find another Alec Guinness? Where are we going to find someone with that kind of nobility, that kind of strength, and that kind of center?" - George Lucas, The Making of The Phantom Menace, 1999

Ben Kenobi is a new, better and improved Qui-Gon.

Thanks to the latter's teachings, Obi-Wan will learn from Qui-Gon's qualities, such as acting on instinct...

... but also from his flaws, like his tendency to rush into danger.

He even takes on some of Qui-Gon's rebelliousness, instead of always being so by-the-book.

"In the beginning, Obi-Wan is at odds with Qui-Gon, who rebels against the Jedi rules. But by the end of the film, he has become Qui-Gon by taking on his rebellious personality and responsibilities." - George Lucas, The Making of The Phantom Menace, 1999

When Qui-Gon learns the secret of transcending death, he's not able to appear physically, as his training isn't complete.

"We never see the ghost of Qui-Gon; he's not that accomplished. He's able to retain his personality, but he's not able to become a corporeal ghost.” - George Lucas, The Art of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, 2005, page 40

But he's able to teach Yoda, who teaches Obi-Wan... both of whom are able to show themselves.

Even with the recent changes in the Canon continuity, with Qui-Gon being able to manifest himself physically too...

... the point still stands: what took him about a decade to accomplish, Obi-Wan will eventually be able to accomplish instantly. And it's thanks to Qui-Gon's training.

So when it comes to the argument "Obi-Wan wasn't a suitable mentor for Anakin"... I'd say he was, because - for better or for worse - he studied under Qui-Gon, who acted as...

THE TRAINING WHEELS FOR ANAKIN'S TRAINING.

Here's what George had to say about Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan...

"[Qui-Gon] is very independent, always testing the rules. And we meet young Obi-Wan, who is constantly frustrated by his Master’s refusal to go along with the program." - George Lucas, The Making of The Phantom Menace, 1999

Here's what George had to say about Obi-Wan and Anakin...

"Even though he’s the stern taskmaster and mentor [Obi-Wan] still cares about Anakin [but he's] frustrated with their relationship and Anakin’s unwillingness to go along with the rules." - George Lucas, Attack of the Clones commentary, 2002

The wording is almost the same.

In training Anakin, Obi-Wan finds himself in same situation he was in with Qui-Gon... but this time he's more prepared to take on the challenge. After all: Obi-Wan's had a lot of experience dealing with this sort of personality, he's been keeping Qui-Gon from flying off the handle for over a decade.

"One of the primary issues between this relationship between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon is that this is establishing Obi-Wan as the kind of straight arrow, the center of the movie, and Qui-Gon as the rebel, as the one who’s constantly sort of pushing the envelope. Which will switch itself in the next movie when, rather than having his master be the rebel, he has his Padawan learner become the rebel. I’m using Obi-Wan as sort of this centering device through all these movies, even as we get in with Luke and everybody else later on." - George Lucas, The Phantom Menace Commentary, 1999

3) Qui-Gon is who Anakin could've become if everything turned out okay.

I noticed this thing the other day, in The Phantom Menace, fight between Qui-Gon and Darth Maul:

Qui-Gon is pushing Maul back, he's rushing ahead... and Maul is completely in control. It's almost like he's luring Qui-Gon toward the reactor shaft and Qui-Gon is too taken by the fight to realize he's being led by the nose.

Of course, later on, Qui-Gon meditates, clears his mind, and goes back on the offensive so efficiently that Darth Maul needs to play dirty to land a blow. But that initial part? Where he's just aggressively pressuring the opponent who keeps controlling the fight by giving ground...?

That's a classic Anakin move.

A few months ago, I wrote that, as a character: Dooku is who Anakin might become if he strays from the right path.

Imma take it further and argue that, conversely: Qui-Gon is who Anakin could be if he stays on the right path.

Just like he does with Dooku, Anakin has a bunch of similar traits and parallels with Qui-Gon, and they're clearly intentional.

VISUAL PARALLELS:

From simple stuff like the length of their hair...

"George wanted Anakin to look more like Qui-Gon Jinn, to show that he was going beyond what Obi-Wan was teaching him -- hence the long hair." - Iain McCaig, The Art of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, 2005, page 45

... or the fact that Anakin and Qui-Gon are aggressive fighters who'll punch opponents in the face during a lightsaber duel...

"There's a line of training through Darth Tyranus and Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin. You can follow that line, and there's an aggressive fault in that line. Mace isn't of that line, and that allows you to give him unique talents." - Nick Gillard, StarWars.com, Homing Beacon #126, 2004

... even their funerals are the same.

"The end of [Return of the Jedi] is Anakin at a funeral pyre, just like Qui-Gon is [in] here. So I wanted to keep those motifs— again, things to harken back to things that had been going on in the movie. We then have this moment, which is very important, where Obi-Wan commits, and tells Anakin that he’s going to train him, because that’s where the rest of the movie go." - George Lucas, The Phantom Menace Commentary, 1999

SIMILAR CHARACTERIZATIONS:

As mentioned in the previous section, they're both rebellious and have trouble following the rules... which can put them at odds with the Council, at times.

They're not perfect, sometimes they can be rash and impulsive. For example, George describes Qui-Gon's decision to have Anakin be trained as "controversial", "wrong" and "dangerous."

But unlike Anakin, Qui-Gon's rebellious nature isn't motivated by arrogance, like Anakin in Episode II, but by a drive to help as many people as possible. Qui-Gon is selfless, goes with the flow, trusts the Will of the Force, whereas Anakin has trouble letting go of his selfish desires and is determined to impose his will on the natural cycle of life and death.

Also, Qui-Gon is usually able to re-center himself when he slips. There's a peace and calm to him that Anakin still needs to acquire.

To be fair, Qui-Gon is a trained Jedi Master. Whereas Anakin's training was sabotaged by a Sith Lord almost every step of the way.

But the fact remains that if Anakin learned to let go of his attachments, if he can face the mirror and conquer his inner demons... he'd be what Qui-Gon is:

An incorruptible Jedi who follows the Light for the simple reason that it is the Light, no matter what.

A street-wise, kind man with a talent for spotting diamonds in the rough and listening to the mythological "Guide" archetypes.

A ferocious but extremely talented lightsaber duelist with the ability to center himself and stay on target. More quick on the draw than your average Jedi, but for all the right reasons.

Someone with a special connection to the Force, someone with the gift of foresight, who feels rather than thinking.

So that's who Qui-Gon really is. He is what Anakin could be.

And that's where Obi-Wan and Palpatine come back in (the good father figure and the bad father figure, the man who kept Qui-Gon grounded and the man who corrupted Dooku)... depending on whose guidance Anakin listens to the most, he'll either be the next Qui-Gon or the next Dooku.

#qui-gon jinn #meta #george lucas #anakin skywalker #jedi order #star wars #obi-wan kenobi #sw meta #jedi #qui-gon #qui gon/obi wan #anakin #sw #dooku #disaster lineage #lucas quotes #collection of quotes #long post #analysis

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sheepfulsheepyardinspace · 2 years

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i think discussion of the prequel trilogy is really hampered when you consider the pt a stand-alone piece. it’s not! it’s only half the story. anakin skywalker’s story doesn’t end on mustafar; neither does obi-wan’s, and padmé’s influence lives far beyond on her death. the original trilogy is fait accompli. the main characters' story arcs in the pt work so because it was directly reverse engineered from the ot.

most, if not all, of the questions the ot brings up both mechanical as well as thematic (what happened to the jedi order? what about the twins' mom? what was the galaxy like before the empire? what caused anakin's fall?) are answered in the pt. equally, all of what appear to be loose threads at the end of the pt (what is the future of the jedi order, who is the best of the jedi? luke. what is the cure to the dark side? love, connection, it's how luke saves anakin. will the galaxy ever get better? yes, luke and leia are leaving the galaxy better than their parents left it) are answered in the ot.

you can't divorce the prequel trilogy from the fact that it is a tragedy. nothing about rotj would be triumphant if there was nothing for luke to redeem anakin from or anything left to fix. it's also, by definition, a prequel, so the characters are never going to entirely succeed, and that's their tragedy and dramatically ironic end. padmé never gets to reform the republic (she's murdered by the republic's killer); obi-wan doesn't get to see anakin defeat the sith (anakin destroys the order and joins the sith); and anakin never gets to free the slaves (instead he becomes one, again). who's at fault, here, for the state of the galaxy at the end of rots? everyone and no one. there's more blame to be assigned to some than others (palpatine, for one; anakin, who's doing the murdering) but these characters are not real people actually on trial at the hague. all the pt characters all have to have made irreversible mistakes in someway, by demand of fate and plot, wherein every single character's decision––especially those made with the best intentions––will doom them in some horrific, completely unforeseeable manner.

and all of this would be an understandable end to a tragedy. but the last scenes of rots, like fortinbras arriving to find horatio, do provide hope and luke and leia's existence begin to transition the story to the classical hero's journey. the two trilogies are fundamentally intertwined, spiritual sisters and spiritual antitheses, and it's only the original trilogy that can provide answers and solutions to the pt's problems. parts of obi-wan, padmé, and anakin's characters fundamentally could not be resolved without the characters of the ot. and there's real beauty to it! the relief, the comfort, the hope you feel when binary sunset plays at the end of rots is what makes the ot's triumph so much more emotional in light of the pt's dark tragedy.

#sw #sw meta #star wars #anakin skywalker #luke skywalker #my stuff #darth anakin #swpt #swot #jedi order #empire #republic #i mean you could also resolve this with a determined fanfic writer #but im speaking here about writing analysis/meta on sw as opposed to sw fanfic #tldr: i LOVE star wars #obi-wan kenobi #padme amidala

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short-wooloo · 7 months

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Okay, one complaint I keep seeing about ahsoka (and to an extent the rest of disney SW) that I disagree with is this claim of "lightsabers don't kill anyone anymore"

Or "only Qui-Gon dies from a lightsaber"

Specifically referring to being stabbed by a lightsaber

And let's just examine this shall we?

First, all of the persons who survived a lightsaber stab were stabbed in the stomach/lower abdomen

That's a survivable injury irl

Here's some fiction 101 for ya: when you want to seriously injure a character, like near death injure, but don't want to actually kill them, you go for the lower abdomen

(for example: Weiss, Blake, and Hazel in RWBY)

Actually, a lightsaber stab to the lower abdomen might be more survivable, since lightsabers cauterize wounds

Now, let's take a look at our stab survivors specifically, we have Reva, the Grand Inquisitor, Sabine, and kylo ren

That's 4 characters, hardly "no one can die of a lightsaber anymore"

But why did they survive?

Well, out of universe the explanation is these are major characters, they can't die because that's the narrative

And for these 4 characters who survive, there's numerous minor/background/secondary characters who die from lightsaber stabbing

But let's examine the in universe reasons they survived shall we?

The Grand Inquisitor and Reva are dark siders, it is well established by now that through rage dark siders can cling to life even through worse injuries

But we can also assume from the "text" that Reva and the GI received medical attention rather quickly, the fact that Vader had the GI with him, alive and well, implies he personally intervened to save his life

And Reva was left alone in the Hidden Path base, which was established in Part IV to have a medical facility, she could have easily used it to self administer care

(And regarding her surviving Anakin's mass shooting, well rage keeping her alive still applies, as does medical supplies, but also it's possible that Anakin didn't take the time to make sure all the kids he killed were dead)

More importantly, Kenobi does a tremendous amount of legwork to establish that lightsaber stabbing to the lower abdomen is survivable

It starts by stabbing the Grand Inquisitor, a character who shows up later in the timeline (which everyone ignored for baseless stupid clone/zombie theories)

And when Reva is stabbed at the end of part V, the episode had already established in flashbacks that she had survived this injury before

Now let's cover kyle

He didn't actually survive

Because Rey healed him

Was it stupid that she did that? Yes, but not because it's impossible, it was stupid because why would she do this

And then we have sabine (rip to Rebels sabine, you weren't my favorite, but you weren't unbearable)

This one actually relates to why Qui-Gon couldn't survive

Sabine got medical attention soon after stabbing, Qui-Gon did not

Rewatch Phantom Menace, take note of what happens after Qui-Gon is stabbed

1. Obi-Wan and maul glare at each other through a force field for an undetermined amount of time

2. Obi-Wan and Maul duel for a few minutes

3. Obi-Wan spends an undetermined amount of time hanging over a bottomless pit

4. Obi-Wan defeats Maul

5. Qui-Gon has some last words with Obi-Wan

6. Qui-Gon dies

Maybe if he had received medical attention immediately he would have survived

And ultimately, the reason Qui-Gon dies is the same reason lightsabers are more fatal to minor characters

The narrative, Qui-Gon needs to be gone so Obi-Wan will be the one who trains Anakin, and thus he dies

#wooloo-writes #wooloo writes #star wars #sw #lightsabers #lightsaber #obi wan kenobi #reva sevander #grand inquisitor #qui gon jinn #sabine wren #kylo ren #sw analysis

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softpadawan · 2 years

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Every time I see Kanan Jarrus described as "brash" and "cocky"

His character summaries in published media are hilariously inaccurate.

The Rebellion Begins (Kogge, 2014):

Kanan: The Last Padawan (Weisman, Larraz, Camagni, 2015):

No. No. No.

Kanan Jarrus isn't Han Solo version 2.0. All of the above adjectives are more fitting to a man like Han. If anything, Kanan is Han's foil, his complete opposite. His description in The Last Padawan makes it seem as if he's the one who's hellbent on fighting the Empire, the gung-ho commander of the team, when in truth it's all Hera. She's the one responsible for pushing Kanan into the Rebellion. She owns and pilots the Ghost; she's the founder and the leader of the crew.

Hera is the true Spectre-01. Kanan is actually Spectre-02, and that's why his pauldron bears the number "02". It's not a romantic gesture, like some fans believe.

From Wookieepedia, emphasis mine:

Although various sources have identified Kanan Jarrus as the leader of the Spectres, Star Wars Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to a Galaxy Far, Far Away states that Jarrus' Spectre-1 code name was given to him so that Imperials will incorrectly assume he is the group's leader, and states of Hera Syndulla, "Even though she is Spectre-2, this Twi'lek is the pilot and leader of the rebels."

Kanan is not the leader, or even a leader. Hera is. She always was. Initially, Kanan didn't want anything to do with the Rebellion, and in the second season of Rebels (The Siege of Lothal, S2 E01), he voiced his reluctance to work alongside other rebel cells, showing that even after seven years allied with Hera, he was still hesitant about taking on greater responsibilities. Hera was always the one pushing for more involvement. Kanan supported her, but only so far. He wasn't, in his own words, "ready to start another [war]."

Which brings me to the next section:

The Adjectives

Kanan isn't any definition of brash. He's cautious and controlled, always aware of danger, and not keen on taking risks, especially where the Force is concerned.

Above excerpt from The Rebellion Begins—ironically from the same book that described him as "brash"—where Hera tries to press Kanan into using the Force shortly before the events in Spark of Rebellion.

Kanan's acknowledgement of the necessity of taking risks didn't truly come into play until after he met Ezra. He actually tried to talk Hera out of recruiting him (and was right to do so).

Kanan isn't a "maverick".

Kanan's life from Order 66 until 5 BBY was nothing but him trying to blend in with the crowd and remain as inconspicuous as possible. His very survival depended on it (see also: A New Dawn; further supported by Cal Kestis's prescription for survival in Jedi: Fallen Order, below, emphasis mine):

"[T]here are three rules to survive. Don't stand out. Accept the past. Trust no one. The galaxy's changed. Whatever you do, don't reach within. Don't stand out. Accept the past. Trust no one. Trust only in the Force."

Sound advice. The last thing Kanan wanted was to draw attention, especially Imperial attention, and he did everything he could to prevent that.

Kanan is not cocky.

The man is the antithesis of self-confidence. So much of Kanan's journey in Rebels is the reclamation of his confidence and courage, coming out of the shell he'd built around himself for the last 15 years. He didn't approach Ezra with the attitude of "alright, kid, I'm gonna teach you to be a kickass Jedi!" He was reluctant to teach Ezra, wary of making mistakes, fearful of failing him, literally wracked with doubt and worry, as we see here in S1 E10, Path of the Jedi:

The only descriptor that is somewhat accurate to Kanan is "sarcastic", but he only does that occasionally, usually directed at enemies or when in situations he'd rather not be in. He doesn't make sarcasm his entire identity, unlike Han Solo, whose every other line of dialogue is a sardonic comment or quip. Even Obi-Wan is cattier than Kanan.

So why is Kanan marketed as a brash, cocky, sarcastic, arrogant maverick?

In my opinion, it's because the entertainment industry incorrectly believes a male character is only interesting if he's 1) a borderline asshole, 2) completely able-bodied and hypercompetent, 3) in possession of a great power, or 4) any combination of the previous three.

A cautious, traumatized, insecure male character who suppresses his abilities, goes with the crowd, and doesn't stand out, who is naturally tender and kindhearted toward people, isn't going to be as marketable—especially in a male-dominated arena like comics—even though it's a more accurate description of Kanan's character. He isn't the classic, charismatic hero archetype that boys can project themselves onto... unless they spin him that way to sell merch.

But the trend of the Arrogant Asshole Lead Male is declining in recent years, I've noticed. Major characters like Cassian Andor and Cal Kestis and sad desert hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, men who are still dealing with the mental fallout of Order 66 and/or suffering under the soul-crushing oppression of the Empire, men who are haunted and traumatized and disempowered, are becoming more prevalent. Their stories are being told. That's fantastic. I'm personally bored with the same old cocky-witty-genius-talented-billionaire-playboy male stereotype (who always has a perfect comeback) that has dominated the entertainment industry for half a century. Broken, imperfect characters are a thousand times more interesting to me, and so are their stories and character development. It's difficult to develop an already-perfect character, or one who never changes.

I think I've excised all my aggravation now. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. Support your local Traumatized Jedi™

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