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scotianostra · 2 years

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Happy 75th Birthday Denis Lawson born September 27, 1947 in Glasgow. and Kinross Star Wars connections here, Lawson’s nephew is, of course, Ewan McGregor, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy.and he was also an early drama school classmate of Ian McDiarmid, aka Emperor Palpatine in movie franchise.

Lawson t grew up in Crieff, Perthshire, after his family moved there when he was three years old. He is the son of Phyllis Neno, a merchant, and Laurence Lawson, a watchmaker Denis was educated at Crieff Primary School (then called Crieff Public School). After the 11-plus examination, he attended Morrison's Academy as a day pupil before attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, having first unsuccessfully auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He then sold carpets and did amateur theatre work for a year in Dundee before auditioning again at RADA in London and successfully at RSAMD in Glasgow.

Lawson began his acting career with a small role in a 1969 stage production of The Metamorphosis in London's West End. and has since starred in television dramas such as The Merchant of Venice opposite Laurence Olivier as Shylock, Rock Follies and Dead Head.

Denis has been in too many other TV shows to mention, from the original Dr. Finlay’s Casebook and of course with almost every other Scottish actor he has starred in a Bill Forsyth film, his being Local Hero, but unusually he has never been in Taggart, his last film role of note was in the Glasgow Gangster film, The Wee Man, Denis was in 61 episodes of the long running hospital drama, Holby City as consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Tom Campbell-Gore and 37 episodes of the crime drama New Tricks. In 2017 he played The Duke of Atholl in the series Victoria.

In Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope his voice was dubbed by David Ankrum. He reprised the role, in voice-over form, in the Nintendo GameCube game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader. Lawson’s voice also provided the narration for the audio book of Heir to the Empire and Dark Force Rising in both novels, he reprised his role as Wedge Antilles as well as playing all characters.

Lawson turned down Lucas’s proposal to make a cameo as Raymus Antilles in Revenge of the Sith.

Lawson was approached to return for Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, but declined, stating that it “just would have bored [him].”he did however resurface in The Rise of Skywalker and voiced Wedge Antilles in the Video game Star Wars: Squadrons

Denis has been quiet for onscreen roles lately, but he has been treading the boards, his last show was Anything Goes at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh last spring.

No stranger to Edinburgh, it was here that Lawson spent some of the formative years of his career working at both the Royal Lyceum and old Traverse in the Grassmarket, where he trained with the legendary dancer, actor, teacher, mime artist, and choreographer, Lindsay Kemp.

His childhood heroes were silver screen stars like Danny Kaye, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.“American Vaudeville kind of people,” he clarifies, “That's what made me want to perform. I wanted to be like them and Anything Goes is that 'front-cloth' vaudevillian-style show and I just love it. It's fantastic - musical theatre has always been a strong part of my career."

So strong, if fact, he won an Olivier Award for his performance as Jim Lancaster in the musical, Mr Cinders.

On his nephew, Ewan, Denis has clarified the line that he tried to talk MacGregor out of the Star Wars role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, saying;

“Ewan likes to say that, but it wasn't like that at all. He was young at the time and it's easy in this profession to get pigeon-holed, so all I said to him was to just be careful. To make sure he really wanted to do it. It was great that he did it and ignored ‘my advice’ and he was fantastic in it. He is an amazing talent.”

It's Lawson we have to thank for encouraging that talent and he remembers, "My sister Carol came to me and said that Ewan, who was eight at the time, had something to tell me. He stood in front of me very seriously and said, 'I want to be an actor.' And I said, ‘Fine, well come back to me in a few years and we will discuss it’. As with me, it never went away and I am immensely proud of what he has done.”

#Scotland #scottish #actor #director #theatre #tv #films #happy birhtday

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bettsfic · 2 years

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alright i’ve given it 2 days to avoid posting spoilers but now it’s time for some Thoughts on the obi-wan kenobi finale.

(it goes without saying, spoilers ahead)

i can’t imagine how hard it is to write a sequel to a prequel. especially something as iconic as star wars, it’s such a tall order. i for one enjoy getting some of the gaps filled in with extra content, but i recognize nothing can really happen that hasn’t already been implied.

for example, we know obi-wan and anakin can’t kill each other. we know reva can’t kill luke. we know leia returns home safe. everything else is a wild card but ultimately the lead characters have to find harmony after the upheaval of the conflict, because a state of harmony is where we pick up in a new hope.

but we were given one thing, one huge thing that we didn’t already know for certain, that somehow, despite being sandwiched between two trilogies, moves anakin’s story forward:

he doesn’t blame obi-wan. he blames himself.

in revenge of the sith we leave anakin believing padme and obi-wan were conspiring against him. he blames them for allowing this to happen to him. his delusions of grandeur destroy his trust in those he loves most.

but now we know! for absolute certain! he doesn’t! blame! obi-wan!

there are so many implications here: that anakin has had time to introspect, that he knows obi-wan didn’t betray him, that he’s telling us anakin is dead and all that remains is darth vader, but it’s not true. there’s still some anakin there and we know this because of his sacrifice in return of the jedi.

if that shit doesn’t make you want to rip your own heart out and eat it, i don’t know what to tell you.

now let’s talk about obi-wan.

in star wars the concept of personal agency is flimsy. in large part this is a craft issue--we’re taught that in “good” movies characters have to get boxed into a corner in order to act. we see a pattern of characters acting out of desperation, with no other choice. even the effects of the dark side have a certain physiology, a physical disease that takes over them and causes them to act--we see it in both anakin and kylo ren. it’s not their fault they killed a bunch of people, it’s the dark side eating away at them. rey literally stabs the dark side out of kylo ren in the rise of skywalker.

you could argue that luke makes the choice to embark on an adventure in a new hope (and rey in the force awakens [but note that anakin never *truly* has a choice to go with obi-wan and qui-gon in the phantom menace. he’s ten years old and his mother is enslaved]), but i think being called to act is also an inciting predicament that denies choice. after all, if luke or rey say no, there’s no story.

but in the finale, both anakin and obi-wan decide to fight each other. even roken is like “you literally don’t have to do this, we’re going to be fine.” and obi-wan is all “yeah but i’m gonna.” and anakin doesn’t have to go there, in fact shouldn’t go there, but he does, because he needs to see obi-wan. that’s what the show is saying over and over, outright: he can only see obi-wan. they could have written the entire series without that final showdown. action-wise, the chase is high-stakes enough, and there’s already so much precedent to make vader the big bad on your tail and you escape his grasp by the skin of your teeth. that could have happened, and it wouldn’t have made a difference.

but the series works hard to develop character motivations by tying up the loose ends of the prequel trilogy. i think this is the big difference between plot-driven and character-driven stories. in plot-driven stories, the characters must act. in character-driven stories, the characters choose to act. this is the first live action star wars media that has given us a character-driven story, where nearly all the events happen because the main character makes them happen, and not because we’re already aware of the events that happen prior to and after the events of the series.

so neither of them go to the fight with the intention of killing each other. they know they can’t kill each other, because they are each other’s weakness (obikin: canon). the only conclusion i can really make is that they go there--against the advice of everyone around them--to see each other. maybe obi-wan goes to see for certain his “friend” is gone. maybe anakin goes just so he can tell him, it’s not your fault. maybe they just want closure, because the next time they meet will be the last.

#obi-wan kenobi #obikin #owk #meta #i'm sorry if this doesn't make any sense my brain is all blorbo no logic

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as8bakwthesage · 1 year

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TOP 10 FAVOURITE FILMS

tagged by @codotafterdark the beloved

I’m going to expand on this and briefly talk about why I love these movies too, don’t worry. Also, I like a lot of movies and I probably didn’t remember all of them so forgive me. For those who I tag, you don’t have to do the whole “explaining why you like the films” but that’s up to you!

Minor spoilers for some of these movies!

10. It’s a Wonderful Life

I love this movie because a) it’s got incredibly endearing characters and b) it aged so well. The movie is about a man literally stopping a wealthy capitalist scumbag who wants to turn his lovely town into an awful casino-ridden cesspit and slum. Which, uh *looks around at the capitalist hellscape we are in* is pretty poignant.

His speech where he yells at the pig is beautiful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4ne13Zft9Q This scene is amazing. The entire movie is genuinely so good and for the people who haven’t seen it, watch it. I know it’s in black and white but that in no way detracts from the movie at all.

9. Star Wars Episode III: “Revenge of the Sith”

People clown on the Prequel trilogy but you know what, fuck em. I grew up with those movies and as an adult I see genuine value in their stories. Anakin’s descent into the dark side is both tragic but ultimately entirely his own fault. Sure, the system failed him, but he still made the choice to kill children and to betray his friends and loved ones.

And it’s a very good lesson about the fact that no matter what, you are responsible for your actions. But it doesn’t make Anakin’s fall any less tragic. George Lucas wanted to emulate Greek tragedies with the prequels and I’d say he vigorously succeeded.

8. The Book Thief

One of the few movies about WWII surrounding a story that takes place in Nazi Germany that is actually pretty good. “The Book Thief” is about a girl who gets taken in by foster parents who are hiding a Jewish man. Through him, she learns how to read and write and she becomes really invested in books. In the story itself, she saves a few books from being burned, and even steals some as well.

I seem to be a fan of history repeating itself as we have literal book burnings and bans occurring in the USA as we speak so the story about saving works of literature and the power of words is incredibly important. Especially in the light of a lot of southern states literally trying to kill LGBT+ people and removing stories about us.

7. Rise of The Guardians

I haven’t really talked about the Found Family aspects of the previous movies on this list but in all of the movies so far, there is at least an element of found family and a theme about hope and fighting back against one’s oppressors.

And while “Rise of the Guardians” has excellent themes about hope, loss, belief, found family, and personal growth, I love this movie for other reasons.

It’s just such a brilliantly cool movie! The entire movie is a visual delight with the most expressive and fun characters. It’s a movie that just screams “THE RULE OF COOL” and it’s awesome for it. Of course I love the characters and the story but the animation and visuals are also a stellar plus for me.

6. Monsters vs Aliens

This movie is... it’s so rich with character and themes about loss and finding a new identity and dealing with ostracization that it’s very applicable to LGBT+ experiences. I wouldn’t say it’s a metaphor because the creators probably didn’t intend it that way and to make LGBT+ people represented in the form of monsters isn’t exactly cool. It’s definitely more applicable as an LGBT+ person myself whose struggled with a lot of feelings of being alone, of being unwanted, of being seen as “other” just as the monsters do in the movie.

Susan’s arc especially is so so good and please, if you watch this movie for anything (which I recommend that you do), watch it for Susan as a character. Her dealing with the loss of her life and identity is so powerful.

This movie’s comedic moments are also very good. And it hits all the harder when the emotional moments happen.

5. The Man Who Knew Too Little

It’s a funny movie. It’s a very funny movie about a guy who thinks he is acting but he’s actually in the middle of a covert international government operation that is very real.

“No, it’s real! It’s so real!” has been burned into my brain.

The best kind of comedy that is universal and will never age is comedy of misunderstanding. Where a bunch of shit happens because of a misunderstanding and shenanigans ensue.

This movie also has so many great lines and Bill Murray is at his best as an actor in this movie because he has to be a bad actor in the story because his character wants to be an actor but is bad at acting. It’s just bloody brilliant. I also grew up with this movie and watched it a lot as a kid. It’s one of my dad’s favourite movies, which is one of the only things we agree on.

Movie’s fucking hilarious, go watch it.

4. Persepolis

Ooh boy. This movie is gorgeous. As is the graphic novel its based off of. The story of “Persepolis” follows the true story of Marjane Satrapi as she grows up during the Iranian revolution. It’s a very impactful story about life and death and the horrors of war. Marjane’s story is incredible but also very heavy emotionally.

The art of the movie is also just brilliant and gorgeous. It’s incredible and beautifully animated.

I really need to rewatch it again to better absorb all of what happens because I saw it when I was 13 and I’m 22 now so I’d definitely be able to understand it all better. But it stuck with me throughout all of these years regardless.

The power of storytelling, I tell ya.

Go watch it. A lot of Americans don’t know shit about what happens outside of their own country and this story about the Iranian revolution is one that a lot of Americans don’t know shit about.

Go watch it.

3. Encanto

Much like “Persepolis”, this movie is about, to some degree, actual historical events. But where it deviates is that its definitely moreso a movie that children can better absorb, which is not an insult.

“Encanto” is about the Madrigals, a Colombian family who have powers granted to them by a magical house. But the protagonist is Mirabel, who has no powers whatsoever and her journey to basically help undo all of the unhealthy coping mechanisms imposed on the family thanks to Alma, Mirabel’s grandmother.

Now, a lot of people dislike Alma and call her a villain, which is just not true. She is a victim of horrible atrocities and has bottled up her emotions for the longest time for the sake of helping the community she lives in. Alma’s mistreatment of her family was completely unintentional and when Mirabel tells her so, Alma opens up and apologises to her family.

The reason why Alma isn’t abusive is because she owns up to her mistakes immediately and vows to do better. My own grandmother and father can’t do that, they always try to gaslight me, berate me, and straight up lie to me. These people continue their behaviour and refuse to change, which makes them abusers.

The themes about generational trauma and how you need to rock the boat to start undoing it hits so close to home. I’m not Colombian but my father’s side of the family are war refugees from former Yugoslavia and my mom’s side of the family have been through some horrendous abuse. The bottling up of emotions and projecting unhealthy coping mechanisms on your descendants is something that happens in my family a lot.

And that’s why “Encanto” is so high up on this list. Because I felt validated by this movie and my own experiences.

2. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Another kick in the teeth in terms of emotions.

I saw “Wakanda Forever” not too long after my adopted brother died in a car crash. So Shuri’s pain and her grief felt so real and personal that I couldn’t help but love the movie for what it was talking about.

Shuri goes through the stages of grief and her pain is never minimised or seen as a negative. All the things she does, it’s perfectly understandable. Obviously eventually she manages to overcome her own demons and makes an ally with Namour, who is also a fantastic antagonist.

I don’t use the term “villain” to describe him because while he does some decidedly villainous things like attack Wakanda and kill a bunch of people, including Shuri’s mother, his reasonings are absolutely understandable. Much like Erik, he seeks retribution for the genocide and enslavement of his people and, yeah, as a Native person myself, I completely fucking relate to his pain.

Ultimately, “Wakanda Forever” hit me so hard because, again, I felt validated in my grief and I felt seen by the movie. Namour’s anger and hatred towards those who colonised and destroyed his home and people is one that I imagine many fellow Natives feel. But what he does to fellow people of colour is unacceptable and horrid. He did not need to attack Wakanda, he did not need to murder one inventor because, let’s face it, the government probably has her blueprints in some form or another.

And the conflict of the movie is not one easily solved and its not one that is completely resolved either as even though Shuri and Namour are allies now, it will separate Wakanda from the rest of the world if the countries of the world try to attack Namour’s people, as Wakanda to come to his aid. I personally believe this is a good thing but again, it’s a complicated situation. And it’s so good.

Before we get to my favourite film of all time, here are the honourable mentions:

Deadpool, Emperor’s New Groove, Lilo and Stitch, Onward, The Sound of Music, Wall-E, Watchmen, Batman and Robin, Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Golden Compass, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Back to The Future 1-2-3

And finally...

1. When Marnie Was There

I discovered this relatively unknown film when I was about 15 years old. The story in “When Marnie Was There” is about a girl named Anna who goes to stay in the country-side of Japan with her aunt and uncle to help with her asthma. In this small village, she meets a girl named Marnie with whom she has almost fantasy-esc encounters with.

She and Marnie become the best of friends and start to spend a lot of time together. However, as time goes on, Anna starts to notice things that are off about Marnie until eventually she learns about what truly happened to Marnie and who this blonde-haired girl actually is.

It’s a story about love, loss, friendship, depression, and self-worth. Marnie teaches Anna how to open up and by the end of the movie, Anna becomes more confident in herself.

I was a similar age as me at the time when I first watched this movie. I had/have brown short hair, I was/am an artist, and didn’t have any friends, much like Anna. Our names were even similar - her name and my deadname, I mean.

I saw myself in Anna as a character a lot. I saw what she was going through and I related incredibly to it. I felt so seen by this movie as if Anna was me and I was Anna in that moment. I was dealing with depression and suicidal idealization and I had no friends and felt incredibly alone. Discovering “When Marnie Was There” when I did was honestly the closest thing I’ll ever see as destiny. This movie made me bawl and sob my eyes out when I first saw it and subsequent rewatchings of it have also lent a lot of tears.

I always look back with fondness for this movie as I honestly believe it helped in some way to save my life. I’ve never felt so incredibly seen in a film as I did with this one and that’s why I hold it in such high regard.

I do recommend it though regardless of my own experiences with it. It’s got really relatable and interesting characters, a mystery, a story about friendship and loss and ultimately, self-love.

Please watch it.

---

I tag @skull-scrimmage @icy-roulette @noodle--nerd @creaturedeityendless @lexyr-kyro @little-bullheaded-shit @lolotheparagon @dreamydraig @dreamy-memey @asunnycoffee @gritsandbrits and @inkdrawndreamer

#sage rambles #sage writes an essay again #favourite movies

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helbertinelli · 2 years

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There's something that kind of confuses me about Padme's death, was it mainly Anakin's force choke that killed or was it just sadness? Like, let's say the force choke never happened would she still from sadness over what Anakin had become or would she be fine? Or there's no confrontation on Mustafar but Anakin is killed, would she die of a broken heart? Were there other factors that played in it as well like the heat of Mustafar and the stress of everything that happened, maybe even some kind of brief form of postpartum depression or something the medical droids missed?

It wasn't Anakin's force choke at all. I know people will gang-up and be like "nooo he killed her!" but the medical droids do say that medically she's 100% healthy, but she's still dying of unknown causes.

Padme died of a broken heart. And even if there was no confrontation on Mustafar, but she learned Anakin was killed, she would have still died of a broken heart. He was everything for her and she couldn't go on without him. When Obi-Wan came back to the ship but Anakin didn't, I think Padme assumed Anakin was dead, that Obi-Wan killed him as he said he would. So she lost her soulmate. Padme was constantly worrying about losing Anakin, especially in ROTS, so kinda seeing that fear materializing broke her heart completely.

You also need to take in account that her entire life got destroyed. The Republic was gone and Anakin was gone. Those are two of the biggest things that defined Padme's character. And without those, there was no Padme either.

I forgot where I talked about it, probably on a Kanan post, but I was saying how before Dave Filoni, deaths in SW served a purpose. Main characters didn't just die for shock value. And I talk about how Padme's death symbolizes the end of the Republic. She was so significant to democracy and freedom, and when those things ceased to exist, the character that was the symbol of democracy and freedom also ceased to exist. Same with Vader in ROTJ. His death symbolized the end of the Empire. It was Anakin's attack that made way for the Empire to go into existence. Sure, Palpatine put the bases for the Empire and he was largely responsible for the Empire, but it was Anakin in ROTS who was basically the catalyst for the Empire coming into existence. Without Anakin on his side, Palpatine and his clone army would have failed. So when Vader dies in ROTJ it's also symbolic of the Empire's death as well.

However, for Padme personally, as a character, it was the fact that she lost Anakin that caused her death. We see her keep going after she finds out that the Republic is no more. She's willing to go on as long as Anakin is with her. But once she loses Anakin, she loses her will to live too.

I have a few links where I talk about her death or where @padme-amitabha talks about her death:

#padme amidala #Meta #anidala

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zorallens-writes · 2 years

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Merrin was too young to remember most of what happened when her sisters were massacred. One thing she did recall, as bright as their light, were the sword-like instruments that cut through her people. The very same weapons - that this so-called Nightsister in front of her - had hanging by her belt.

“You claim that you are not Jedi, yet you wield the same destructive weapon as they.” Through magicks, Merrin conjured an illusion of a lightsaber into her hands, activated its switch and allowed a bright blue to cut through the temple’s shadows.

Unlike Merrin, Asajj had such vivid recollection of the memory, for she was in the midst of it all. She blamed herself for what happened, for allowing her anger at Dooku be deflected back to these women who have been nothing but kind to her. She carried this burden with her when she had left Dathomir, and even now, as she had returned, the guilt that bore its weight on her shoulders threatened to return.

“When it comes to lightsabers and raging foolishness, the Jedi aren’t the only experts.”

Asajj’s response was solemn. No more was the fierce pride that colored her voice back in the days. She had come to realize and accept her responsibilities, her past, and moved past them. Th death of the Nightsisters marked the death of her dark history, and she rose from the ashes with newfound wisdom, bravery, and kindness. She was no longer afraid, not even in admitting her own failures.

“No amount of apologies could ever bring them back, but you deserve it nonetheless. Deserve more, even.” Asajj paused with a sigh. “I am sorry, sister. I am sorry for the darkness I brought upon our people, and for the darkness I left with you in it.”

Merrin tilted her head toward the other, green wisps of smoke curling on her palms as the lightsaber in her hands vanished. “What? I’m supposed to just forgive you?!” She narrowed her eyes, sparks of flaming fury threatening to escape. It was an anger that Asajj knew all too well.

Ventress shook her head. “I didn’t come here for forgiveness, nor am I asking you to. Mother Talzin was the one who told me to find my path outside of Dathomir, and it is she who called me back here today.”

Disbelief and confusion colored Merrin’s face as she took a step back. “Mother? Why would she, after all that you have done?”

Asajj knew the answer from the moment she saw Merrin. With the young woman, she saw the same pain, the same anger that drove her down a cursed path- the path of revenge. There was no justice to be found in vengeance’s bloodied waters, only more hurt and destruction.

The former Sith assassin began to slowly pace the room, her eyes examining the once great pillars that now befell into ruins. “Tell me, child-”

“-I am no child.” Merrin fiercely cut her off.

Asajj scoffed. “No, you are not, sister. You were forced to grow up the moment you lost everything.” She stopped in front of a stone wall, carved with Nightsister’s glyphs, as if they wrote of the story that both women had suffered.

“You had to learn to survive and to lean on yourself because you had no one else.” As Asajj narrated, Merrin had quietly walked beside her, looking toward the same wall. “We have that in common, sister. The difference is, I’ve walked through the very path you are contemplating to, and look at what those choices caused.”

For a moment, nothing but silence filled the void between them. Asajj knew her words had stirred Merrin’s thoughts, and hoped they led her toward a better path.

“You ask me why I’m here,” Asajj broke the silence and turned toward Merrin, who had now faced Asajj with a softer expression. “Mother Talzin wants you to learn from my mistakes. You may have lost everything, but you still have one thing- you. If you go down this path, you will lose yourself.”

Merrin frowned. “You’re here now. You found yourself again.”

“Perhaps. But it took me years. I didn’t just lose myself. I ended up inflicting that very pain toward others. Giving into your anger traps you in an endless, vicious cycle, and drags the people around you into its orbit.”

“Maybe they deserve it.”

“Did you?”

The question hung in the air, piercing into Merrin’s heart. She was just a child, too innocent to fully comprehend the war that seeped its way into Dathomir. The further she searched her feelings, the more she realized Asajj’s words rang true.

“If not revenge, then what?” Merrin looked to Asajj for counsel.

“Leave this place. Honor the sacrifice of our sisters by allowing yourself to live. You cannot do that if you stay shrouded in the shadows of your past. Don’t let your pain bury you in here too.”

Asajj gave Merrin some time to ponder, then the latter nodded. “All right. I’ll go. But where?”

Asajj smiles warmly. “I can take you off-world to a planet of your choice. There are whole worlds waiting out there for you to discover, sister.”

The prospect of interplanetary travel excited Merrin. As a child, the sight of ships coming and going made her yearn to see the galaxy. That heart for traveling may have hidden itself underneath the rubble that invaders’ destructive ships had brought, but for the first time in so long, she found a glimmer of hope.

“Merrin,” the younger introduced herself with an outstretched hand, “you may call me Merrin.”

The other grinned and met the hand with her own, firm shake. “Asajj.”

As the two women paid respects to their fallen sisters and bid farewell to the temple that was once home, they left Dathomir together, to find a brighter future for them both.

#star wars au #Star Wars fanfic #star wars fanfiction #nightsisters #nightsister merrin #merrin #asajj ventress #ventress

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sl-walker · 2 years

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Devotion, Part 25

Read prior parts here. Sign up to be tagged when this fic (or any of mine!) updates here. (Or DM me.) Read it on AO3 here. Reblogs go much further than likes; please support your writers and artists and reblog!

Additional note: I’m still struggling with my health, so posting is gonna remain slow.

The next morning brought two things, neither wholly expected.

The first was Yaddle.

She all but radiated a quiet sorrow into the Force as she stood there in the waiting room, lit by the sun, and Obi-Wan found he didn't really have the heart to hate her. That even if she had contributed to his suffering indirectly, she had not orchestrated it. Nor, did he believe, want it on any level.

That didn’t mean he was happy to see her.

"What do you want?" he asked; he didn't hate her, but he did hate how anxious her mere presence made him.

"Offer an update, I wish to," she replied, hands folded in front of her. "If hear it you wish to."

Some part of Obi-Wan was all but certain that they were going to slap the wrists of the culprits, and no worse. But even though the thought made his mouth twist bitterly, he gave a curt nod.

Yaddle nodded back, then spoke frankly, "Expelled from the Order, all five culprits were. Barred from pursuing them for criminal charges or civil actions, you are not. Testify on your behalf, I would."

That was a shock, and Obi-Wan felt his mouth drop open without his permission. That the Order would choose to expel three High Council members and then open itself up to the often fickle civilian courts was-- beyond astonishing.

That they expelled Yoda.

Obi-Wan thought that it would have made Qui-Gon sad, but-- perhaps something could come out of this.

"I won't drag the Order through the mud, but I have conditions," he said, voice quivering briefly as his mind raced, putting together a plan that his master -- the one who loved him, not the one who raised and used him -- would have approved of. "I want a recorded statement by you and at least two other Council members as to what was done to me under your noses."

Yaddle's head tipped to the side, but she was clearly listening.

"Once I have those, I want the Jedi Order to divest itself of its ties to the Senate and the Republic government as a whole," he said, more firmly. "Qui-Gon made mistakes, but he was right about a lot of things. The Order is a religious community, not a political body. With the authority of the Republic behind them, the ability of Jedi to-- to hurt people without scrutiny exists and it needs to stop. And at the same time, with the Republic's leash holding you back, your ability to help people is constrained."

"Much you are asking, young Obi-Wan," Yaddle said, after a long moment. But-- her tone didn't have any disagreement in it. "Long has this been debated. But-- right, in some ways, I believe you are. For more discussion and a vote, I can bring it."

"I'll give you five years." It was unrealistic to believe such a big change would happen quickly. But even though some Jedi had hurt him, he had found kindness in that Temple. Healers unrelated to those who-- who mind-raped him. The friends he started making.

Qui-Gon Jinn, too.

Obi-Wan didn’t realize he was about to make the last Sith Lord's future plans almost impossible to carry out, but even if he had, he would have thought of the good of the Order he had found, even unwittingly, and not been displeased.

The ones that hurt him were being punished. And Obi-Wan could well find them again and carry out his revenge. But this was somehow more satisfying.

"Five years," he repeated, mouth straight. "If the Order is still tangled with the government, then I will come forward and bring forth every resource I have to making the Jedi pay for what was done to me and what it cost my lover."

Yaddle waited for him to finish, then nodded. He knew it wasn't up to her alone, but he thought that if she was in charge, then maybe it could still work out.

"Anything else, is there?" she asked, at length.

Obi-Wan almost said no, but then the thought occurred: "There's a tea shrub, in Qui-Gon’s and my quarters. It has a piece of flimsi on the front with interlocking hearts. It belongs to my lover. I would like it back."

That seemed to perk Yaddle up; her ears lifted and he felt a little thrill of her happiness through the Force. "Better than that, I can do. Return your ship, as well."

That sent Obi-Wan to clap his hand over his mouth again, but not before the sound slipped out, some mix of shock and hope and pain. He didn’t like revealing such a weakness in front of her, but he couldn’t help it. "You kept it…?"

Yaddle merely nodded, something softer in her eyes. "Yes. Wish for anything else from your quarters, do you?"

Obi-Wan had a moment where he thought he wanted Qui-Gon’s favorite sapir shrub, another tea plant he had grown to know well. But then he thought of something better. "A cutting from Qui-Gon’s largest sapir shrub sent in a stasis pod, but-- please give the plant itself to Master Tahl?"

Yaddle nodded instantly to that, both love and sorrow in the Force as she agreed to it.

It made Obi-Wan remember why he had wanted to believe her back then. Blindness wasn't necessarily the same thing as cruelty.

They didn't part ways as friends, but they also didn’t part ways as enemies.

The second unexpected thing was Maul.

Specifically, him getting to be with Maul.

Obi-Wan still wasn’t sure what outcome he had wanted for that, not because he didn’t desperately want to help his lover, but because he didn’t know if he should have the right to be there. As if somehow the Jedi might have tainted him such that he would only cause more harm.

But nonetheless, Breha came to him not long after Yaddle had left, when he was still shaking that visit off so far as he could.

"You'll be allowed to go to him and be with him, supervised at first, if you're willing to see a psychologist of your choosing," she said, gently and straightforwardly at once. "You don't have to tell them anything you don't want to, but your getting to be near Maul is contingent on you seeing professional help. I know it’s a fraught prospect for you, and you can have a patient advocate there with you if that helps, someone whose only job is to protect your best interests and keep you from being exploited, but you would need to go."

Obi-Wan’s first instinct was to snap back at that, but it was one he was quickly able to quell. It really wasn't unreasonable to ask that of him. And it was such a small thing to exchange for Maul’s safety.

He had tried to give more than that already.

He shuddered through his shoulders, but then he nodded, swallowing before answering, "All right. When do I start?"

"Tomorrow morning you can start interviewing staff psychologists to see if any of them feels like a good fit for you," Breha said, a more open smile crossing her mouth. "Today, I figured you'd want to see your lover."

It was amazing how much one single thing could be so filled with love and fear. Obi-Wan didn’t even try to speak; he only nodded.

It wasn’t until Obi-Wan signed the forms that he was agreeing to mental healthcare that he saw the date and realized it had been four weeks since Theed. That the blur of days was such that some of them simply didn't exist in his memory at all. That twenty of them had passed, in all.

It had been almost that long since he’d seen Maul last.

Lit in filtered sunlight from the skylights in a warm, spacious room, Maul looked a far cry better than he had in the bacta tank. Obi-Wan would have thought he was napping, except Maul only ever slept on his back when Obi-Wan’s head was on his chest; otherwise, he napped on his side or, more rarely, his front.

But he looked that-- all right. That put together. The soft rise and fall of his chest. No dent in his head, though Obi-Wan could see the spot where that pedicle had been removed, unexpectedly smooth skin replacing it; could see that Maul would sport asymmetrical horns from there on out. But there was no blood on his skin, no stench of burned internals.

Obi-Wan was almost afraid to go closer, but step by step, he did.

There were still IV lines. Still remote monitoring tabs to feed information to the holographic monitors. But it was easy to look past those.

My beautiful boy, Obi-Wan thought, throat aching, sinking slowly into the chair beside the bed. Taking in the more defined edge of his lover’s jaw. The more mature curve of his cheek, the still perfect swell of his bottom lip. The aching familiarity; he knew Maul’s features better than his own and treasured them so much more.

Even now. Maybe especially now.

He could feel Breha and the orderly behind them, but neither of them said anything or drew attention to themselves, and he was grateful for that quiet.

Where do we go from here? he wondered.

They had ran and clawed and fought and worked for their freedom before. For their boundaries and their country therein. It seemed so much more daunting now; the two years stolen from them like a wall forced between them. Obi-Wan would be lying if he pretended he had not been broken. He would be lying if he pretended he was not deeply damaged and deeply afraid.

He knew that they had somehow shattered whatever it was in him that let him plan an escape and steal Maul away with him; whatever courage or fire he'd had then. It made him wonder what he could possibly offer of himself now.

Obi-Wan didn’t know the answer to that.

But-- maybe he didn't need to right this moment.

He took a steadying breath and slipped his hand under Maul’s, closing his eyes tight, jaw quivering for the familiarity of that hand in his, the way their fingers fit together, and thought of two boys new on Takodana with wary eyes and little more to their names than their determination.

And their faith in each other.

@shadowmaat - @doorsclosingslowly - @emphasisonthehomo - @blackat-greneys - @vengeful-nerd - @sammelbegriff - @kenobispunk - @sundavr - @mock-ing-bird - @fancandy77 - @geekling007 - @nightsibling - @btwxsixesandsevens - @whymylife-cordelia - @suborbitalrailgun - @judoon-on-da-moon - @deathdovesong - @bubblyfishbro

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simpingwriter · 1 year

Text

Cal Kestis x Kyra Yarmot

'Revenge and Redemption

In the Name of Love'

Pt.3

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I got a bit sidetracked, might drop some Cameron Oneshots in the next weeks- (oops its here already)

Someone gave me the idea, because hey, I'm already writing for one of his characters...so let's just do the Ginger King himself. And one of his other characters.

Let's hope this book doesn't suffer from me trying to write two things at once (it will) but it's him twice technically, so eh, maybe I will get lucky lol

Also, TOTK is on my doorstep tomorrow morning, so double suffering for this series 😭😭

Enjoy! :)

Word Count: approx. 3.100 Words

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Unfortunately your request had been denied, the Grand Inquisitor actually acknowledged it though. He saw what Cal was to you and what you were to him, an odd, planning smile on his rugged face. He probably didn't use such facial expressions often, Cal not seeing anything good coming from it…

He said that they couldn't just let you share one room, as it could cause others to start complaining if you got a request fulfilled on not even your first official day. But he made sure that your room was located right across of his, sending a droid ahead of you three so your new clothes were placed in the right room.

And you immediately realize why he did such things, they encouraged relationships for one good reason: Love always eventually lead to the fear of losing one another, to jealousy, to other types of anger that someone without a significant other would never feel to such extent…

But you didn't even think to start complaining about the obvious plan he saw behind you two clearly clinging onto each other. He wanted to witness you get even stronger, more uncontrollable and reckless? So he would, you would show him and everyone else what kind of all-scorching fire burns inside of you if you kept adding the right kind of fuel.

Now, you're long out of the huge Hall, the anger still tingling at your senses, the control back in your head, not your heart. It reminded you of a darker version of a Citadel. But not entirely, as it was missing the overbearing emblems and religious undertones. It was minimalist and sleek, like the rest of this underwater base, passing huge rooms with bridges that made the fact even more real...deep underwater. If even one window would break, the unfortunate souls in that room would get crushed instantly by the water masses...

"You're stronger than you let it seem, Twel-" "Just keep calling me Kyra, Trilla…I hate such forced formality. Makes me more uncomfortable than I already am." She doesn't stop walking as she gives you a short, unsure glance before nodding hesitantly. Just like you, she would take a while to adapt to the fact that you're no longer on opposite sides of the field. You're now allies, years after hiding from them…you're one of them now.

"I mean what I said though…" what did she say again? You don't remember it already, the words of the two trying to chat you up – to keep your attention on them, in the fear of you still being unstable mentally – passing through both your ears unobstructed at this current point of time. You were too busy thinking about the cryptic garbage your new boss threw at your seething head a few minutes ago. Him also speaking of the Kaluk, it just had to mean there is more to the Sith's past research than these damned medical papers.

"She didn't hear you." Cal kindly told her for you, also choosing the much more kind variant of words than what your head had thought up, sending you a knowing glare. Yeah yeah, behave, you know.

You just don't care that much. Really...what were they going to do if you didn't?

The Empire was no longer going to hunt you down the moment they had a massive spike of Force on their radars.

You're now on their side, if anything, they would do anything to have you use your Connection to your fullest.

You never even went to your limits…

All your life they taught you how to restrain your capabilities, not how to work with everything you had to show, how to mute your Force for other Force Sensitives because of how few people were supposed to actively know about your actual strength.

You had always been warned about the horrific things that would happen to anybody getting too close during such one meltdown if you did end up losing control, that's why you tried to keep everyone at a distance of yourself. Especially your loved ones.

A ticking time bomb. That's what the members of the council – those that knew – called you.

But how could they have possibly known your true danger if you had never been allowed to be brought to your limits, not even to document the truth?

"Did you hear me this time?" Wha- Did you miss their whole conversation just now?! The redhead held back what would've become a loud laugh at your silent confusion, only visible to outsiders with your furrowed eyebrows and seeking but mostly lost eyes looking at the two. "Forget it, you're showing me what your truly capable of when you're physically well enough to train. I want the very karking first match against you!"

Was she still salty about the two times she lost against you before you switched sides? If yes, she can have that third match and even a tenth match, you would fight her as long as it would take for her to realize that she wouldn't beat you anytime soon. Not while you're still more heavily armored and carry your personal bodily weapons around with you, no matter where you went. Furthermore, you're much more flexible and agile than her…

"Ohhhh...I bet you are…" Cal mutters as his own thoughts drifted off to a whole different subject, thoughts of…oh boy. Not in the hallway!

"Nothing could stop me, really-" "Cal!"

Having to listen to you two argue about something only you could hear as well, Trilla deeply regretted her unusual decision to come alongside to escort the two of you. Maybe she should be glad she couldn't hear the boy's thoughts, if they made even you blush and be at a lose for words. The elevator you stepped into just a minute ago let the three of you out on the Inquisitors' Floor, a long and wide circular Hallway that went around once before ending back at the two elevators, it being your last path to your new sleeping quarters.

"Do they know that I will simply just not sleep in my room?" You ask them casually, a snort coming from Trilla as she stopped in front of a door, her room. "Well I sure do now, so stay on my good side." She jokes, typing in her door code to make the door slide open a moment later, revealing slightly messy living room, "Don't you think I should say that to you instead?" You cockily return just as quickly, watching her face go from a surprised glare to a challenging grin as she turned to the two of you a last time. "I won't think anything like that until you prove yourself, Kyra."

With that, she let the door close in front of her face, the hallway quiet once more as she left you alone with Cal. Nobody but you two.

"Now there is definitely nobody left to sto-" "Not on my first day!" That wasn't a no to it entirely and he knew it as he grew a big shit eating grin before continuing just a few meters further, handing you a card from one of his pockets, you saw one of the Troopers hand it to him in an envelope earlier.

Your rooms were right next to Trilla's, yours on the inside of the circle, his on the outside...of course he got the nice view.

"What's this?" "It's your physical door access key, you can use it in your room on the room terminal to change your initial door code and make orders from the Base's delivery droids. Like Food, when you don't want to leave your room for whatever reason." The card was sleek, matted black and also kept mostly minimalistic like everything else. It did present itself with the Empire's Symbol in the upper corner though. You pocket it in your bare-minimum of clothing you wore while in the Infirmary – you didn't want to know how and who undressed and eventually redressed you in the end – after using it to open the door for the first time.

You didn't immediately look inside when you turned to Cal, seeing him stand there a little...lost as he waited for you to enter and explore your new sleeping quarters, a space all for your yourself, something entirely different than the small cod on the Mantis or the varioud wet ass caves you had to sleep in sometimes. "Aren't you going to come join me?"

Why did it seem so out of this world for him that you wanted him to come look at the room with him? He looked so shocked at your question! "Because I thought you might want a few minutes alone…still a lot to take in, remember?"

No you definitely didn't want a few minutes alone, you had been alone for long enough, these four years, these last three months and apparently four weeks in a coma, stuck reliving your worst memories just like your nightmares, just as an unending loop.

You wanted to be anything but alone again…

He understood your request without you needing to tell him another word, without having to explain yourself, leaving the hallway just as quiet as before when he stepped next to you, one hand taking its now usual place around your waist as he lead you into the four walls that you know had the pleasure to call your own.

It was…plain. Just like everything else on Nur until now, the only things interesting being the people you met until now. You just didn't know yet if it is the good kind of interesting. Unlike the Base itself though, you were sure you could decorate the few rooms you were given, if you even used them to actually sleep in.

"Welllll, who said I was just going to let you come into my room and begin sleeping in my bed, hmmm?" He asks with a cocky tone, idly pushing dust off the corners he found. "Your dick and your huge loving heart?" "Very good point actually."

The quarters had an open plan living room with the kitchen separated by nothing but a sleek Kitchen isle, which also held the sink and apparently a small fridge under the counter, only called out by Cal targeting it on reflex to look at what he could grab from it for you two.

"Water or Soft Drink?" Sugar, you needed some desperately, the breakfast you had gotten before Dr. Puloria was able to release you from the Infirmary being the only sustenance yet all day. You had never eaten something quicker than those two Buns with unfamiliar but delicious Jam, barely chewing it thoroughly before swallowing it, Cal having the audacity to call you a Cleaner Droid. Well you had, but you had been close to literal starvation back then…

"I don't think I will ever get used to your near nonchalant thoughts about all the shit you went through…" He states worried, handing you the can of carbonated mixed berry juice before waiting on you to continue through the room and into the next.

"Only way I found to effectively deal with the past…" you share in barely a mumble, cracking the small lid into the upper part of the can, hearing the reactive fizzle from the outside air that hit the isolated liquid. It smelled like actual berries, but you double doubted that it was the real deal. It would be mostly sugar and flavorings...so just like you requested. You craved the unhealthy energy kick in this moment, you nearly chugged the can whole.

He didn't respond to your explanation, not verbally at least…but his thoughts always ended up so much louder. He was worried you would eventually have to break from the pressure of it all someday, that that day might be sooner than you yourself wanted to desperately think it was. And he might just be right…sometimes it felt like for every good thing happening to you, a hundred bad things added themselves to your ever growing pile.

What straw was the last straw to break your back? And what would happen to you when that day finally came?

"I promise I will do anything I can to make your days worth a smile, to ease your dark thougths, my dragonfly…" He whispered, slightly holding his own fizzy drink a bit away from the both of you as he gently kissed your forehead, smiling into it as he felt you relax under him, the warmth of his lips spreading to the sides of your face at the probably most innocent gesture coming from his side yet, besides holding hands of course…

"I can always turn naughty for you, if that's what you're really asking for right now." He instantly replies to your thoughts, stroking your now rather tinted cheeks sensually, only worsening the heat collecting.

He would be the end of your sanity first, before the past caught up to you, you were certain at his increasingly teasing yet loving touches. He knew exactly how they made you feel…but you couldn't do this just on your first day, what…what would they all think?

"I thought you don't care what others think?" "Only if I already know that I don't or won't like them." But as of now, your opinion on nearly everyone but Cal has been Neutral up to this point of your arrival.

Dr. Puloria might be a positive…

"I bet I'm a negative…" He pouts with a horribly played sigh, shaking his head in disappointment. Knowing that even now as an Inquisitor he didn't lose his absolutely dastardly humor and charm…you're so glad he is still who he was before, just much much more open.

You both could now live as yourselves more openly.

"Yeah, an absolutely horrible opinion. You- you...stink, Man…" Surprisingly, you're bad at this whole intentionally being rude thing if it was directed at Cal. Even jokingly, avoiding eye contact as you somehow squeezed your "mean" words out, tail calling you out as it went back and forth with avid concentration, your head trying to find a good, sassy rebuttal.

Thankfully that wasn't you on the battlefield, you'd be dead in minutes…

A deep echoing moan from beyond the fortress' walls took you both back to reality as you shudder at the mere idea of a huge sea monster just beyond these walls of yours. "It's not able to hurt us, it's a filter mouth, it's not even interested in the Base in the first place anyways…" Well, at least he only speaks in the singular of it, whatever it was.

Now trying to ignore the moans and groans, you're moving into the next room your eyes spy. The Refresher.

Small but definitely enough for your needs. Thankfully this shower probably wouldn't have to see and hear your utterly pathetic wailing anymore. Unless another nightmare would shake you from your sleep. Then maybe.

"You can sleep over with me, just like you said earlier. Even if you just want to use the couch for now, we don't have…we don't have to share the bed yet!"

Why would you want to sleep on the couch?

"...But I always wanted to know what it feels like…" you claim with a frown, the Refresher left behind for now, nothing grabbing your attention in it all that much, uncaring as you returned to the living room, your quick, naked steps leaving Cal behind for a moment before he even realized that you were already on the move again. Seconds later he is back at your side, closer than before it felt like, head trying to follow your vague, open ended sentence. "What do you mean, 'what it feels like'?"

"What it feels like to sleep in the same bed as your mate, or lover, for humans. I have heard of it being the peak of feeling truly…safe…but we never had an actual chance to test it back on the Mantis, even if we wouldn't have had to hide our relationship."

Was it really such an amazing, almost life changing experience like those girls once told you, back on that Planet the Clones, Din, Grogu and you ended up nearly stranded because of a Bounty gone wrong? They said one of their goals in life was to be in a happy relationship, each with a man that loved them. That sharing a bed was included in that dream of theirs, in their men's strong and warm arms, protecting them even then…

Of course their dreams also included settling down, owning a small piece of land for a house and starting a...a family…but this was all far from your grasp at this moment. So…sharing a bed, waking up in each other's loving arms…it was the best you could do for the time being.

"I like your idea of a good life…I hope we can have this dream come true at some point in the future, Dragonfly." He gently whispered into your ear from behind, resting his chin on your head due to the size difference between you two, enveloping you in his arms, knowing exactly that's what your were craving after your thoughts just now, "I never want to see you suffer because of my stupid decisions again…leaving you tore at my heart, it felt like the worst mistake of my life...yet." And he wanted you to keep him from potential making a worse one...you hear it from the way he said it. Did he forget that you were making bad decisions basically every day?

Well but he did end up finding a safer place for you two, just like he had promised. Even if it hurt, these wounds could heal much better than any of your other, much older ones. Because you knew that he did all this only for the two of you, he went all the way…just for you.

"I don't want you to suffer again either, Cal. But I don't know if I can promise that with- with what I am."

What if, unlike what the Grand Inquisitor said, your anger…your hunger for revenge, what if it did end up consuming you? Would you still be able to recognize Cal through the haze, through the destruction and rage?

...Or would you eventually end up hurting him – no matter what you tried – emotionally and physically, just like Kenobi told you 'he' did with his lover? You would never be able to for-

"You won't. I know that you won't, because I believe in you for both of us until you got the strength to believe in yourself for yourself. Believe it for BD, he would've- no, he has done the same. Until his very last moment, he believed in you."

BD…

Cal is right. You're stronger than this, stronger than your fear or your worries and you have to finally stop running in circles, stop yourself from going back to the thoughts of your worst fears coming true someday. You won't let them come true. You can't.

"Let's go then." You don't even look much at the boring and blank bedroom you were given, ignoring the neatly made double bed as you find the In-wall Closet in just a few seconds with fresh determination in your steps. You would take whatever you want by whatever and whichever means, you would no longer let others or even yourself ruin your chances at a better life, a life even a creature like you deserved. "Wait, what do you mean?" He calls from the other room, starting to get annoyed with you constantly running off again, following you confused as you keep refusing to answer his questions, seeing you pull out the still bagged, crisp uniforms they specially tailored for you.

You deserved to have your dreams come true.

Even if it had to begin with "just" a shared bed, something you dreamed of having with Cal for the longest time, especially while you were all alone, left to boil in your own paranoia eating away at your sanity. It felt like withdrawal of a potent and highly addictive drug, feeling his scent get more faint with every day...

"Wait, just hold on for a moment, my love, you're going to end up tripping, slow down at least!" He almost tripped himself at that moment, stumbling over his feet and over to you to take some of the huge pile from your hands before giving you a sheepish smile at his own near tumble, reminding of the very first time he kissed you, "S-someone is eager, huh?" Of course you were! No more restrictions, no more hiding, no more panicked explanations for why one sat or lied on the other's bed in the morning or evening.

Just some karking peace…minus the ocean's highly ominous noises.

And with that knowledge in the back of your head, you were more than ready to begin your new life and work as an Inquisitor, especially to plan your eventual meeting with Cere, something you as sure of as the knowledge of eventual death everyone – no matter how poor or rich, human or not human, ugly or pretty – is granted. She won't be able to hide from your keen senses for very long, she would realize that sooner or later when everywhere they go, the Ship of an Inquisitor will force them to leave the planet early or even keep them from landing…

"Safe your revenge plans for another day, I want to show you my quarters before our arms grow too tired and your clothes litter the hallway!" He laughs, feeling extremely relieved when you shove the dark and gloomy thoughts away again almost instantly, returning to your old self as you agreed with a huff and followed him out of your new four walls.

His rooms didn't look much different, missing some personality for the most part, but something against the wall, on an end table between two windows that went out to the endless open ocean, caught your eyes immediately.

Two meticulously framed pictures of you two, capturing one of the rare moments you had to yourselves between your past missions.

Your wide, near carefree smile paired with your eyes shut and his lips planted on the left side of your face as he also tried to awkwardly look at the camera in time to keep the camera focused. It wasn't perfect for the photographic sense.

But it was perfect for you. You both were perfect in your eyes…

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#star wars fallen order #cal kestis #cal kestis x oc #fallen order cal kestis #star wars cal kestis #star wars fanfic #inquisitor cal kestis x oc #cal kestis fanfic #inquisitor cal kestis #Inquisitor Cal x OC #star wars x oc #canon x oc

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plokoonsdisapprovingeyebrows · 1 year

Text

and finally: revenge of the sith in keldeorinyaa! vocab notes under the cut.

kssalabal di! repabliki a nisinaki sislorrdi kaunto dooku de kssaban kero manteveriyeh. anakoka ttara anakoka, duraliyaan di nazadi. isakhimen di tawidawi inyendao me. dorroy tta rrewa jjeneral grievous di, ssaossa re, repabliki tta zalmerissan de voolaiki dal hadi a, repabliki tta senati tta rrewa ttaansala palpatine a staranteral. isagai anakoka di teyaadiyeh zalmerissan de dadinhaaya re dadekyaan ki ingaliyeh nna, jjedai naitaga di na staranteri ttaansala a aysakaati khooto rrewanadiyeh…

kssalabal = war. From kssabi, to attack, with an archaic suffix that’s really only used in this one word. There’s a massive taboo against aggression, attacks and violence in kel dor society - or there sort of still is, it’s fading a bit and has sort of slipped into the status where an edgelord might get interested in it. A lot of war and combat terminology derives from entirely non-war-related things because of the taboo; people mostly speak euphemistically on the subject.

nisinaki = ruthless, practical, harsh, without lenience. There's not really an association with deliberate unkindness or cruelty here - a storm or an earthquake might be described as nisinaki re.

sislorrdi = transliteration of ‘Sith Lord’. There is no ‘th’ in keldeorinyaa, and ‘rr’ is there to denote an American-style r. The final i isn’t strongly pronounced, it’s just there because words with ‘rr’ can’t end in hard consonants.

manteveri = to be broken, weakened. This is a passive verb, meaning it’s only applied to the object of an action in absence of the actor. If the book is broken, you say “tenjji a manteveri”, but if, say, your little sibling breaks the book, you say “gepdal di tenjji mani.” There’s quite a few active/passive verb pairs of this sort; for example, ikazdi/ikapsudi 'to eat/to be eaten'.

duraliyaan = a strong protector; more or less the kel dor equivalent of ‘hero’. The requirement is that you fight only to protect others, not for personal glory or gain.

nazadi = to act, to do something. Mostly used in the context of people who are distinguished by something they've done; eg. duraliyaan di nazadi here.

isakhimen = evil. A compound word, from zakha ‘purposeful, deliberate’ and circumfixed imen ‘bad’ - someone here is causing problems on purpose.

tawidawi = a quantifier that sort of means ‘lots’, but has strong connotations of ‘too fuckin many’. Used on its own, it can mean ‘pest’ or ‘vermin’. Here it’s used with the judgemental particle me. Evil is everywhere (and we think that’s fucked up, yo).

dorroy = droid. This is an evolved loanword; it used to be dorroido, but the final syllable got lost. There’s a distinction between droids of Dorin make, which are referred to as aynamaki, and droids from offworld, which are dorroy.

(aynamaki are almost without exception automata and manufacturing tools, and they're designed not to be capable of developing the sort of sentience offworld droids do - the thought is that it would be rude af to make your shovel capable of thinking. An exception is made for certain AIs, but these occupy a distinct legal category that gives them certain protections.)

ssaossa = a bolt from the blue, lightning out of a clear sky. Colloquially used as a mild swearword, and a description for a run of unanticipated bad luck. Also works for describing an unexpected attack.

zalmerissan = capital city in a galactic context. Cities in the Dorin context (and especially the big ones) belong to many clans and thus can’t really be said to belong to one entity, so the original meaning is more or less the city everyone thinks of when you say the word ‘city’ - whatever’s closest or biggest or most interesting in your area.

voolaiki di = to trespass, to invade. Typically used for people sneaking onto ur farm and running off with your best shellfish; given the war taboo, use in this manner is very rare.

hadi a = particle linking two ideas, perhaps things that are happening at the same time. Basically a vehicle for run-on sentences in the manner of the original crawls lmao.

staranteri = to be kidnapped, to be taken secretly - a compound passive verb from stari, to be hidden away, and santeri, to take. There is a verb for smuggling things, but you never use it for people, so a number of workarounds made it into common usage.

teyaadi - to break into, to crack open, to besiege. Primarily used in the sense of cracking open a nut, or shellfish, or a jar you haven’t opened for ages, or for getting into an account you've forgotten the password for... again, use in the sense of wartime is very rare.

dadinhaaya = valuable, something you could get a lot for in exchange if you wanted to sell or trade it. (There's a different word for things that are emotionally/sentimentally valuable.)

dadekyaan = prisoner, hostage, lit. someone who is leashed or bound. From dadek, a leash or a chain, something that ties someone/something or binds them in place.

ingali = to escape, to flee, to get away from a dangerous situation.

aysakaati = to rescue, to save someone's life or save them from harm.

khooto = job, mission, the task at hand, an aim being actively worked on. Differs from zaakhi/zadakh in that you have to be currently working on this one, and it's typically a more specific, limited action - think of taking a specific class, versus generally working towards a degree.

#kel dor conlang #kel dor headcanons #this one has some cultural notes too

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starry-sky-stuff · 2 years

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Sorting Obi-Wan Kenobi

I was talking with @reds-burrow about Obi-Wan's sorting in his new show (which is super burnt), and I mentioned how I sort him as a Badger/Snake. Now that I've done a rewatch of the prequels and some Clone Wars episodes, here are my thoughts on his sorting.

Check out @wisteria-lodge for an explanation of the sortinghatchats system.

Obi-Wan's Badger Primary is less in contention than his secondary, which I'll be focusing on. The Jedi order are his community, and he lives and breathes their tradition and way of life. He's also got his smaller circle inside the Jedi Order of Anakin, Qui-Gon, and Ahsoka. His Badger Primary is why he burns so completely after the Jedi Order falls, because he's lost his community almost in its entirety.

The Phantom Menace:

There's little in this film that gives any real indication about Obi-Wan's secondary, since he mostly follows Qui-Gon's lead and doesn't really act independently. Nevertheless, at the end of the film following Qui-Gon's death, Obi-Wan is insistent on keeping his word to his master and taking Anakin as his Padawan. He doesn't demand the way a Lion might, but simply quietly announces his intention to train Anakin with or without the Council's permission. Such stubbornness sounds more like a Snake than a Lion to me, more an immoveable object than a battering ram.

His Badger Primary is obvious in his conflict with Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan, attached to his community of the Jedi Order, is a bit more concerned with following the Council than Qui-Gon. He's the one that brings up the Council and speculates about it's opinion, whereas Qui-Gon is more confident that he'll be able to turn them to his point of view (I think Qui-Gon is either a Lion/Snake or Bird/Snake).

Attack of the Clones:

Here's where Obi-Wan's Snake Secondary shines through the clearest, probably because it's where he has the most autonomy over his methods.

His investigation into the assassination attempts on Padme and Kamino is conducted using different models. He uses his Bird Secondary model to follow the clues and conduct research, and a Badger Secondary model too, in how he looks to his connections for information and outsources the investigative process. But his investigation is ultimately conducted without any clear plan, he simply follows the clues where they take him, ultimately taking him to Kamino.

Obi-Wan goes to Kamino with no plan, no real idea what's going on, and no idea what to expect. He simply waltzes in, takes stock of the situation, and goes with the flow. He doesn't come up with a cover before hand, but when presented with the information that a Jedi was expected he jumps on it, going along with the assumption that he's there to survey the troops. He's only momentarily stunned, before he quickly takes advantage of the opportunity to learn more.

Obi-Wan's scenes with Anakin also make his Snake Secondary more obvious. It could be that he's simply a rather chill Lion (especially considering Anakin is a very unchill Lion), but he doesn't engage with Anakin like a fellow Lion might. When Anakin argues, he doesn't argue back, preferring to avoid or subvert, where a Lion would be more inclined towards arguing by saying (or yelling) true things at each other. Instead, Obi-Wan tries different tactics in communicating with Anakin. He doesn't charge in like Anakin either, preferring to hold back and wait until an opportunity presents itself.

Revenge of the Sith:

His secondary is a little less on display here, mainly because he's generally reacting to events and his character rather takes a backseat in favour of showing Anakin's descent to the dark side.

However, this scene just screams Snake Secondary to me. The absolute glee with which he says "spring the trap", how he just expects that if they walk into a trap they'll be able to turn the situation to their advantage, is all signs of an opportunistic Snake. And on Utapau, when he needs to stall for time until reinforcements arrive, he simply leaps down into the hangar where Grevious is and engages the General in combat. This could also be his Lion Secondary model, which most often comes out during fights, especially fights where he's working with Anakin.

The Clone Wars:

Obi-Wan's Snake Secondary is on full display in two particular arcs in this series, namely the Zygerian arc in episodes 4x11-4x13 and the Hardeen arc in episodes 4x15-4x17.

In the Zygerian arc, once again, Obi-Wan needs to stall for time (on this occasion he needs to give Anakin and Ahsoka time to defuse the bombs), so he agrees to the meeting with the Zygerian slaver. He goes into the meeting with no real plan, simply noticing the slaver's hatred of the Jedi and playing on it to taunt him into combat. After he gets captured, enslaved and sent to the mines, Obi-Wan's Badger Primary takes a battering when he finds himself unable to help others, and he's forced to comply to prevent other's coming to harm. Compare this to the actions of Badger/Lion Katara in Avatar the Last Airbender, who, when she finds herself in a similar situation in a prison, makes a rousing speech that inspires the prisoners to action, allowing them to otherthrow the guards. Obi-Wan, in contrast, simply waits for the opportunity of rescue to arise.

A Lion Secondary would have found the Hardeen arc incredibly difficult to pull off - faking their death, assuming a new identity, and lying to their loved ones. But Obi-Wan never really struggles with this. He actually enjoys going undercover, saying that he likes playing the bad guy, and doesn't go into the situation with any real plan other than a general goal. He simply rolls with events as they come - the prison heist, being left behind, Anakin and Ahsoka tracking them down, the bounty hunter competition. He uses his Bird Secondary model in the competition as well, relying on prior skills and knowledge to face the tests. His Badger Primary and Badger Secondary model is also on display in the competition, as he immediately turns the other bounty hunters into a team to work together. (On a side note, Cad Bane is absolutely a Lion Primary. He abhors Hardeen killing Obi-Wan with a sniper rifle because he thinks it's cowardly, and saves Hardeen when Ival tries to skirt the rules of the game to kill him because it's dishonourable).

His Badger Primary also comes into conflict with Anakin's Snake Primary in this arc, because Obi-Wan is loyal to the Jedi Order above all, whereas Anakin wants Obi-Wan's loyalty to be first and foremost to him. Obi-Wan probably has a Snake Primary model he built for Anakin (because you couldn't have a Snake Primary like Anakin as your Padawan without one) , but it certainly never influences his decision making.

Obi-Wan's Snake Secondary is also probably why he gets along so well with Hondo in the show, since their shared secondaries just get along. They each understand the other in a way that makes them like the other (somewhat begrudgingly in Obi-Wan's case).

Furthermore, as @reds-burrow pointed out to me, Obi-Wan mastered the lightsaber form of Soresu, which focuses on defensive improvising, analysing an opponent's attacks and waiting for an opening to arise.

The Original Trilogy:

Obi-Wan's Snake Secondary is on full display in the OG Trilogy. He's sly, cunning, and opportunistic, with an attitude of 'let's find out'. He lies about knowing R2D2, although he did technically never own a droid, and tells Luke just enough of the truth about Anakin and Darth Vader whilst obscuring the most important information. Obi-Wan walks into the Mos Eisley canteen with no plan as to how to get them off the planet, he simply meets Chewbacca and from there buys a ride from Han. When they get confronted with stormtroopers, he doesn't fight them, simply uses his powers to make them go away.

The line 'from a certain point of view' is the epitome of a Snake Secondary. Obi-Wan tells the truth, but in such a way that it's both the truth and a lie by omission. That's not to say that Lions are incapable of lying, but Obi-Wan does it with such ease, and never really feels bad about it. It's just another tool is his repertoire for him.

Summary:

Badger Primary, Snake Primary model/Snake Secondary, Bird Secondary model, Badger Secondary model

#sortinghatchats #star wars #obi wan kenobi #once the kenobi show is finished I'll write another post about his sorting there #which is super burnt and I'm imagining will unburn #his sorting is quite complex with all these models #now I'm wondering what qui-gon and dooku's sortings are #because the interaction between the different sortings in the lineage is interesting #with bird/snake yoda #probably lion/snake or bird/snake qui-gon #badger/snake obi-wan #snake/lion anakin #and lion/lion ahsoka

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rebelsofshield · 2 years

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Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi “Part One”- Review

After seventeen years, Ewan McGregor returns to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in an ambitious limited series that just might live up to the hype.

It has been ten years since the tragic end of The Clone Wars. The Empire is at its peak. The Jedi are gone. And Obi-Wan Kenobi lives in exile. Even as the Inquisitorius hunts down the surviving members of the Order, Obi-Wan remains hidden, devoted only to the safety and eventual training of Anakin Skywalker’s son Luke. However, when Luke’s twin sister Leia is kidnapped from her home on Alderaan, Obi-Wan must venture into the wider galaxy for the first time in a decade.

It’s hard to think of a more demanded project in the history of the Star Wars franchise. Even before their relative acceptance by the fandom, the shining star of the Star Wars prequels has almost always been Ewan McGregor. Through his charm, occasional swagger, and genuine pathos, McGregor’s performance on Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the trilogy’s few that instantly connected with fans both new and old. The clamor for his eventual return to the role was expected, but whether it would deliver on the anticipation is something else entirely.

For all the hype for a return to Obi-Wan Kenobi, there did seem to be some genuine debate for just what kind of story to tell with the character. This nineteen year stretch between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope is not a particularly bright time in the character’s biography. I mean, something drastic had to happen to turn the swashbuckling tragic hero of the prequel trilogy into the wizened desert mentor we first met in 1977. And while there are certainly fans, like myself honestly, that would have liked to see a quieter and more contemplative story about Obi-Wan, this would have undoubtedly been a hard sell, especially for viewers who want grand scale Star Wars storytelling. Instead, director Deborah Chow alongside writers Joby Harold, Hossein Amini, and Stuart Beattie have decided to do a bit of both, and oddly enough it seems to be working.

The Obi-Wan we see in “Part One” is a tired and weary man. After the immense tragedy of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan has retreated into the desert, cutting up alien corpses for hourly pay, and keeping a watchful eye of Luke Skywalker. This is an Obi-Wan that is close to entirely alone. Despite his efforts, he cannot reach the spirit of his old Master Qui-Gon and Owen Lars, Luke’s uncle and guardian, wants nothing to do with him. Their absence can’t help but be a reminder of Obi-Wan’s many failures both at protecting his master and the young boy he was entrusted to train and protect. He has lost his faith and has come to believe that his interference leads to nothing but more death and destruction. It may be shocking to audience members to see Obi-Wan refuse to help another Jedi refugee, but from his point of view he is granting mercy. His opinion of his own abilities and of the future is dark and shrouded in pain. The one hope for Obi-Wan’s future is in Luke Skywalker, the young boy that he can’t help but see Anakin in. However, even his small gifts, payed for by his own wages, are rejected by Owen, who is just mistrusts Obi-Wan’s intentions.

These moments of reflection and sadness are some of the best character direction we’ve seen from Star Wars in quite some time. It certainly helps that Ewan McGregor is a phenomenal actor and Chow is unafraid to linger on his conflicted face. While it is certainly not hard to trace the emotions of Obi-Wan’s internal struggle, it’s admirable that Chow and her writing team are confident enough in McGregor’s abilities as an actor to convey the emotional current of the episode. And sure, while we may be a little burnt out by now with seeing lonely people in lonely deserts, the quiet approach to McGregor’s early scenes works wonders.

Of course, this is Star Wars and we can’t really have a show about a sad man in a cave for six episodes. (Although, again, I must stress, I would’ve been completely down for that.) The galaxy has not forgotten about Obi-Wan Kenobi and no matter how much he may want to flee from it, the forces of the Dark and Light will drag him back into a larger world.

For one, the Inquisitorius has come to Tatooine. Seeking a reported Jedi, played in awkward fashion by Benny Safdie, the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) alongside Reva (Moses Ingram) and the Fifth Brother (Sung Kang) saunter into town. While the Grand Inquisitor and Fifth Brother are mostly defined by hissed dialogue and awkward make up, Reva is an immediate scene stealer. Ingram plays this new Inquisitor with an untapped rage and seething unpredictability. Her snarling screen presence could have easily come off as over the top, but Ingram manages to deliver a big performance without feeling distracting. Her particular obsession with Obi-Wan is also intriguing, and while the Grand Inquisitor first dismisses her blood lust as little more than ambition for their master’s favor, there is something more personal beneath her violent pursuit. Does it have something to do with the flashback to Order 66 we saw in the series cold open? I’m guessing yes.

But Reva and her allies aren’t the only ones calling for Obi-Wan to venture back into the open. Light years away, Leia Organa, played surprisingly well by Vivien Lyra Blair, flounders her way through the Alderaanian aristocracy. Headstrong with little patience for lies and stuffiness, Leia clashes easily with her peers and feels the scrutiny of her adoptive parents at every step. She’s aware that she’s different and that she can’t draw attention, but it’s also something she can’t help but do. Blair captures the snark and honesty of Carrie Fisher’s performance while also remaining endearing. Getting to see the kid versions of famous Star Wars characters hasn’t worked particularly well in the past, but so far Blair’s Leia may be the shining exception.

Using Leia’s kidnapping also feels like the perfect catalyst to set off the events of the narrative. While I would have liked to see just how Reva connected Obi-Wan and Bail in the first place, it does make sense that the only person that could take Kenobi away from Luke would be Anakin’s other child. But yes, this does look to be yet another series where our protagonist finds purpose and direction after coming to the rescue of a gifted child. Yes, it works. Yes, it makes sense here, but coming after both The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch, this pattern is starting to become more than a little noticeable.

Production wise, Obi-Wan Kenobi mostly excels. Alderaan in particular is beautifully rendered and its nice to finally get to see such an extended look at this doomed planet. John William’s new musical theme for Obi-Wan may not be the instant ear worm that some of his all time classic tunes have been, but it suits the state our protagonist very well and series composer Natalie Holt integrates it well into her own musical landscape.

There are some odd choices in Deborah Chow’s direction however. For as wonderful as this episode’s quiet moments can be, Obi-Wan Kenobi has a lot going on and the pacing with which we move between the many different plot threads can be disarming. Also, Chow and cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung have a strange urge to film scenes from a top down perspective. What could be an interesting angle for certain shots ends up feeling oddly persistent, framing scenes from perspectives that don’t seem to service the action or emotion present. It may just be a particular directorial flourish, but it’s distracting.

As a whole, “Part One” is an impressive and engaging beginning to this event series. It lays out the emotional ground work for our leads while also setting the stage for the dramatic adventures to follow. Even with some narrative and production quirks, Obi-Wan Kenobi seems easily poised to be the strongest addition to Star Wars’ live action television slate to date.

Score: B+

#Star Wars #Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi #review #reviews #Deborah Chow #Ewan McGregor #Obi-Wan Kenobi

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