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legobiwan · 4 years

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So i was just daydreaming of SW and fics & i was imagining two characters on opposites sides of light and dark both trying to turn each other bc they think they are right(don’t they all?). But i feel like sidious and maul and plenty of sith knew that they weren’t necessarily the ‘good’ guys, no matter their reason for why they ended up on the dark side. I think sidious knew he wasn’t a good person & was well aware of the ‘bad’ nature of the darkside and how it can corrupt a person entirely 1/

I think dooku was as well even though he thought he was doing the right thing & making change. Even Anakin knew in his own twisted mindset that despite why he turned, he wasn’t on the side of the good guys no matter their reason for why they ended up on the dark side.I think sidious knew he wasn’t a good person&was well aware of the ‘bad’ nature of the darkside and how it can corrupt a person entirely. I think dooku was as well even though he thought he was doing the right thing&making change.2/

But how would you convince someone that turned bc they thought they could keep it controlled. Revan himself turned thinking he could prevent the darkside from corrupting him entirely&we see how that turned out. What about people who just genuinely think that they are more free (they aren’t) on the darkside and just want to BE on the darkside and think that it’s not inherently bad. Bc some sith fics make it sound not that bad but we know that it actually really is very bad by nature ¾

I guess my question is how does someone who thinks they can have everything they want and not loose themselves, who is ruled by the dark side to the point of sith eyes, become convinced that going that far isn’t actually the right path to be on? 4/4 Sorry this is so long

Wow, anon, this is…a complicated question. (And off-topic, but daydreaming about SW fics totally got me through some horrible jobs a few years ago. Star Wars daydreaming ftw.)

For me, it comes down to what your definition of “light” (read, good) is. And I think either side, light or dark, taken too far to one extreme ends up wrapping back to the other, a kind of ouroboros. Too much light, as we saw with the Jedi, can lead to dark consequences. Too much dark, in a weird way, will lead to revolt, to a balancing.

It’s thermodynamics, taken to a philosophical extent, where your variables seek equilibrium but there is only so much energy to share between them, as it cannot be created nor destroyed.

But let’s extricate ourselves from such tangled webs, shall we, and take this analysis character by character.

Sidious: Sidious is an unrepentant, manipulative bastard. I mean, the absolute worst, the whole shebang. I doubt there would be anyone who would have had the ability to pull him into the “Light,” just the ability to thwart his plans. Evil genius, psychopath, bereft of empathy, etc. Let’s just say Rey’s existence, at least from the first generation, was likely not an act of love.

Dooku: Oh Dooku. My favorite bad guy is a lot more complicated. His motivations were idealistic and to some degree, justified. The Republic and the Jedi were failing certain underrepresented systems, the Republic bloated on corruption and the Jedi more and more backing themselves into a protective corner until they had no room left to move. His execution of the whole thing…well, that’s where his hubris (and nihilism) led him astray. And I still contend we see this darkening of Dooku between AotC and RotS, especially in TCW. The dark side won in Dooku, pulled him under its tide so perhaps by the time of RotS he just wasn’t able to see - or admit - Sidious’s plans for him.

Now, would Dooku have been redeemed? Yes, but only under circumstances and I would say he would less be redeemed than returned to grey status.

But what would possibly convince our resident iconoclast to renounce some of his ways?

Or more, who?

Qui-gon or Obi-wan. Or both. Lineage is so important to Dooku, a man who felt the loss of his family, who felt he was alone in the universe, who, unlike Anakin, went out of his way to avoid close connections, to relieve everything of his past except his title and all the expectations that came with it. I mean, imagine that. You are raised a Jedi, taught to believe attachment is, if not bad, at least problematic. And then you leave that religious order to return to your homeworld where you inherit a title and presumably a million problems and identities and histories that come with said title. And Dooku knows none of these people but to rule them, but he does know the ones he has raised and the ones who they raised. Which leads me to believe that an alive Qui-gon (who, let’s face it, wouldn’t have been 100% light side) and/or a more convinced Obi-wan (who should have listened to Dooku on Geonosis but that is a whole other discussion because that was a Hail Mary by Dooku and the more I think about it, the more I believe it was a ballsy-as-ass move on his part) might have convinced him to realign himself.

Anakin: Ohhhh, Anakin. Anakin, who fell because he felt he had to, in order to save everyone he loved. Anakin, who was burdened with false expectation after a traumatic childhood. Anakin, who made so many bad choices and it’s both his fault and not his fault, a tragic combination of circumstance and proclivity. The thing is, we know Anakin is torn between the light and the dark, even after he turns. Anakin as Vader is kind of like the person who says, “Oh I ate 2 cookies, might as well eat the whole bag because nothing matters.” (Side note, I am a total supporter of eating the whole bag of cookies if that is the heart’s truest desire. Speaking as someone who has downed many bags of cookies in their lifetime.) Anyway, it’s the mindset that’s the problem. And Anakin does redeem himself in the end, when he finds something/someone to fight for and fight against and isn’t that so him, always fighting against something?

Look, dark side characterizations are fun. But there’s always something else behind it, and it is a big deal to abandon your principles, your ideals, your health, your everything to this festering, opaque disease that lives in your deepest gut and at times takes the controls, much to your horror (except if you are Sidious, in which case, the horrible darkness is always at the controls and that is by design). I, personally, like to explore the darker sides of these characters but also the why - what made them fall, why are they hurting, and what is the fallout of their actions?

Yes, it’s easy to hate, to fear - I mean, we see this in the real world on an everyday basis. What’s less easy is to be alone, and I mean truly alone. And I think minus extreme examples like Sidious (who, let’s admit, created clones to cheat death and kept a vast amount of servants so even he was not ever truly alone). If I might get a little existential for a moment, what I like about Jedi philosophy (and in all seriousness, I had a major breakdown about this a few years back and Jedi philosophy, weirdly enough, was a large part in saving my sanity) is that we are never alone, that we are all part of the Force, of life, of the breath and heartbeat of the universe no matter what corporeal form we take or not. The Sith see themselves as alone, but as we can observe, so many of them are motivated by connection, could possibly be spurred to change by connection in the correct circumstances.

And by this, I don’t mean the Jedi were 100% correct. I feel like the version of the Jedi we got by TCW had been pushed to some extremes due to the Ruusan Reformation (gdi, that had better get recanonized, asap, because it is a pivotal moment and a HUGE explanation of why the Jedi ended up as they were by the time the Prequels rolled around and it makes So Much Sense), the emergence of Dooku, the war, etc.) There is something to be said about the Grey Jedi, not that they necessarily embraced light and dark - but perhaps so - but that they did not fall to one extreme or the other. And this is where I feel Qui-gon succeeded over many other of his peers, despite his myriad of other personality flaws. Possibly this was why he was able to access the Whills and pass on what he had learned, to the point of where we see Yoda in TLJ, who is a lot more philosophical about everything than he had been in life.

So to answer your question - there is no making someone turn back to the light, as much as there is any way of forcing a sentient being to do anything. Once can only pave the way and forge relationships, and the rest is up to that person. I think a lot of our Sith friends knew they were going down a dark path but also saw no alternative and felt a need to vindicate themselves, to strike out in anger against their circumstances. I get it, I think we all have that urge sometimes. And I suppose the answer might come in having something to fight for as opposed to fight against, as ridiculous as that sounds.

But then again, I am but a simple lego floating around the internet. :)

#Anonymous #hello there #ask legobiwan #this got a little philosophical #fyi #sheev palpatine #count dooku #anakin skywalker #jedi philosophjy #no joke though saves my ass during a full-on existential breakdown 0/10 do not recommend #on a lighter note #it's just fun to have obi wan be a bastard i enjoy the hell out of it

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ashlan-zeal · 4 years

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"He wondered if sanity had completely forsaken him in a land where nightmares and reality existed side-by-side."

Everything was wrong.

Ezra stumbled into the Ghost's cargo area. Ahsoka had left him there as she ran to the cockpit.

Ezra's legs gave out and he fell to his knees. His heartbeat was erratic and he could feel it hammering on his ears. He couldn't breathe. An oppressing overwhelming despair was drowning him. He barely felt the ship shaking as it took off. He stumbled forward, supporting himself on the walls, blindingly moving towards the cabins. Everywhere he turned to look hurt him. Everything was different in a way Hera would have completely disapproved of. He somehow managed to get to Kanan's room, which also was decorated differently. Ezra's body was trembling as he approached the bed and kneeled. His shivering hand opened the secret compartment and...

Kanan's lightsaber and the holocron rolled into the view.

Ezra covered his mouth with his hands, choking back a sorrowful sob.

Ezra.

He failed him.

Ezra.

He was supposed to be there for him.

EZRA!

Ezra snapped out of it and gasped at the strong urging through the Force.

"EZRA! THE TURRETS! NOW!" Ahsoka's voice ordered through the comms.

He tried to swallow but he couldn't, and forced himself up and out of Kanan's room. Ahsoka needed him right now.

"I'm... I'm coming," he said as loudly as he could but came out barely as a strained whisper.

He sat in the turret and... he couldn't remember the rest. He couldn't remember how many TIE fighters he shot down or if he actually hit any. He just allowed instinct and the Force to take over until he noticed the stars and the blue lights of hyperspace. He stared in silence for a second, his hands still tightly gripping the controls of the turret.

Ezra slowly returned to the main corridor where Ahsoka was already waiting for him with a worried look on her face. She said nothing, just staring at him for a long moment. She bit her lip, grabbed a first aid kit on the wall and approached him.

“Let me see….” She gently grabbed his right hand and looked at his arm. Ezra frowned confused until he realized a shot had grassed him and had burned a part of his sleeve. On any other circumstance the pain would have bothered him, but not now... The way he was emotionally hurting was numbing, overwhelming, crushing. This wound was nothing compared to it. He wordlessly stared at the floor as Ahsoka cleaned the wound.

Tears welled in his eyes and he shook his head. The image of Kanan’s yellow eyes wouldn’t leave his mind.

“He wouldn't fall... he would never join the darkside... not Kanan. Not him. He was... he was better than me. He wouldn't be tempted…” Ezra sobbed in denial.

“…” Ahsoka said nothing else as she finished treating his arm, but then Ezra’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“... You said he was dead,” he said, feeling slightly betrayed.

“I thought he was,” Ahsoka said with honesty. Ezra’s lips trembled.

“M-maybe Hera and others are alive too,” Ezra looked up to her with hope.

“Ezra,” Ahsoka said gently but firmly.

“Maybe they are-”

“Ezra... they are gone,” she shook her head. And she was right. Ezra hadn’t even considered until now that the coldness he had felt when reaching out looking for Kanan had been in fact the darkside in his heart instead of his death. The others absences didn’t feel like that. He gritted his teeth trying his best not to break down again.

“I have to save him!”

“He doesn't need saving. He made a choice by joining the Darkside,” she said sadly, trying to make him see reality. “You cannot save someone who doesn’t want saving.”

“NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I know the pull! He was there for me when I needed him the most! He brought me back into the light! I have to-!”

“How? How do you expect to save him?” Ahsoka asked, her eyes hardening. “Talking? Changing his mind? He is something else. He just tried to murder you just like any other Inquisitor would. Ezra, he doesn't know you. This is not the same Kanan you met!”

“He was. He still can be,” he said turning to her. He was not crying anymore. “I'll reach to him. I'll show him.”

Ahsoka’s mouth opened in disbelief realizing what he intended. “You want to get into his head to show him?? Ezra, What you want to attempt is dangerous. He can overpower you and you will be vulnerable instead! You barely have control of your powers.”

“You saw what I did back there... that's how I was! That's how I used to be until I woke up here! I- I just need practice again!”

“You need to let him go. Getting too attached is not the Jedi way,” she carefully warned him, placing her hand on his good shoulder.

“I would gladly give up being a Jedi if that means I can save him,” he glared stepping away from her, but then… his expression softened filled with sadness and looked down, all his anger suddenly gone. “But I know that’s not what Kanan would want,” he bit his lip, tears streaming down his cheeks again. “I know… I know I would have to let him go. I know that’s what he would want. But I’m not ready to do that. I’m not ready to let go. Not yet.”

Ezra looked up at her with begging eyes. “Ahsoka, please, I have to do this. I have to do this or I’ll never forgive myself for not helping him and wondering if I ever could.”

Ahsoka was silently looking at him with worried eyes. She felt her own heart hurting… as if this was too familiar.

“... Even if you show him the man he was, the man he can be, he might still refuse you and attempt to kill you,” she reminded him.

“I know,” he nodded with understanding and a determined look in his bright blue eyes.

She sighed in defeat.

“Were you this frustrating with him too?”

“All the time,” he said with a bittersweet smile.

“Fine... we will practice. But if this doesn’t work out (and you don’t get killed in the process)… you will move on,” she looked at him intently.

“I will,” he said. Or at least he would try.

---------

“I see. You did well on reporting the presence of the Apprentice immediately,” the Grand Inquisitor said turning from the window looking down at the base’s courtyard.

“I do as you command,” the Inquisitor, the Tenth Brother, the man who used to call himself Kanan Jarrus said almost mechanically. He was kneeling in front of him.

“Now, why would two Jedi want to steal a simple light freighter?” The Grand Inquisitor questioned with interest and was amused at the ripple of concern from his minion.

“I don't know, my Lord.”

The Grand Inquisitor calmly ignited his lightsaber and placed it close to the Tenth Brother’s face. “You dare to lie to me? You know this ship,” he said coldly.

“I thought it was destroyed,” the Tenth Brother said with honesty. “If these two Jedi are working for the Rebellion, it might have an emotional value for them… for what it represents. Perhaps recovering it was to boost their morale?” he offered. There was no way anyone else alive had known about his stuff, so he honestly didn't know what other reason they would have to steal the Ghost. He had assumed the holocron had been destroyed with the Ghost so he never mentioned it to the Grand Inquisitor either.

“Perhaps,” the Grand Inquisitor narrowed his eyes. “The Rebels have been eradicated on most sectors. Tell me, who is this young man?”

“My Lord?”

“The young man,” he hated to repeat himself. He would have to punish him later, but now it was not the time. “I saw the security holos and read the reports. The closest troopers heard him say the name of a dead man as he was dragged away by the Apprentice.”

“I don't who he is. I had never seen him before,” Tenth Brother said tensing, his tone and expression hardening. The Grand Inquisitor stared at him for a few seconds and nodded.

“I believe you. Yet, you failed to stop them. You were defeated so easily,” he sighed in disappointment.

“That was-” the Tenth Brother tried to object but the Grand Inquisitor slapped him. The Grand Inquisitor felt a surge of fury on the Tenth Brother but he knew he couldn’t fight him.

“You let your guard down and he got you beaten in a swift move… tsk tsk. You couldn't do anything about it. You are weak. Pathetic. And here I thought you might have some potential.” He shook his head but grinned showing his sharp teeth. “You know why I sent you here in the first place.”

“To test me,” the Tenth Brother seethed. The Grand Inquisitor nodded and leaned closer to him to whisper something.

“Tell me... Do you want to kill him? The urge must be strong.”

“Yes.”

“And yet, you are forbidden to strike him. Good,” the Grand Inquisitor chuckled and moved away. “Use that hatred. Embrace it and channel it to destroy the Jedi. This is your first test, and so far it is not going well for you.”

“I won't fail you.”

“You better not. So far you have been worthless. I will send the others to search in the neighboring systems. These Jedi shouldn’t be too far away. Stay here. If they have some kind of sentimentality with this ship and that old name… they might return to Lothal. Wait for them and catch them. Do you understand?”

“Yes, My Lord,” the Tenth Brother bowed his head and the Grand Inquisitor left the room.

This was quite the turn of events. The Apprentice and an unknown Jedi had been sighted in Lothal. Lord Vader would want them to focus on finding her. The Grand Inquisitor saw Agent Kallus on the way out and gave him an evil smirk. The human looked pale and doing his best to keep his composure now. The Grand Inquisitor knew why. Four years ago, Kallus’ trap for the Rebels had costed the lives of the Lasat and the Twi’lek. He had sent the Mando girl back to his planet for trial only to learn later she had been executed at arrival. In response, Clan Wren had risen up without any support from other clans and were completely obliterated. The Grand Inquisitor had informed all this to Kanan as he tortured him and saw with extreme pleasure how the last of his will was snuffed out. He wanted to die, but this was not to be. He didn’t deserve to be freed of this torture. This was his fault. Bringing him to Lothal again served to fuel the self-hatred. The Grand Inquisitor wondered if Agent Kallus would ever sleep again now that he recognized the Tenth Brother’s previous identity and gave a small chuckle as he left for his ship.

----------

After getting rid of anything that might have help to track the ship, Ahsoka and Ezra decided to stay low and train on the ship while things calmed down. Ahsoka knew that they would be hunted so she didn’t want to risk attracting any attention back to Garel.

“Alright,” Ahsoka sighed and sat cross-legged in front of Ezra. “I guess we should start with what you want to show him. I don't think he will ever expect a strong mental intrusion but you need to show him something that he won’t be able to counter easily. Something that takes him completely by surprise.”

Ezra nodded and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“Hera,” Ezra nodded with a sad smile. “He loved her. I don’t know much of his time before… but I know Hera was the one who pulled him back into the fight. I can only imagine that losing her was the reason he-...” Ezra couldn’t finish the sentence. He felt his own heart wincing in pain.

“Hn, I understand. It’s a good choice,” Ahsoka offered a small smile. “They were close. He might not have a link with you, but perhaps reminding him of his bond with her might stir something within.”

“Yes, maybe he still has a bond to those memories. He came immediately when we were trying to get the Ghost,” Ezra said hopefully.

“But… he might have thought the ship was destroyed just like I did and now just wanted the Holocron inside,” Ahsoka said pointing out the possibility.

“...Maybe, yeah…” Ezra said with sadness.

“You need to hope for the best but… prepare for the worst,” Ahsoka reminded him touching his shoulder.

“I know,” Ezra looked down, avoiding her eyes. She sighed.

“We will start easy. Clear your mind and try to bring forth a memory of Hera. Once you have master that clarity, the next step would be to try to show it to me without me having to rummage through your mind. Ready?”

“Ready,” Ezra said with resolution.

Weeks passed. Every morning Ezra would wake up with tears on his eyes, barely rested, a pressure on his chest and heart. He couldn’t remember the dream… the nightmare. It all blurred with reality. Ezra could only get the feeling he had been calling to him.

Ezra managed to improve greatly his Force abilities. His mind was focused like he had never done before. He could now prompt the images of his memories to Ahsoka with enough clarity. The last week of training had been to improve against her mental defenses. He needed to be strong enough to bypass them but not so forceful to hurt her mind. Ezra needed to be careful with that.

“We have a problem,” Ahsoka said one day looking over at their plans. “We can’t use the Ghost to return to Lothal to search for him. Even if we change the identification codes, he knows the ship too well. You identified it just by hearing the engines so we have to assume he will do the same. We will need to find a fast ship with enough firepower to break through the blockade if when we have to leave or get discovered.”

“A fast ship with enough firepower?” Ezra blinked realizing something. He had completely forgotten about it until now. “I… I think I know where to get one.”

“We have limited resources, so we will have to steal it,” Ahsoka said crossing her arms a little concerned.

“No. I don’t think we need to steal it. It should be right there for the taking,” Ezra smiled for the first time in weeks. “The Gauntlet. The Nightbrother.”

“Maul’s ship?” she breathed in disbelief. “You know where it is?”

“Yeah… I got it after he-…” he cleared his throat. He didn’t know if Obi Wan was alive here, but he better not lead anyone back. He had the feeling that even here he wouldn’t want to get found out. “When I acquired it, we checked the nav records. The ship had been left on an abandoned base all the while Maul had been stuck in Malachor.”

“He was in Malachor too?”

“Yeah… he was the main reason everything went wrong-... but never mind that,” he shook his head. The least he wanted to do was set a foot on Malachor ever again. “The Inquisitors were hunting him there. If we are lucky, they dealt with him already or… at the very least he’s still stuck there. We should definitely check if the ship is still at that base and just make sure he never gets it back,” he said with a smirk.

“I can get behind that,” Ahsoka smiled back.

Luck smiled them too.

The base was almost completely abandoned, sans a few old security droids. The Gauntlet was not in the best conditions, but Ahsoka was sure they could fix it up in a few days. When that was done, they were ready for their plan. The stealth capabilities of the ship allowed them to slip past the blockade easily and landed away from the city. Ahsoka programmed the ship to come for them at the touch of a button of her comm. Whether they succeeded on bringing Kanan back or not, they would need to run to escape.

“Hide your presence as best as you can,” Ahsoka reminded Ezra, but he had already started to minimize his ripple in the Force. They approached the base and were a little surprised they found Kanan really fast. He was walking around in the open around the perimeter.

“It’s a trap,” Ahsoka whispered. “Somehow they hoped we would come back.”

“It doesn’t matter. He won’t expect what’s coming,” Ezra pressed. He couldn’t turn back now.

“Alright, we will follow the plan,” Ahsoka said. “They will likely have more troopers on the lookout, so I’ll cover you,” she said and left to the opposite side of the courtyard to create a distraction. Ezra waited anxiously. His hands were sweating, shaking. His heart was beating so fast and he could hear it on his ears. He could barely-

Ezra heard the blasters shots some distance away. Ahsoka was up. He peeked behind the crates he was using and immediately saw Kanan igniting his red lightsaber and turning to where the sound was heard.

This was it.

Ezra came out of hiding and called to him.

“KANAN!”

The man glared back and narrowed his eyes. Ezra’s whole body tensed and he felt sick. He had in fact improved so much with the force that now he could easily sense the self-hate and the pain on him. Kanan was destroying himself. He held back a sob in his throat.

“You won’t get away from me this time. I’ll have your head,” the Tenth Brother said with gritted teeth. He half expected the young Jedi to bring up his lightsaber but just like last time, he just stared at him with that helpless expression that bothered him so much. Then, he simply closed his eyes and relaxed while a few tears rolled down. The Inquisitor rushed. “Fine. I’ll just kill-”

Hera looks back with concern. “Kanan?”

“What-?” the Tenth Brother froze in complete bewilderment at the image in his mind.

“Kanan, please,” Hera stops Kanan in the corridor of the Ghost and looks at him intently. She’s worried about something.

His lips trembled. An illusion. IT HAD TO BE AN ILLUSION. He was messing with his head! He attempted to pull up his mental walls, to cut the mental link, but the Jedi had already been expecting that and countered it with more images.

Hera, Sabine, Zeb and even Chopper gather around for a meal in the Ghost with Kanan. They laugh and smile. Hera leans on Kanan’s side. He casually places his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer.

“NO!” the Tenth Brother screamed bringing up his hands to his head trying not to feel, not to feel THIS.

Sabine, older, a woman on her own right, hugging him deciding to stay in Mandalore to help her family. She wouldn’t have come this far without him.

Zeb and him having a laugh, watching each other’s backs during a fight.

Lies. ALL LIES. They had to be illusions! No. This wasn’t real. NONE OF IT!

“Oh no,” Ahsoka’s voice could be heard in the distance. “Ezra! EZRA! WATCH OUT!”

Ezra slipped out just enough of his trance to be more aware of his surroundings and gasped as he saw a red lighstaber swirling towards his face. He leaned back just in time… and just like before, it singed his left cheek. A flare of the memory flashed through his mind, unleashing a flood of images that he was still showing to Kanan.

“NO!” Kanan reached for him as he fell being struck by the Inquisitor on the catwalk.

“I want to be the Jedi you see in me.”

“You’re always there when I need you the most.”

“It’s over now,” he holds him.

“I’ve got you. Go ahead. Let go.”

“KANAN!”

“I’ll always come back.”

He hugged him in the darkness of the cave.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Both of them fell back stunned by the sudden emotional overload and mental strain. At Kanan’s side, two dark figures approached. The other Inquisitors had been in the base too.

“Tsk… get up,” the Seventh Sister scoffed at the Tenth Brother who was still holding his head in pain trying to clear his mind from the images. He grunted and got up, rage in his eyes and the lightsaber on his hand.

“We gotta go. Ezra,” Ahsoka was already over Ezra in a defensive position as he started to get up. “You promised,” Ahsoka reminded him.

Ezra’s heart was breaking. “Yes,” he barely managed to say and it felt like a stab on his chest. He was too weak to fight, he knew they would try to kill them. Ahsoka called the ship with the comm just as the three Inquisitors attacked her. He held her ground and kept them off Ezra until the ship appeared.

“Now!” she shouted and her and Ezra, who had finally regained a little more of his strength, pushed them back with the Force enough to jump into the open ramp of the gauntlet.

The Tenth Brother noticed how the Jedi looked back one last time at him. Some kind of hope in his eyes.

“I know what it's like to lose someone close and not have anyone.”

His own words. His voice. But he had never said that. This time he managed to shut down the mental link. He saw the tears on the Jedi’s blue eyes as he looked away in pain and disappeared into the ship.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/15618783

#Star Wars #Star Wars Rebels #Ezra Bridger #Kanan Jarrus #Ahsoka Tano #Inquisitors #Grand Inquisitor #Fifth Brother #Ninth Sister #fanfic #Chapter 5

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cdc1345711 · 5 years

Text

Chip VS Darth Vader

(Tasked with exterminating 3 Jedi and crippling the hope they gave Darth Vader succeeded in his mission)

Anye:It is done lord Vader-the Jedi will be remembered only in humiliation-we....”

“Haven’t won shit”

(Anye shivers as a lightsaber is stabbed behind her,killing her)

Darth Vader:Officer....”

Chip:Don’t bother,she’s dead,got to say your plan almost worked.......almost”

Darth Vader:Who are you? my master only said there were 3 Jedi”

Chip:I’m Chip and rest assure I ain’t no Jedi-but I did learn their arts years ago,both forms”

Darth Vader:What do you hope to gain.....”

Chip:As long as I’m still standing the Jedi will always bring hope,if you wanna stop me bring it.........Palpatine’s Sith Bitch”

(Angered by the person’s taunting Vader sends his squad to track him down)

Trooper:Sir so far everything is quiet”

Chip:Not for long(as he swoops down butchering the soldiers to pieces)”

Trooper 2:FALL YOU BASTARD(hitting Chip in the back)”

Chip:Boy......(turns to look at the Trooper)you done FUCKED UP(and guts the Storm Trooper)”

Darth Vader:(Looking from a far with a holo-gram of his master)He is skilled my master”

Emperor:He seems so indeed,but he will fall by your hand lord Vader,bring me his head”

Darth Vader:As you please my Master(he falls down facing Chip)you fight well with a light saber but it is no match for the Dark Side”

Chip:Gonna preach to me or are you gonna fight?”

(And in that instant Darth Vader lunges at Chip hoping to get in a fatal strike only to have Chip dodge and slice the back of Vader)

Darth Vader:GAAAAAH(’His speed,how could he have dodged?’)I thought you were only skilled in Jedi arts?”

Chip:That and a Shit load of other techniques I learned throughout the Multiverse”

Darth Vader:Multiverse?........”

(The two fighters lunge at each other)

(Back on Coruscant the Emperor is sitting in his office awaiting Darth Vader’s report)

Emperor:I would have thought Lord Vader would’ve dealt with the minor nuisance by now”

Imperial Guard:My Emperor-a ship has been spotted in orbit”

Emperor:Is it Lord Vader?”

Imperial Guard:I’m afraid it’s not one of our own”

Emperor:(Shocked)What?”

(The ship above Coruscant’s orbit projects a holographic image-a seemingly different form Chip)

Mega Chip:People of Coruscant,my name is Chip,recently your Emperor sent his bastard apprentice Darth Vader to kill 3 honorable Jedi,he succeeded,but I assure you their sacrifices weren’t in vein,same for the other Jedis who were killed by the Emperor’s pussy tactics(mumbles among the crowd start up)and for those who think the Jedi are the enemy,think again(shows a video of Mace Windu,Kit Fisto and the two other Jedi arresting Palpatine,with him wielding a light saber and killing them)The Jedi risked their lives while this old Fuck took advantage of the war,but as long as me and my disciples are here,he won’t win,also to the Empire itself you have 48 hour to surrender or else(brings out a body).......”

Emperor:No.......”

Chip:(Grabbing a beaten to a bloody pulp Vader almost completely lifeless by the back of his head)...I’m gonna do this.......to your WHOLE FUCKING EMPIRE!!!!”

(Back to the planet Darth Vader and Chip duel each swordsman holding their own)

Chip:Y’know,it’s sad you haven’t been able to hit me,then again your a Sith and they don’t have much brains”

Darth Vader:Shut up......”

Chip:Seriously,first Maul,then Dooku,and you? Bet you anything if you die old Palpy is gonna pick some other poor dumb-ass to replace you,seems the cut of his jib”

Darth Vader:Shut......up(starting to get angry)”

Chip:Hell after I beat you I might ask to be his apprentice,then when he least expects it,i’ll cut off his head and throw it in the streets-where he belongs”

Darth Vader:I SAID SHUT UP!!!!!!!(he frantically swings his light saber inevery way knocking Chip’s Saber out of his hand)DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!”

(As his light saber is thrust down it hits Chip-but not in the sense Vader wanted)

Chip:(Holding Vader’s Red Saber with his gauntlet)Tick tick tick,temper temper Vady(holds onto the light saber as he gives Vader a strong punch to the gut knocking him back at least 7 feet)”

Darth Vader:Im...COUGH...IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!How are....”

Chip:Magic Gauntlets bitch,used to punch ghosts and be impervious to light sabers”

(Darth Vader is using the force to grab his light Saber but Chip stomps on it destroying it)

Chip:Enough Sabers,let’s try good old Fisticuffs”

Darth Vader:Very well”

(The two engage in a fist fight seemingly looking like Chip is getting the upper hand)

Chip:I told you I’m skilled in more than just Jedi arts”

Darth Vader:The Dark Side and the Empire will prevail”

Chip:I’m pretty sure the same was said for the Separtists,but frankly you Sith always had an act for throwing each other under the bus-your master gave you bullshit promises of power,YOU SOLD OUT AND COULDN’T PROTECT YOUR WIFE!!!!!!!”

Darth Vader:(Heard what he shouted)What........”

Chip:Yeah I know you were Anakin ‘Whiny Bitch Tit’ Skywalker,and Padme Amidala was your wife,if she was alive she’d be scared of the monster her hubby became”

(Angered Darth Vader uses the force to lift and slam Chip’s body towards the different debris,and launches him straight into an electrical outlet thinking it’ll kill him)

Chip:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”

Darth Vader:Like I said,no match for the Dark.....”

Chip:AAAAAAAAWE BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!!!!!!!!!!!”

Darth Vader:WHAT THE.......(feels a powerful punch on the side of his face)”

Chip:(Transforming into his Mega form)Electricity is like cocaine/steroids to my race,and I’m an Electro-Kinetic meaning I’m your worst nightmare”

(Chip brings out his two small knives he had in his gauntlets and supercharged on electricity,runs towards and slices him with non-fatal but deep enough cuts)

Chip:Now for the finale(he electrocute Darth Vader)”

Darth Vader:(Feeling the Lighting hit every cut and mechanical part of his body)AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH”

Chip:(Turns his one arm into a canon)So long Annie.....(and hits Vader at point blank range knocking the beating and severely beaten Sith Lord on his back)”

(A few minutes later Chip’s disciples Polly,Joe,Miph and Barry arrive)

Barry:Master we got(Sees a beaten Vader)....Whoa is that?

Chip:Yep......”

Polly:Is he......”

Chip:Nope......He’s alive,for the most part,I know you can hear me Skywalker,tbh honest when I fought you I kinda felt pity for you,you sold your sanity to save your wife,but she ended up dead anyway,by your hand no less.....should’ve left old Baldy Windu slash Palpatine’s head off,but I got plans for you,load him up”

Joe:But what if he awakes and force kills us?”

Chip:(Without saying a word-kicks Vader upside his head)Better?”

“NOW”

Emperor:Blast that ship down NOW(but none of the Imperial ship do)Are they deaf?”

Imperial Guard:It seems....they’re scared to attack and with good reason,they took down Lord....gah(feeling the Emperor force choke him)”

Emperor:Should’ve watched your tongue boy....(kills him and looks at the ship)The Sith won’t die today......”

TO BE CONTINUED IN ‘CHIP VS THE EMPEROR’

#OCs #Chip #Star Wars

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b-radley66 · 6 years

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Experiment: Ghosts and Dragons: Malachor’s Dilemma

Ahsoka looks at the location of the portal—the portal that had just been reclaimed in her memory. Soon after walking through the door to the lower levels of the Sith Temple, her memory of what exactly had occurred had become jumbled—a fog. A fog only broken by her intermittent contacts with her hunt-brother, the ex-Jedi once known as Taliesin Croft.

His injured Force-sense, coupled with something else had apparently helped her keep her sanity in this place, as well as helped her heal in mind and body. Only on the cold nights of Malachor did she feel the twinges of the broken bones from her time with Ezra Bridger in the world between worlds.

Time that she had only just retrieved in the past few days. Her mind was still trying to process the revelations of what she had missed while in the mists of the Force and the depths of the Temple. She mourns the loss of Kanan Jarrus, yet another connection to the Jedi Temple. A loss incurred just as he had grown into the Jedi that she had once told him she knew he could be during a long ago sparring session. A smile flows to her features as she marvels at the growth of his Padawan in two years—a Jedi Knight in all but name, but with plenty of room for more growth.

Ahsoka laughs as she remembers one of the first conversations with Jame—the birth name of her hunt-brother—she could remember from their new existence. Little bastard needed to be taught something, Runt, he had said in their minds. Somebody needed to tell him what his disobedience had cost. Her smile fades as she remembers her reply.

He knows, Bait. Believe me, he knows.

Morai flies into her view, gently butting her head against Ahsoka’s arm. “Hey, cutie,” she says, a smile on her face once again. She hears a quiet chitter, then a full hoot. The convor headbutts her again. Ahsoka’s eyes widen as she once again is able to glean the meaning of the sounds.

At least she hopes she is.

+I know what you are thinking, little one,+ the voice says—once again a mixture of the voices of the Daughter, Qui-gon Jinn, and apparently her hunt-brother’s late wife, J’ohlana Wren.

“Yeah? What’s that, Morai?” she asks.

+That you should’ve died when Vader swung his saber. That he should’ve cut you in half—that it was your moment—your moment to sacrifice yourself.+

Ahsoka sits down heavily on a nearby rock. “Maybe it should’ve been,” she whispers, closing her eyes.

“Yeeeowtch!” she yells, looking down at the tiny red marks on her bare arm, where Morai’s beak had plunged in. “What the hell?” She stares at the bird. “You know, I bet you would look mighty tasty with gravy and maybe a boiled root mix.”

+That would entail you knowing how to cook. Good thing you haven’t actually needed to.+

Ahsoka closes her mouth. “Why wasn’t it my time? I saw that saber swinging down. I knew that the cost of trying to either save my Master or kill him could be my death when I pushed Ezra away.”

+Dume chose his moment because his crew—no, his family—would’ve died. I think that you realized when put those sabers in the floor, that your Master was dead. You only had to save yourself then—no matter who helped you—Ezra, the will of his Master, your hunt-brother, whoever.+

Ahsoka is silent as the mind’s words sink in.

The convor moves to her knees. +Your story is not that of Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan or even that of being yet another reason he fell to the dark side, as I sometimes hear in your thoughts—thoughts that you keep even from Jame.+ The last phrase sounds only in J’ohlana’s voice. +Your story is your own. You have a destiny of your own, even if you don’t know quite what it is.+

“I always thought that it would involve Jame,” she whispers, half to herself.

+It may still,+ Morai says.

“I haven’t had contact with him in weeks, I think. Maybe more. Hell, it may have been only a few seconds ago.” She brushes away tears. “I don’t know if it is because of the injury to his Force-sense or if he is dead,” she finishes, choking at the last word.

+I think that you have to trust in the Force that you will see each other again.+

Ahsoka bites back a retort at the platitudes. She hears a hint of dry humor in the bird’s voice.

+Maybe then I won’t have to listen to your side of those other ‘connections’ you and he have made when you thought that I was out.+

Ahsoka Smirks as she realizes that this sentence only comes in the deep tones of Qui-Gon Jinn. She is not sure as she blushes as well, that she hears giggles from the other two voices present.

She reaches out and scratches Morai behind her peaked ears. The convor leans into her palm and makes a cooing noise. One that is not translated into Basic.

+It is good to have you back, Ahsoka,+ the other voices say.

Ahsoka takes a deep breath. “I think that I should see about getting out of here,” she says, standing again.

+That may still be a challenge. I think that the planet may not be visible in the realm of the Galaxy, yet. Remember that Maul was trapped here for years.+

“Yeah. Don’t remind me,” she says. “Do you think I should stay up here?” she asks, sweeping her hand around the exterior of the remains of the Temple. “I kind of lost myself the last time I went through the portal and below. Jame was the only thing that anchored me.”

+I don’t know,+ Morai says. +It may be worth a try, since you might be able to contact your hunt-brother better.+

“I am not sure that I want to go back into that trance or not,” she says after a moment. “I need to get back into the fight. I promised Ezra that I would find him.”

+This might not be your fight, little one. You may not even be able to find Bridger. You don’t even know what time has passed since you made that promise.+ Morai rises to her shoulder and touches her cheek gently, this time with her beak. +It may be others’ fight, as we have said before. You are shielded here. Vader thinks that you are dead. Palpatine probably thinks you are trapped beyond the vale. What would happen if you went back and he or his minions found you?+

“Then that may be my destiny,” Ahsoka says quietly.

+What about those you fight with? Is it their destiny to have the might of the Empire down on them because they are searching for you? Didn’t you push Jame away because of your fear of facing Vader? Didn’t you push Ezra and your new family away because they would’ve died?+

“I hid well enough for fifteen years,” she replies. “Plus, I think that I know that Jame and I should fight again together. My fear pushed him away; caused me to forget my oath to him. Something I would’ve taken him to task for, and have. That I should fight with him, and allow him to fight with me.” As she finishes, a pair of green eyes and a warm, crooked grin, both under gray hair flies to the forefront of her mind.

She gasps as she sees him lying on the ground, those green eyes open and staring, as a red lightsaber is removed from his chest. The eyes focus on her accusingly. She shakes her head, dispelling that vision, focusing only on the other.

+It may be a moot point, Ahsoka. The Force may not let you off of Malachor.+

The three-part harmony of Morai’s voice haunts her as she kneels on the hard, wounded soil. She closes her eyes, placing her lightsabers on the ground in front of her in a precise position. She opens her mind to the Force.

Ahsoka doesn’t search for the tri-colored light, the representation of his world and his family in her Force-sense, missing from her mind. She sits and waits as Malachor fades around her.

Her mind is calm, as she searches for answers as well. As she tries to solve her dilemma of what to do.

#star wars: rebels #ahsoka tano #morai #malachor #world between worlds

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dracox-serdriel · 6 years

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Meta: The Genesis of Kylo Ren

Warning: Contains spoilers for both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

The first two films have presented his origin and his catalyst, the thing that pushed him to the Dark Side. However, they have barely scratched the surface on the genesis of Kylo Ren.

Below the cut for spoilers, length, and sanity.

What We Don’t Know about Ben Solo (Hint: A lot)

The catalyst moment is described by both parties in The Last Jedi, but it’s crucial to keep in mind that we have, in fact, seen this scene from two disparaging points of view (and one other time when Luke lied to Rey about the events that unfolded). The truth is a three-edged sword: their side, your side, and the truth. We’ve seen Luke’s side and Kylo’s side, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that we know the actual truth of that night.

But what we do know about that night is that it was his catalyst. We also know his origin/family. While these are crucial elements of his genesis, it remains incomplete. The question everyone should be asking is Why did Ben Solo have so much darkness in him by the time Luke “reads” his mind and future?

Luke comments that it was worse than he imagined, but he doesn’t bother talking about why it was there to begin with. We don’t know how long Ben Solo had been training with Luke before this moment occurs, either. But there is this one exchange between Han and Leia that provides some illumination.

HAN: Every time you look me, you're reminded of him.

LEIA: Do you think I want to forget him? I want him back.

HAN: There's nothing more we could have done. There's too much Vader in him.

LEIA: That's why I wanted him to train with Luke. I just never should had sent him away. That’s when I lost him. That's when I lost you both.

-- General Leia and Han Solo in The Force Awakens

Apparently, Han is under the impression that there is “too much Vader” in Ben, as if the Dark Side has some kind of gene that skips a generation or something. Most noticeably, Leia doesn’t disagree with him... she sent him to train with Luke because of all that Vader-ness he had.

In The Phantom Menace, Yoda meets Anakin and says, “I sense much fear in you.” It leads him to question whether or not Anakin should be trained as a Jedi at all.

Yet.. what Anakin fears is losing his mother. For a young boy forced to leave his mother behind in slavery, fearing that he will lose her forever is perfectly reasonable. In fact, if he wasn’t afraid of such a thing, that would seem... well, weird. Who can love someone, leave them behind in slavery, and not be afraid of losing that person?

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

-- Yoda in The Phantom Menace

This seems... oddly unwise. Fear can lead to anger, certainly. But it can also lead to courage. Courage is persistence in the face of fear, not the absence of it.

And anger is hardly a bad thing. Anger is the emotion that flares up when something isn’t right. Experiencing anger simply means something is wrong. (And, in some cases, the thing that is wrong is your perspective.)

And let’s be honest here, nobody accidentally becomes Darth Maul or Darth Vader. Anakin became Darth Vader because he was desperate to save Padme and his children. You could argue that the reason was that he was afraid to lose his wife, but you’d only be half-correct. He was afraid to lose his wife, and he selfishly chose to betray everything in an attempt to save her.

Yes, it’s entirely possible for Anakin Skywalker to be afraid of losing his wife and not be an epic tool about it. The fact that he was afraid was not the problem. The fact that he recklessly and selfishly acted on that fear to the detriment of so many others was the problem. He was so afraid that he sought power to protect the ones he loved.

You don’t need to be a Jedi to make that particular error. And, what’s more, fear isn’t the only possible path to such a mistake. Someone could easily chose to seek power like that because they believe it is the only way to make the galaxy a better place. Sure, they might have to make a few... less then palatable decisions that essentially equal the oppression and injustice they (eventually) plan to rid the galaxy of. But that’s okay, because, once they’re in a position of power, that power can be used to fix everything.

The above paragraph describes pride. Hubris. Not fear. Yet fear seems to be the Jedi fall guy for the Dark Side... more so than all the other paths to putting power over the lives of others.

So, if we keep in mind that, according to Jedi Teachings, fear “is the path to the Dark Side” and, in general, blamed for bad/Dark choices... this changes our question from Why did Ben Solo have so much darkness in him by the time Luke “reads” his mind and future? to Why did Ben Solo have so much fear in him by the time Luke “reads” his mind and future?

What, exactly, did Ben Solo fear?

I’m guessing that there are a number of factors in play here, but the most obvious ones include the following:

Losing his parents, the people he loved most (echoing Anakin’s fears).

Not living up to either family name. He was both ‘a Solo’ and ‘a Skywalker.’ That’s a hellova lot of expectation for, as far as we know, the sole heir of both families.

His own power and abilities. Luke commented on the fact that Ben Solo had a lot of “raw power,” and it seems like Leia and Han both saw his abilities as... well, Dark and out of control. We don’t know how old he was when he went to train with Luke, but a young son who loved his parents would likely take their impressions/reactions (“OMG, he’s out of control...” or even “OMG, he’s like his grandfather!”) to heart at nearly any age.

Ben Solo’s Childhood

I’ve seen a lot of speculation (and some outright assumption) about Ben Solo being neglected as a child. Not on purpose, of course. It’s just... Han wasn’t around much (smugglers gotta smuggle, you know?) and Leia was obviously busy with politics and such. Ben got the short end of the parenting stick.

It’s possible, but neither of the movies establish this. In fact, they imply just the opposite.

Leia specifically says, “I just never should had sent him away. That’s when I lost him.” She’s not one to shy away from personal accountability. If she suspected that she neglected her son - that she hadn’t been there for him enough when he was young and needed her - she would’ve said that. Furthermore, later in that same conversation:

LEIA: ...I just never should had sent him away. That's when I lost him. That's when I lost you both.

HAN: We both had to deal with it in our own way. I went back to the only thing I was only good at.

LEIA: We both did.

HAN: We lost our son. Forever.

LEIA: No. It was Snoke. He seduced our son to the dark side. But we can still save him. Me. You.

HAN: If Luke couldn't reach him, how could I?

LEIA: Luke is a Jedi. You're his father.

-- General Leia and Han Solo in The Force Awakens (emphasis mine)

This conversation implies that Han returned to full-time smuggling, and Leia to full-time politics, after Ben Solo destroyed Luke’s new Jedi Temple (or, when Ben was sent away to train with Luke--which is when Leia argues she lost him). Sure, it’s possible they neglected their only son. Heroes aren’t perfect. But canon so far strongly implies that Han and Leia put their son before their careers, with at least one of them acting as a primary caretaker. (Otherwise, they wouldn’t have to “go back” to what they were good at when they lost their son because they would’ve already been doing it.) Unfortunately, despite their dedication, neither Leia nor Han could help their son when they discover he is Force Sensitive. Leia has some experience with the Force, and Han knows about it, obviously, but neither one of them ever had the “raw power” (Luke’s words) that Ben Solo possessed.

Canon strongly implies that Han and Leia raised their son, but they had no idea how to help him when it came to the Force. Two parents raising their only child find out that they can’t help him with a fundamental part of who he is (being Force Sensitive). It would be perfectly reasonable for them to feel helpless - even miserable - over something like that... to feel like failures as parents. And it would also be perfectly reasonable for Ben Solo to read that helplessness and misery as a rejection. To see being sent away to his uncle was a sign of him being somehow defective in the eyes of his own parents.

To reiterate: canon hasn’t stated Ben Solo was neglected by his parents. In fact, it implies that they were heavily active in his childhood.

Think about it this way. If they weren’t very active in his upbringing (he was raised mostly by people hired to care for him), then sending him away to a [Jedi] boarding school wouldn’t be all that surprising. It’s not that he would want to leave his parents, but if he doesn’t see them much as it is, then being shipped off wouldn’t really be that much of a change in the family dynamic.

But, if Han and Leia were active in his upbringing, then sending him away wouldn’t just be shipping him off to a [Jedi] boarding school. It would also be ripping away his foundation - taking away the two people he loved and trusted most - to go live with an uncle.

Which would be more harmful to young Ben’s view of himself and his abilities? Two parents that didn’t have much time for him, even though they loved him, sending him away; or, two parents that were always there because they loved him... until, one day, they weren’t.

I argue that the second scenario is far more compelling and in line with what (little) we know from canon. The second scenario would definitely feel more like punishment from young Ben Solo’s perspective as well. (More on that later.)

This also explains why Ben has “too much of his father’s heart” in him. How could he have so much of his father’s heart if he never really knew the man?

SNOKE: There's something more. The droid we seek is aboard the Millennium Falcon. In the hands of your father, Han Solo.

KYLO: He means nothing to me.

SNOKE: Even you, Master of the Knights of Ren, have never faced such a test.

KYLO: By the grace of your training, I will not be seduced.

SNOKE: We shall see.

-- Snoke and Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens

Snoke seems very concerned about the fact that Kylo must face his own father. Which is odd, given that current objective is to acquire a map to Kylo’s uncle (to kill him) before Kylo’s mother and her forces get ahold of it. Kylo’s family is all over the place in this situation, so why does Snoke put such an emphasis on Kylo’s father a threat?

And, why does Kylo have to reassure his teacher that he won’t be seduced by an encounter with his father?

As far as we know, Han has been running around since he “lost his son” (either after the whole Jedi-temple-burning thing happened or when his son went away to train with Luke), smuggling stuff and generally getting into trouble. He has actively been avoiding the rebellion (“Leia doesn’t want to see me”), even though it’s pretty obvious that they could use a hand. Meanwhile (again, as far as we know from canon), Leia has been in the thick of the rebellion.

So, why would Kylo Ren, who has been fighting a rebellion led by his own mother, have any trouble leading an effort to steal something from his own father?

Canon is silent on the subject, but I believe that, as far as the movies go, Han Solo stopped smuggling (and whatnot) to become a full-time father to Ben and to support his wife’s career. That would mean young Ben Solo spent his formative years with his father as his primary caretaker. This would certainly explain why Snoke would be much more concerned about Kylo Ren facing off against his father despite the fact that he’s basically constantly facing off against his mother. This would also explain why Kylo has to reassure Snoke that his father won’t be enough to sway him from his training or commitment to the Dark Side.

And this explains Leia’s line: “I just never should had sent him away. That's when I lost him. That's when I lost you both” (emphasis mine). I said before, Leia is not one to shy away from personal accountability. She very specifically says “I” here - not “we.” She chose to send him away to train with Luke, which makes it sound like Han either disagreed or at least resisted the idea.

This is confirmed, in part, by Luke:

“Han was, well... Han about it. But Leia trusted me with her son.”

-- Luke about training Ben Solo in The Last Jedi

It seems like Leia chose to send Ben away, even though Han didn’t really want it. She said that was when she lost them both... which makes sense, if Han had given up his day job to be a full-time caretaker for his son, only to have that son sent away. He’d return to his day job, which meant traveling and being apart from Leia far more often.

Ben Solo’s Darkness/Fear

Why was there so much darkness in Ben Solo? Because he was separated from the two people he loved and trusted the most, punished for powers he didn’t ask for, and undoubtedly told that his fear of losing his parents forever because of said powers was an inherently bad thing (again: fear is the Jedi fall guy).

So now... he’s afraid of losing his parents, likely afraid of his own power, and afraid of being afraid of both those things. He was probably also afraid of letting his parents down, letting Luke/his teacher down, and not living up to the family name. He was probably also afraid of being afraid of those things, too.

I mentioned earlier that, from Ben’s perspective, being sent to Jedi school and away from two active parents would seem more like punishment. I believe this is important, because it frames his experience. He was punished for his Force abilities - first by his parents, who sent him away, and then by his uncle and teacher, who saw his power and tried to murder him in his sleep.

His living kin are all champions of the Light Side. But they aren’t his only kin.

It certainly makes sense that Ben Solo might see his grandfather, Darth Vader, as the one family member who could’ve understood him... Had he been alive, Darth Vader would’ve accepted Ben, even lauded him for the “raw power” he possessed, rather than punishing him for it.

#star wars meta #ben solo #kylo ren #ben solo meta #kylo ren meta #star wars

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irinapaleolog · 4 years

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How the Devil Became a Dreamboat: Exploring the Byronic Hero with Kylo Ren

As it turns out, the popular problematic favorite and the OG problematic favorite are basically the same person.

Welcome to Elements of Story, a biweekly column about narrative tropes, what they mean, and why they just won’t go away.

For the inaugural installment of Elements of Story, and just in time for Valentine’s day, I’m going to dissect an archetype that has been causing a stir and setting hearts aflutter for centuries: the Byronic hero.

Definitions of the Byronic hero vary by source, but the basic gist is that he’s an arrogant yet emotionally sensitive rebel who rages against societal norms, is usually haunted by a dark and mysterious past, and has been a staple of romantic storylines for hundreds of years. You could literally write a book about the history of the Byronic Hero—indeed, multiple people already have—so for the sake of concision and also my continued sanity, we’re going to investigate the Byronic hero through the specific example of one of his most recent appearances: Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

Ever since The Force Awakens first premiered, Darth Vader’s grandson and #1 fan has been a point of contention within the Star Wars fandom, particularly with regards to his dynamic with protagonist Rey (Daisy Ridley). While things have calmed down somewhat following the underwhelming finale that was The Rise of Skywalker, if you want to start a fight online about a galaxy far, far away, mention “Reylo” and see what happens.

One of the most genuinely befuddling things about the discourse surrounding Reylo is the frequently held opinion that its allure is anyway inexplicable or unforeseeable. Similarly, the common, lazy narrative that its popularity can be explained away as Adam Driver’s thirst-club projecting their desire onto the Star Wars universe reeks of ignorance. Whether borne of conscious intent or sheer coincidence, Kylo Ren is a villain who also fits a centuries-old romantic archetype like a glove in ways that are hinted towards in The Force Awakens and laid increasingly bare in each subsequent installment. That some viewers picked up on the Byronic subtext early while others did not simply speaks to the variance in media consumption habits and tastes between audience members. If you’re familiar with an archetype, you’re going to spot its likeness, and view said likeness through the lens of the implications baked in with that lineage. If you’re not, you won’t.

So, who is this Byronic Hero guy, anyway? Well, the tl;dr version is that he’s basically Satan and his origins predate Lord Byron by at least a few hundred years.

In truth, the Byronic Hero is so old that tracing his origins gets quite speculative. There’s not a singular definitive answer so much as a collection of theories. To give a relatively cohesive explanation of who this guy is and how he got here without writing a novel, I’m going to things down into two key questions:

What makes the Byronic hero satanic?

How did Satan become romanticized?

To address the first question, let’s start by talking about the Devil. I’m not going to say that John Milton was the first storyteller to make Satan cool, but he sure did make such a characterization mainstream with Paradise Lost. The most beautiful of God’s angels, Lucifer chafes at God’s omnipotence, convinces a number of his brethren to join him in a rebellion that ultimately fails, is banished to Hell and eternally damned, but stubbornly stands by his choices because, “better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.” Milton’s Satan was, to use modern parlance, a beautiful trash fire—a handsome, passionate dreamer whose quick-tempered fervor proves self-destructive in spite of his considerable intellect. He is, in other words, smart enough to know that his hubris will be his downfall, but too in thrall to his passions for that knowledge to save himself from such a fate. He is a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle, an inherently sympathetic figure not as much in spite of his flaws as because of them.

not as much in spite of his flaws as because of them.

Let’s stop for a second so I can convince you Kylo Ren fits this pattern, in case you aren’t convinced already. With his journey from Ben “too much Vader in him” Solo to Kylo Ren, his rejection of his heritage and violent rebellion against Luke Skywalker, he follows the same basic trajectory of Milton’s Lucifer. And as far as personality is concerned, Ben didn’t gel well with the “there is no passion” Jedi code, and unlike Anakin Skywalker, it didn’t even take the development of a particular relationship for things to reach a breaking point.

Now, as far as how Satan became a romantic figure, we need to make a stopover with the Romantics because the journey from Romantic to romantic is really just semantics. Romanticism was a prominent intellectual and artistic movement in Western culture that took place in the late 18th and 19th centuries and encompassed everything from literature and painting to architecture and music. It emphasized emotion, spontaneity, irrationality, and the individual with a particular focus on subjectivity, and is generally regarded as a reactionary movement—a rebuttal against the rationalism that defined the Enlightenment.

Romantics loved Milton’s Satan. “My favorite hero, Milton’s Satan,” Robert Burns gushed, lauding Satan’s “intrepid, unyielding independence,” “desperate daring,” and “noble defiance of hardship.” That Byron, one of his contemporaries, would channel his admiration for the same figure into a series of mercurial protagonists that would codify an archetype is hardly surprising. While crediting Byron with inventing the Byronic hero is a significant stretch considering the archetype is really just Satan rebranded, there is one key component of this character that Byron did add to the equation, and that is a particular kind of longing that a number of commentators have likened to homesickness. “Love is homesickness,” Sigmund Freud wrote in his seminal essay on the Uncanny. In terms of understanding the human mind, Freud is one small step above total quack, but as far as narrative theory is concerned he made some compelling arguments, this being one of them. As Deborah Lutz says in her essay “Love as Homesickness: Longing for a Transcendental Home in Byron and the Dangerous Lover Narrative,” “the Byronic hero often[…] is a criminal, an outlaw who is not only self-exiled, but actively, hatefully, works against society as a murderous pirate,” yet also often feels, “pains of remorse, not only for his crime but also for his self-inflicted homelessness.” Kylo Ren, with his laments of “I’m being torn apart,” and “let the past die, kill it if you have to” rhetoric interspersed with explosive bouts of self-loathing, could not be more emblematic of this facet of the Byronic hero if he tried.

All of this helps explain what makes this archetype emotionally engaging, but not how “self-hating emotional clusterfuck” became sexy. In order to get to the bottom of that, we actually need to go back quite a bit. In Western culture, sexuality, death, and evil have been birds of a feather since the nascence of Christianity, which took vague correlations between these concepts already present in several Greek mythological figures and ran with them. While the Devil is often depicted as a hideous beast, the concept that he might also take the form of a man—specifically, an attractive one—dates back centuries (Lucifer was the prettiest, remember), and is apparent in a number of surviving records of witch trial confessions detailing demonic encounters. But taking on a handsome face is not the only attribute frequently bestowed upon Satan and his kin. As Toni Reed writes in her book Demon Lovers and their Victims in British Fiction, “identifying Satan and other demons with sexuality, especially with huge phalluses, may well trace back to Greek mythology.”

That’s right. Satan has serious BDE. Do with that information what you will.

It’s worth noting that the Byronic hero is ultimately a beloved romantic fantasy not because it represents something many people want in real life, but precisely the opposite, much like0 how enjoying seeing the lions at the zoo doesn’t mean you want one in your house. He’s a darkly tempting, narratively intriguing prospect that is enjoyable to experience vicariously through fiction, a Pandora’s box that can be opened and then closed again without repercussion. Times and tastes change and the Byronic hero evolves to suit them—devil, tempestuous gentleman, wannabe Sith—but his defining characteristics and their guilty pleasure appeal are eternal.

#tropes #kylo ren #the rise of skywalker #star wars

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