‘staring into the camera like you’re on the office’ is such an interesting cultural phenomenon because it points to one of my very favorite things in pop culture, which is the use of commonly known fictional situations to indicate an emotion or context that is extremely specific and can’t necessarily be communicated with language alone.
why do characters on the office look into the camera? on the office, the characters are being filmed as part of a documentary; they understand they are being filmed and can acknowledge that fourth wall and those theoretical future viewers. but because the office is a comedy, that fourth wall acknowledgement is not about explaining motivations or gaining approval for an action, but about sharing an agreement with a group of people who are not actually there.
characters on the office look into the camera when something ridiculous is happening that no one in the room thinks is ridiculous but the person looking at the camera, were they to say ‘this is so ridiculous’ to the people in the room, their comrades in fiction, they would get serious pushback or anger; to those characters the situation is serious. the character looking into the camera is a more objective viewer, like the audience, and by looking at us they’re putting themselves on our objective team. and in the future when this ‘documentary’ would air, they would be vindicated as the person who understood that the situation was ridiculous.
so in real life, when we talk about ‘looking into the camera like we’re on the office’, this very specific emotion is what we’re referring to: that we’re in a situation that any objective viewer would find inherently ridiculous, and are seeking acknowledgement from an invisible but much larger group that would agree with us, even though nobody in the situation would do so. we’re putting ourselves in an outsider position, a less emotional position, and inherently a more powerful position, because we’re not vulnerable to being laughed at like all the ridiculous people we’re among. we’re among them, but we’re not with them, and the millions of people watching us on theoretical tv would be on our team, not theirs. that’s such a specific idea and concept, and one that’s really hard to communicate in pure language. but we can say ‘looking into the camera like we’re on the office’ and it’s much easier to communicate what we mean.
for me that’s what pop culture is for, and why it’s so important that it’s pop culture. maybe it feels more special if it’s only you and a grape who know that something exists, but the more people consume something, the more its situations and reactions become common knowledge, a sort of communal well from which we can draw to articulate real life problems. and ultimately, the easier it is for us to communicate and understand each other.
We used to cast our eyes to heaven in lone exasperation, now we deadpan at an imaginary camera
SERIOUSLY THOUGH SHE WAS MY FAVORITE BATMAN VILLAIN
Her physical condition didn’t allow her to age
No one took her seriously as an actress
And even when she was trying to get into a happy romantic relationship (albeit with another villain) he still couldn’t take her seriously as a consenting, sexually active and romantically interested adult
That’s a lot of blows to someone’s psyche
and Babydoll is both a sympathetic villain and a formidable one
I remember this episode fucked me up a a kid.
And man, do I wish we could see this Batman again: the Batman that consoles his villains, because the majority (if not all) of them are mentally ill people. And Batman knows this and wants them healthy again, not punished and GOD definitely not dead.
Baby Doll is so underrated as a Batman villain
but her episode was perfect
Batman: The Animated Series
The story of one fucked up, traumatized little boy, doing his best to help other fucked up traumatized people.
The Batman that cares about the inmates is my favorite. He doesn’t put up with their shit, but he does try to reach out here and there and he’s as human as he can be to them.
When Harley was re-institutionalized, he got her that dress she wanted.
In the comics based on B:tAS, there was a time during Christmas that there was snow and it was Mr. Freeze’s fault, and he was making it snow because Christmas was his anniversary with Nora and she LOVED it when it snowed on Christmas, so Batman let him finish mourning before calmly taking him back to Arkham.
He never, ever gives up on Harvey possibly recovering.
Sure, Batman is going to throw punches and do what it takes to take these guys down when they’re hurting or threatening people. And he’s not going be a complete bleeding heart; he has to protect the innocent. He’s going to take them down and take them back to Arkham, but it doesn’t mean he’s incapable of being a bit human to the ones who deserve it.
Batman needs become human again
Because it needs to be here:
Remember that time a young girl with near god-like psychic powers threatened to destroy reality and the only one that could stop her was Batman because he had a previous encounter with her and was tasked with killing her to restore reality.
But instead, Batman sat with her on a swing and kept her company as the girl’s psychic powers slowly killed her.
AMAZING!! I dunno what my favorite part is?? The tiny braid in his swooshy hair. (And the lil bit of grey!!) The gaping tunic. The CLOAK. The half circles symbol on his remaining armor. The definitely non-regulation blaster and the Thigh Holster. Gosh.
This is truly the Obi Wan who accidentally liberated Tatooine from the Hutts. This is truly the Obi Wan who someone gifted a Moon (I mean. Look at him. I too, would give him the moon). This is truly the Obi Wan who is also secretly the Duke of Mandalore and has accidentally started accruing his own empire. Hondo Onaka is Ecstatic.
ACCIDENTAL SPACE PIRATE OBI WHO IS SECRETLY THE DUKE OF MANDALORE!! AND WAS GIFTED A MOON THAT HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH EARLIER BUT NOW USES AS A BASE OF ACCIDENTAL SPACE PIRATE OPERATIONS
Listen. He does the one soresu stance. You know the one.
Except this time, instead of two fingers, there’s this ridiculous non-regulation uncivilized blaster. Mostly sentients are smart enough not to stay and fight, though a lot of them swoon and it’s a bit of a problem, really. Obi Wan wouldn’t just leave someone unconscious in the desert like that, so now they have to be taken care of. With plenty of fluids and the occasional smelling salt, naturally.
Guys… theoretically… if I were to draw a comic-book cover of the imaginary ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi: Accidental Space Pirate’ issue 1… which character/s would be on the cover with him??
Part of me is thinking Jabba’s palace on fire in the distance…
😬
Dear Lord in heaven I love all of these comments. And I am still 10,000% on board with Accidental Pirate Obi-Wan being gifted a moon.
And yes, @jerseytigermoth, he is totally running from some kind of burning building/explosion in this comic cover.
I do love the idea of Ahsoka being part of his pirate crew. Or a tiny, sassy little Luke Skywalker who’s been brought into the fold. Obviously Hondo would be a strong contender for inclusion here, too. He is LOVING Obi-Wan’s pirate years.
Vader is going to faint when he lays eyes on pirate Obi-Wan. The Empire does not stand a chance.
When Lira Tideen was first assigned to Darth Vader’s personal squadron aboard the Executor she had been so proud that she’d rushed straight back to her bunk and commed her parents. Only best and brightest of the Imperials were assigned to Vader’s detachment (only the most reckless and foolhardy as well, which accounted for Lira’s lack of concern over the future integrity of her windpipe).
Her parents had been less than thrilled of course but that was par for the course.
“Couldn’t you come home and find a career planetside?” Here her mother paused to think of something that might tempt her adrenaline junkie of a daughter into leaving the Death Squadron.
“I hear that stunt podracing is becoming really big.” She’d finished. Her voice didn’t hold very much hope. She’d done her best. Her father had just pinched the bridge of his nose and tilted his head back. He’d largely given up on attempting to prevent his youngest child from finding new and creative ways to die.
Lira had ignored their lack of enthusiasm. Life was going to be properly exciting now. Death defying chases, skirmishes with the really dangerous rebel cells, dogfights… everyone knew that Vader’s personal squadron saw the toughest action. That had been what she thought anyway. Then Republic high general turned rebel, Obi Wan Kenobi had reappeared.
Suddenly the Empire’s toughest troops were reduced to tromping around dusty Outer Rim backwater planets with their blasters set to stun (”The emperor wants him alive,” Vader insisted defensively) collecting “evidence” of Kenobi. This evidence mostly consisted of security footage, ‘Wanted’ signs and suspiciously, issues of the wildly popular flimsi-comic ‘Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi: Pirate and Gentleman’ that had sprung up since Kenobi had reappeared.
Even more suspiciously, Vader insisted on spending hours “reviewing” the “evidence” they collected personally. Rumor had it that a stormtrooper had walked in on Vader stroking the hair of a particularly dashing illustration of Kenobi muttering about how “swooshy” his hair was. The trooper had managed to back slowly out while Vader was distracted and thus escaped with his life.
The final straw for Lira though was when they finally caught up with Kenobi. Vader had spent hours locked in his quarters and had come out looking especially dramatic and imposing. Every line of his clothing was immaculately black and straight, it looked like he’d ironed them, his cape was new and made out of a heavier, richer fabric than usual, which allowed it to fall around him in especially dramatic folds, his helmet gleamed.
“Move out,” he’d ordered and he’d sounded almost giddy. Then he’d proceeded to draw out the raid in such a dramatic fashion that there’d been zero rebel casualties. Instead, he and Kenobi had flirted while “fighting” for a solid forty-five minutes. The rebels and stormtroopers had been reduced to shooting each other desperate looks, united in a profound desire to be anywhere else.
“We meet again, Obi Wan, but now the student has become the master,” Vader said. Kenobi had winked (kriffing winked, Lira had to admit, it had been extremely attractive) and flourished his lightsaber in a way that was somehow both deadly and filthily suggestive.
“There is still much I could teach you, Darth,” he said and oh Force his tone was even more suggestive than his, ah, lightsaber. The Togruta female behind him actually face-palmed. Lira sympathized. Stars, did she sympathize. That night, she submitted her resignation to the Imperial fleet and took the first shuttle home. Maybe her mother had a point. A woman could go far stunt podracing these days.
HAHAHAHAHA OH MY GOD THEY WOULD THOUGH.
Can you even imagine what a menace to society PIRATE Kenobi would be though? Like, the winkity-wink flirting stuff would be OUT OF CONTROL. There would be galaxy-wide WARNINGS about this.
I legit laughed out loud at the idea of DARTH VADER SOUNDING “GIDDY”. Also that there would be dimestore novels or comics written about the saucy exploits of Dashing Pirate Kenobi IS KILLING ME. SOMEONE WRITE ONE I WANNA READ ABOUT HOW HE FLIRTS HIS WAY INTO VAST RICHES.
Guys stop I am CACKLING IN THE MIDDLE OF LIFE DRAWING CLASS DURING THE TEA BREAK
THIS IS VERY INAPPROPRIATE
Making people laugh about Star Wars with me is like…pretty much one of my favorite things in the entire world, so…I do not apologize.
If you didn’t want to read about Pirate Kenobi’s Saucy Dime Novel Adventures, then you shouldn’t have drawn him in the first place! I mean, look at that guy! He is Legendary.
He makes men and women swoon from one end of the Galaxy to the other! He liberated Tatooine from the Hutts! His hair is the swooshiest! He owns a moon! At least twelve drinking songs/sea chanteys have been written about his daring adventures across the Outer Rim!
There are all kinds of crazy stories floating around about how even the terrible Sith Lord Darth Vader is not immune to his saucy, flirtatious winks and stirring renditions of old Tatooine love ballads (some claim it’s through Kenobi’s, er, influence that the Empire’s just never seemed to quite be able to finish that long-rumored Death Star project. Vader’s reps had no comment.)
Some say that Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano – one of the most trusted members of Kenobi’s pirate crew and a legend in her own right – were the ones behind the daring heist of the artifacts at the Sheev Palpatine Museum on Naboo. (The artifacts have never surfaced on the black market. Some say they stole them just to burn them.)
For years, gossip columns have said Kenobi is a frequent guest in the bed of the Duchess of Mandalore (there are even rumors that they may be secretly married, and that technically Kenobi is not only a Pirate King, but an actual Duke as well.) The Duchess, for her part, has declined to elaborate as to why so many of the storied pirate’s adventures seem to take him through her part of the galaxy, though she does admit that she is grateful that Kenobi’s crew has gotten the Death Watch out of her hair once and for all.
DUCHESS OF MANDALORE SHENANIGANS!! yes she’s declined to confirm or deny any rumors, but what about the one time the space paparazzi saw her arriving on Kenobi’s moon? they camped out in space around the moon forEVER, and everyone swears the duchess didn’t leave for a week. What were they up to? why was Ahsoka Tano flying up to join them three days after she landed? why was Senator Organa and his family involved too? did this mandalorian retreat have any connection to the rumors of Vader throwing a fit about “not being invited, damn you, Kenobi, I waited for yEARS—”? and if we listen to the more. enthusiastic space tabloids, was this a renewing of their vows or did they only now tie the knot?
It was a beautiful ceremony. Hondo Ohnaka officiated (he got a license on the holonet, I ’s completely legit for sure). Everyone cried when Satine dipped Obi Wan into a long kiss and then the kiss kept going, and going… and going so the crying did turn into wolf-whistling but that only detracted from the dignity of the ceremony a little. Vader did crash it but he was polite and brought a bottle of fine wine and only one squadron of storm troopers, which everyone agreed was pretty restrained of him.
It was the event of the century! Even Bail manages to attend, and with him a tiny princess doing a terrible job of trying to hide her excitement (pirates! ) right up until Flower Boy Luke manages to dump a bucket of space-rose petals on her head. ( they’ve managed to keep his last name hidden, but Kenobi’s tiny accomplice has become rather infamous – mainly for his ability to turn up where least expected. Speculation abounds about his origins – orphaned urchin, the newlyweds’ secret love child, spawn of chaos… )
Leia is of course outraged, and demands he show her around a genuine Pirate ship as recompense. Which is how they discover what is CLEARLY a map to secret treasure and decide it would make the perfect wedding present so they steal Vader’s shuttle and that is how we lead into an epic, galaxy spanning adventure in which Pirate King Kenobi races to recover both the children and the map (it leads to Dagobah) before Vader takes them into custody (even without knowing his identity he knows Vader’s jealousy and Luke’s adorableness means he’ll want to keep Luke as his new apprentice, and that will not end up well for anyone).
There will be firefights! Daring space manouvers! Bounty hunters! Exotic locales full of shady lowlifes and dingy bars! Epic taunting via holocom! Flirting across bottomless chasms while explosions whip capes and hair dramatically behind them!
And in the end Ahsoka and Korkie save the day with the assistance of an ex clone trooper or three 🙂
FLIRTING ACROSS BOTTOMLESS CHASMS 😂😂😂
Now that’s the kind of quality content I’m looking for. Quitting my paying job to spend all my time writing the SW fan comic of the exploits of Accidental Space Pirate Obi-Wan Kenobi for absolutely no income is starting to sound like A Good Life Choice at this point tbh.
… given how amazing your artwork is I could see that working actually!
Look, there are soooo many cliche movie scenes that can be made better with Accidental Pirate King Kenobi :
– the dramatic sword fight lightsaber duel across the deck as the ship sinks disintegrates and splits with Vader on one piece clutching a torn piece of clothing armour and Obi-Wan on the other, shirtless, as they slowly drift apart.
– Obi-Wan and Vader tied back to back in a crude net as cannibals Ewoks dance around a fire beneath them
– Obi-Wan and Ahsoka dressed up as nobility imperial higher-ups in order to infiltrate a ball social gathering for information. Vader is there in his fanciest cape.
– The time they have to infiltrate a brothel seedy cantina and Obi-Wan ends up in a lacy dress
– a heart-racing chase through a crowded marketplace, Obi-Wan bouncing off stalls and fruit carts and turning back occasionally to launch sassy quips and shoot down convenient canopies to hinder Vader’s bullish pursuit. Vader of course ends up covered in various foodstuffs while Kenobi gives a jaunty salute as he hangs precariously from his getaway vehicle
– the comedic interlude where Hondo is babysitting and loses Luke in a bar and has to find him before he gets arrestedis accidentally sold into slavery starts a riot only to have Kenobi turn up holding the little terror saying “Missing something?“
– the drinking contest where Obi-Wan drinks everyone including Rex under the table and waking them up the next morning with cheery singing and banging pots (he cheated of course)
… And many more! I could go on forever 🙂
BRILLIANT @lurkingcrow. And all these scenarios need an artist with the genius to capture Obi Wan’s swooshy hair, artfully exposed chest hair, and sassy expression. *waggles eyebrows @jerseytigermoth*
I am actually jotting down ideas for lyrics for a pirate!Kenobi song, in the spirit of the The Rodian and The Ghest.
AMAZING!! I dunno what my favorite part is?? The tiny braid in his swooshy hair. (And the lil bit of grey!!) The gaping tunic. The CLOAK. The half circles symbol on his remaining armor. The definitely non-regulation blaster and the Thigh Holster. Gosh.
This is truly the Obi Wan who accidentally liberated Tatooine from the Hutts. This is truly the Obi Wan who someone gifted a Moon (I mean. Look at him. I too, would give him the moon). This is truly the Obi Wan who is also secretly the Duke of Mandalore and has accidentally started accruing his own empire. Hondo Onaka is Ecstatic.
ACCIDENTAL SPACE PIRATE OBI WHO IS SECRETLY THE DUKE OF MANDALORE!! AND WAS GIFTED A MOON THAT HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH EARLIER BUT NOW USES AS A BASE OF ACCIDENTAL SPACE PIRATE OPERATIONS
Listen. He does the one soresu stance. You know the one.
Except this time, instead of two fingers, there’s this ridiculous non-regulation uncivilized blaster. Mostly sentients are smart enough not to stay and fight, though a lot of them swoon and it’s a bit of a problem, really. Obi Wan wouldn’t just leave someone unconscious in the desert like that, so now they have to be taken care of. With plenty of fluids and the occasional smelling salt, naturally.
Guys… theoretically… if I were to draw a comic-book cover of the imaginary ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi: Accidental Space Pirate’ issue 1… which character/s would be on the cover with him??
Part of me is thinking Jabba’s palace on fire in the distance…
😬
Dear Lord in heaven I love all of these comments. And I am still 10,000% on board with Accidental Pirate Obi-Wan being gifted a moon.
And yes, @jerseytigermoth, he is totally running from some kind of burning building/explosion in this comic cover.
I do love the idea of Ahsoka being part of his pirate crew. Or a tiny, sassy little Luke Skywalker who’s been brought into the fold. Obviously Hondo would be a strong contender for inclusion here, too. He is LOVING Obi-Wan’s pirate years.
Vader is going to faint when he lays eyes on pirate Obi-Wan. The Empire does not stand a chance.
No, no, let’s talk about this more! I brought this up a while ago in regards to the music box Toast has during the final chase, but let’s talk about it! Because the costuming in this movie is so great and has a lot of meaning in it.
Up until they meet the Vuvalini, the Sisters have only been seen wearing their white “robes” (for lack of a better word). It looks like there might be some stolen shoes among them (the Dag has a pair, so does Capable) and maybe a wrist wrap (Capable), but otherwise they have essentially no adornment. Just their layers and layers of gauzy white fabric and a few braids in their hair. No jewelry, no pins, no rings, no real adornment, no real ornamentation. Just these wasteland bridal gowns (Angharad basically has a bridal veil over her head when she first sneaks into the cab of the rig, let’s not joke, and Cheedo deliberately dresses like a bride when she tries to go back to Joe). It reinforces the idea that they’re simultaneously important and unimportant–they’re dressed better than the Wretched but they don’t get to wear crowns or ribbons or badges. Joe sure likes to wear badges and ribbons and signs of office. Their plain dress reinforces the idea that they are, as Angharad says, “breeding stock.” It’s a uniform. It signifies what they are in Joe’s power-structure, not who they are as people (they’re not seenas people in that structure).
But as they progress, they shed more and more of their white clothes: Capable loses her scarf to Nux, the Dag stops wearing the little white cap, their clothes get stained for sure, Cheedo starts wearing a wrapped dress not so unlike Angharad’s, &c.
Events happen, as we all know, and they meet the Vuvalini (who are so important to me that I almost can’t articulate it). And by the time the sun has gone down after their meeting the Vuvalni, the Many Mothers have taken them in, given them shelter, made them welcome, and even given them clothing.
But more than clothing–because one could say, well, it’s the desert and it gets cold at night. You need to wrap up. But it’s not just clothing out of necessity. It’s ornamentation. It’s not just necessity but also, I think, what they want to wear. It’s symbolic in that regard. Capable started wearing a pair of goggles early on–a first step in this direction. And then the Vuvalini give them things like belts with pouches, woven and patterned headbands, capelets, patterned quilts, even outright jewelry like necklaces and fringed belts that serve no purpose but ornamentation. The Dag, when she talks to the Keeper of the Seeds, has an animal’s jawbone among other small objects tied into her hair with cords. She’s not wrapped in blankets for warmth or anything. She’s wearing a belt with a zillion pouches on it and ornaments tied into her hair. This is huge! This is important!
For one thing, it means that the Sisters have been accepted among the Vuvalini. They are dressing like the Vuvalini and being dressed by them. They’re wearing the same kinds of things–gifts, perhaps–and it makes them all of a kind. They’re essentially one community, sharing material items, food, ideas, and information.
For another thing, it makes the “wives” into individuals, not four women wearing what essentially amounts to a uniform that signifies “what” they are–now it’s about who they are.
They start off, all five of them, wearing these not quite identical but identifiably similar gauzy gowns. They end up, the remaining four, wearing piecemeal outfits with things that one hopes they chose or were given and that they themselves love. They are becoming, in this way, individual women with their own tastes and desires and opinions. Not that they weren’t before, of course, but this is finally an exterior manifestation of their interior lives.
Furiosa does not, it should be noted, adopt or go back to Vuvualini-style clothes. She keeps her Citadel “uniform,” though she wraps herself in a borrowed blanket that night (which, as some amazing posts point out, still makes her physically isolated in very important ways). In this way, she is still “outside” of her former community at this point, and she may remain “outside” for some time. It’s hard to say. But she’s definitely still in her old clothes when they set out across the salt. No additions there…
…in stark contrast to the newcomers to the Vuvalini, who are quite decorated and dressed up there on the bikes. And I love it. I love it.
So here’s another wrinkle: Cheedo strips off most of the things the Vuvalini have given her when she (seems to) beg Rictus to get her onto Joe’s vehicle. But she doesn’t strip off all of it–just the most obvious parts. It looks for all the world like she’s given up and gone back to Joe–she’s even gone back to how he would dress her. But she’s still wearing a necklace from the Vuvalini–so she hasn’t given it all up, as she makes plain just a few moments after (but it’s a great moment given her actions after Angharad died: smeared lipstick and veil and all).
So all these ornaments and headbands are these tangible things that break the Sisters from their former existence and connect them with these other women and all the history they carry among themselves. It’s a sign of separation from what they were and of progressing into what they are and will be. They take on a new appearance as they take on new roles.
(Another argument could be made that the Vuvalini hold things in common, which would be in direct opposition to the repeated imagery of ownership and control that appears everywhere else in the film [“that’s my wheel” “my treasures” the chastity belts the bank vault door, “that’s mine!” &c]–and that’s a post for another time too.)
I want a scene where we see the Vuvalini laying things out and telling the Sisters who the pieces used to belong to and giving them a little Vuvalini history lesson as they choose.
I have a notion that Chewie’s not surprised that often, but here’s a time when maybe he was.
Four days ago, Chewbacca finished fixing the damper for the
rear center spin control using a bit of electrical tape and an eating utensil
snipped in half and pounded flat. He reattached the panel and knocked twice on
it for good luck.
When the Falcon was still flying straight the next day, he did
it again as he passed the spot, just in case that was why.
Each day since, when he’s passed the panel on the way to and
from his bunk, he’s quickly and quietly knocked twice.
Three days ago, Chewbacca reattached the navigational
antenna on the top hull. They were out of 6-centimeter screws so he stuck in
some shorter ones, glued the whole thing down with epoxy that maybe wasn’t
quite rated for vacuum, and added a whole lot of hope. The spot was right above
the corridor to the cockpit, and when he passed under it he shot a stern look
at the ceiling: You better hold together up there.
When the nav computer was still working the next day, he
kept looking up each time he entered or left the cockpit, because better safe
than sorry.
Two days ago, he repaired a weld on the cooking unit so it
would make heat again instead of just sparks. The connectors had been fixed so
many times the ends wouldn’t reach anymore, so he stuck an extra bit of wire in
there, welded it to both pieces, and hoped for the best. He laid a hand on the
cooktop in a quick, quiet blessing.
When Han didn’t die in an explosion the first time he tried
to heat up a meal-pack, Chewie thought: better do that again, for luck.
Chewbacca has a lot of little rituals like that. Small
things, probably silly, but it seems like when he remembers to do them his
repairs hold together, even if he fixed the thing with spit and fur because
they couldn’t afford to do it right. Or because they forgot to stock up on
six-sided washers, or because Han threw that one specialized wrench at the
bounty hunter they were running from, and they left both wrench and bounty
hunter in the dust.
He doesn’t do these things if he knows Han’s around. Han
would tease him. Even though Chewbacca is fully (and secretly) aware that Han
whispers sweet nothings to the ship when he thinks his first mate can’t hear.
But then, after a quick stop on Syvon to pick up food and
drop off a certain piece of unofficial cargo, suddenly Chewie’s down with the
Syvonian Flu, and although humans usually only sneeze a bit, it hits Wookiees
hard. He’s stuck in the medbunk for five solid days, dizzy if he tries to stand
up, hallucinating little furry creatures that appear to be dancing on the
ceiling while singing raunchy songs.
Han brings him broth and flatbread.
When Chewie finally staggers to his feet, the lights are
dimmed in the medbay and the ship’s engines are humming quiet and smooth.
Nothing’s pinging. Nothing’s knocking. No alarms are blaring.
Chewie hasn’t knocked on a panel or reminded the nav antenna
to stay on the ship in five whole days. He never took his rituals all that
seriously, but still. Don’t tell Han, but Chewie’s amazed the ship hasn’t
fallen apart.
He makes his way down the corridor toward his own bunk,
still unsteady on his feet. As he rounds the corner, he sees Han heading that
way too, just passing the panel over the spin control damper. Han lifts a hand,
and… knocks twice.
Chewie’s short, surprised laugh isn’t that loud but the ship
is so quiet. Han turns, sees him, smiles.
“Held the ship together for you,” he says, “but I’m not sure
I got them all. She’ll be glad you’re back to do it right.”
So, a week or so ago I made a post about wanting to learn about Finn’s parentage. Naturally, as with seemingly most posts about Finn that get more than a hundred notes a couple of comments were posted that derailed my post from its original intent.
Sure, some were worse than others, but even the ones that might have been posted with no ill intent still held a similar message: Finn doesn’t need to learn about his parents.
Let’s just ignore the fact that this fandom has been borderline obsessed with Rey’s parentage for over a year now and at no point have I seen anyone say that she doesn’t need to know who her parents are because “She found family in Finn” or whatever because that bit of hypocrisy is a discussion for another post.
No, what this post is going to be about has more to do with why I want Finn to learn about his parents after I got yet another person pleading the case for why Finn doesn’t need parents on that post. Because it actually goes just a bit deeper for me then just wanting Finn to have blood relatives of his own.
You see…I’m black. African American specifically, and like many people who are a part of the African diaspora I don’t know exactly where my ancestors originally hailed from. I don’t know what their culture was like, what religions they practiced, the languages they spoke etc. And being disconnected from that part of my heritage has always kinda left me with a hurt feeling in my chest.
Now let me be clear for a moment and say that black people aren’t a monolith so this thing that I’m describing is not something every black person has experienced or can relate to. I’m just talking about my experiences. But anyway back to my point. Finn getting a chance to meet his parent(s) is more than just him getting reconnected with his blood relatives.
Because if/when Finn meets his parents is the moment he gets to learn about what planet he’s from. What his planet’s culture is like, what language they speak, how they view or practice the Force and a number of other things and experiences that Finn will get a chance to reconnect to.
Finn reconnecting with his planet and his culture after getting ripped away from it when he was young and forced to assimilate into an oppressive and abusive regime would be pretty incredible to see and that’s why Finn meeting his parents is so important to me.
I’m sure your comments on how Finn doesn’t need parents and that Rey and Poe are his family now have good intentions, but they really aren’t needed.
Oh wow. I adore Finn and I’m so happy we’ll be getting more of his story this winter, and yet this never occurred to me.
Very important point.
I love the ‘Finn is actually a long lost prince’ headcanons tbh
Current sexuality: Bucky blocking Iron Man’s hand with his normal arm.
I love that they’re showing us from time to time that metal arm isn’t his only strength. Like:
I know! I hate it when people forget that Buckyisa goddamned super soldier. He’s had the serum and years of fucking training. He’s strong as shit. You show ‘em, baby.
{{Okay, so residual haunting was a canonical thing in the old Star Wars EU, right? What with the echo of Anakin’s massacre of that Ghorfa tribe still remaining on Tatooine in Tatooine Ghost. Makes me think, what if there’s a similar residual haunting in the ruins of the Jedi temple on Coruscant, repeatedly replaying the massacre that had happened inside during the events of Order 66?}}
A cold touch, like two fingers, across the nape of your neck. An echo of scream at the far end of a dim hallway. A flash of lights like a blaster shot, no discernible cause for it.
In general, though, the cold almost-cramping in your gut was only normal around the Emperor. The way his eyes bored into you, like fire on your skin wherever he happened to be looking, cold sweat all over – it stood to reason that the halls would also feel airless, choked with smoke and the scent of burnt metal. Just your fears whispering in your ear. That’s what all the residents of the Imperial Palace told themselves.
And of course, there were those like Tarkin or Isard who were only too happy to ignore it, and softly deride anyone who shuddered at an imagined sensation.
But for Mara Jade, it was impossible to ignore. Some nights, Mara couldn’t sleep at all, hearing the sounds of blasterfire and screaming, and something that sounded oddly like the Emperor’s lightsaber – but many of them at once.
On other nights, the Imperial Palace was deathly still, and that frightened Mara more than the screaming she could almost ignore. It made her restless, and no matter how she tried, she could not sleep.
Mara Jade slipped from her bed, not making a sound, sliding the blaster from under her pillow. If nothing else, a walk out in the free air might clear her mind.
There was a boy at the end of the landing pad – just sitting there, feet casually hanging over the side. Mara Jade grinned in appreciation: that was something she always wanted to do herself. It didn’t make sense to live in fear of heights in a city over six hundred levels high. It did, however, make sense to get to know them, much like walking around in the utter stillness in the dark was supposed to help her fear it less. Though, so far, she wouldn’t have said it was working. Now that she’d seen the boy out doing the same, however, Mara did feel a bit lighter.
Still, she didn’t necessarily want company, nor immediately trust this being.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked as she warily stepped closer, fingers closed over her small blaster.
The truly disarming thing about that boy was that wide grin he cast over his shoulder. “I don’t know,” he said brightly.
Mara tensed immediately, sensing – no, not a lie. Under that grin, the boy was rather troubled that he did not know. She wasn’t sure whether her surprise showed on her face, but something must have, the way that grin melted away. That was disappointing. She’d been trying so hard to school her expressions so as not to give anything away.
But the boy had turned back to the city’s lights, and he sighed. “It seemed so important, you know, to get to the end of the landing pad. Like there was someone at the end of it to help me.”
Mara weighed her options – to take out her blaster, or to keep it out of sight, even if within reach. She decided on the latter. Perhaps there wouldn’t be much harm in coming a little closer, bit by bit. She watched him as she approached, but he didn’t move a muscle, so she didn’t stop until she was just out of arm’s reach. “Help you do what?”
The boy shrugged. “Leave this place, I think.”
Mara didn’t quite manage to choke back a scoff. “Why would you want to leave home?”
But the look she got for it was equally troubled, and even more lost. “I don’t know,” the boy admitted. “Honestly I can’t think of a single reason.”
“Betrayal.”
The word dropped from her mouth, and Mara started, certain she must look just as surprised as the boy, whose head had snapped around to her. It felt oddly right, and she didn’t understand where it had come from. Mara shivered, hugging herself in an uncharacteristic display of nerves. She wasn’t supposed to show anything, she wasn’t supposed to allow anyone to read her reactions –
“Hey, it’s okay,” the boy soothed, his smile genuine for the first time. “It’s okay. That happens sometimes. The Force speaks to some people that way, it’s like prescience.”
“I don’t – I’m not –” Mara stuttered helplessly. She wasn’t Force Sensitive, she’ wasn’t prescient, she was just – she could hear the Emperor in her head, and that was all that there was special about her.
“Doesn’t have to be prescience,” he shrugged again, and sighed. “Anyway, I know you’re right. I just don’t remember anything about it. Not really.” He hung his head, looking pensive.
Then, “I think there was someone at the end of the platform, someone who wanted to help.”
Mara Jade shook her head, wondering at this trusting being. In the middle of the Imperial Palace, no less! Didn’t he know how everyone here fought for the Emperor’s notice, and ‘allies’ were ready to turn at a moment’s notice just to get a step ahead? She’d seen it often enough.
“No one ever helps,” she said, with a firm nod.
For some reason, the boy let out a harsh, bitter laugh, then hung his head, hands clutching white-knuckled at the edge of the landing pad. “That’s true, I guess. If the people you always thought were there to protect you and watch your back suddenly turned against you, I don’t think there would be enough people left to help.”
That sent a chill down her spine – worse, already, than the wind at this height of the city. People you always thought were there to protect you and watch your back. She thought of the Emperor, of her exhaustive training that would prepare her to one day serve as his Hand, and how she only ever felt warm in his presence. No, she would not ever betray him.
“Mara Jade,” a soft voice called to her. She looked up sharply at the boy, but he only smiled. “Go back to sleep, little one.”
Her feet had moved without any conscious thought of her own, and she only really noticed that she’d left the landing platform when she was mere steps away from her room again. But the quiet no longer seemed quite so oppressive, and sleep dragged at her, inexorable. She all but collapsed back into her bed, eyes already closed, and yet the small blaster still made its way under her pillow in a loose clasp.
– in memory of the one young Padawan who almost broke through the ranks of Torrent Company, fighting to get to Bail Organa. also, holy shit – did not fucking expect to hit the creep vibe at the end there
Steel Phoenix Studios 