All of us

Speaking about characters that affected me the most for their evolution across the seasons, Ezra Bridger is surely leading my list.

While his hero's journey is perfectly archetypical, almost unsurprising, the genuine humanity of the character, with all his flaws and messiness, connects and emotionally speaks *to me* even more profoundly than Luke or Rey.

His street urchin years in Capital City made him diffident and forcedly selfish. Surviving, young and alone, with the sole power of his will and stubbornness, he taught himself to disregard others' needs, focusing on living day by day.

Many in our current society feel and think similarly, struggling to provide for or too focused on themselves, forgetting to be compassionate.

So I totally adore the fact that from the first episode, this hardened attitude is more and more melted by the radiating power of example. I always believed that generosity and kindness are contagious.

They can be taught and learned. And Ezra absorbed every lesson.

"Who are you, people? I mean, you're not thieves exactly."

"We're not exactly anything. We're a crew. A team. In some ways, a family."

So weird, diverse people. Without personal scope or focus.

There for helping others. Just because "it is the right thing to do."

Hera (catching Ezra's big heart at one glance), Sabine, Zeb.

And Kanan.

With his final -tragic- beautiful lesson.

The true meaning of love, selflessness, and compassion.

This is, ultimately, why I love Rebels so much.

Ezra is me, he is all of us.

Our potential. Our ability to change and learn.

Creating opportunities and solutions from totally unlikely assets (I mean... space squids!).

Courageously acting, "because it is the right thing to do."

[Celebrating my love for Ezra with this adorable food package keychain by @raewardstudios. Cuteness overloaded. Ezra's bun is a "beebleberry oatmeal bread", "Juicy! Sweet! Delicious!".

And I am eating 'beebleberris' for three days now]

Lawful Rebel

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from you, master, it’s that following direct orders isn’t always the best way to solve a problem.”

~

The border between blindly following instructions, and making a mess for not abiding by other people's (wiser? smarter? more prepared?) decisions, is often difficult to detect.

The grey area is vast and confusing.

So, if sometimes obeying orders leads to an impasse, at best, or catastrophic consequences, at worst, often society advances just by respecting the rules.

For me, the dichotomy is embedded in my brain. And it is painful.

If from one side I am a stubborn Anakin (and you have no idea how excruciating is to admit this), from the other I am... C3PO (jeez, I do not know what is worse at this point).

So, even if I never shut up when something is bothering me (no matter if it is possibly the worst thing to say at that moment), I am disappointed when people blatantly ignore procedures or regulations.

I am a subversive rebel that wants big changes (read this with an echoing voice, imagining me, fist in the hair)... who totally freaks out if you move her sofa on the left by 4.35 millimeters.

So.

It is complicated.

~

This rant (!?) for celebrating #TanoTuesday, and this spectacular pin by @teamtanoalive. They are absolutely a pillar of this community. Their creations are always mindblowing, and, personally, they were one of the "big accounts" that welcomed me when I just started this IG adventure.

Which I will never forget.

This is why I am SO proud that this is the first Ahsoka pin in my collection.

And it is SPECTACULAR.

[BTW, it is still available, and if you do not have it, run because you cannot miss it]

My journey

"If you can see yourself, you will never be truly blind, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight."

This lightsaber means so much to me.

It was the beginning of a journey.

A journey that, ultimately, led to the existence of this tiny silly nerdy happy space.

And, if you ever had the time to scroll down and down and down, falling like Alice into the rabbit hole, you probably found it featured in many posts.

It is just a prop, not particularly good, nor screen accurate (even if I tried my best to reproduce the colors, at least).

But it's the first saber I made.

The first I sanded.

The first I painted.

And sanded, and painted, and sanded, and painted, and sanded, and painted again.

Yes, like 20 times before being even remotely satisfied.

I never was a crafty person.

I did not know 'grits', or how to apply bondo, or own an airbrush.

But, a little more than a year ago, the pandemic was raging, my trip to Batuu canceled.

I was not there yet to buy 450 dollars Solo Hold empty hilt (good times... 🙃), and so I said.

Why not?

It was a long process.

Frustrating at times. Rewarding mostly.

A way to challenge myself, to learn from my errors.

Having fun.

And I felt like sharing.

Sabers making, and helmet painting, and book reading, and merch finding.

So, this place was born.

Hilt love is subjective.

Like ice cream flavors, sex, and pineapple on pizza.

And, for me, this is the most elegant hilt of the whole Star Wars canon.

[And, no, not just because of Kanan]

[Ok, maybe I'm a little biased, but let's pretend]

The most beautiful saber of all.

[Warning: lightsabers hilts are addictive]

I murder paperbacks

I see your face.

"So, what's special?

You already shared these".

Nope. I did not.

These are brand new and shiny.

Maybe cuddled for more minutes than I would like to admit. But they are unopened, inviolate, perfectly pristine hardcover books.

So the actual question is: "why on earth you bought books that you already have? Like... AGAIN?"

Short -true- answer: because I am, fundamentally, insane.

Long answer: because Morry and Laz book-shamed me unrestrainedly for how I handle paperbacks.

And, folks, with a proper reason.

The paperbacks are destroyed. 🙄

And, yes. I'm one of those book-terrorists that flip the cover when they read.

There. I said it.

I see your horror.

Pillory me.

And I stick post-it and write notes.

A. LOT. OF. NOTES.

I even trimmed the adhesive bookmarks here, a hopeless attempt to minimize the mess.

[Failed]

And the paper is so bad, that, often, my innocent pencil tortures it with actual holes.

So. Yep.

However, these Thrawn books are my treasures. My gems.

I'm not even objective anymore. Whatever.

Ultimate stage crush.

[Please send help]

Therefore, I accepted the ignominy and decided that these unblemished copies had to be mine.

To cuddle.

With love,

TheAccidentalGeek, books tormentor.

#bookkiller #Imurderpaperbacks #sorrybutnotsorry

I have nothing

"The Sith. The Sith took everything from me. Ripped me from my mother's arms, murdered my brother, used me as a weapon, and then cast me aside. Abandoned me. Once, I had power, now I have nothing. Nothing."

After Bane, here another undeniably-not-good-guy who fascinates me.

Despite the pitiful recap above (although all true), I'm not really with both feet on the 'poor Maul victim of the circumstances' wagon.

That said, he is a formidably well written character.

The strength, the commitment.

Sure, the absolute CRAZINESS too.

But, he has a plan. He is focused.

And I admire that.

"You may think I am evil. I am not.

I am efficient."

And, the be honest, he was just saying the unquestionable truth during the siege of Mandalore. He was so unbearably unlucky with the timing. Literally, a few hours later, Obi-Wan would attempt to defeat Anakin himself.

"Too late for what? The Republic to fall? It already has and you just can't see it. There is no justice, no law, no order. Except for the one that will replace it. The time of the Jedi has passed. They cannot defeat Sidious. But together, you and I can."

Maybe this is why I like him.

He says terrible, impossible to swallow truths.

Nevertheless, truths.

And I always admire boldness.

"Justice is merely the construct of the current power base. A base, which, according to my calculations, is about to change."

So, today I share these incredible earrings by @geekablycute. I was truly blown away by the perfection of this pair. The glitter, the reflective material for the name, the shiny vs matte surfaces.

Every detail falling into place.

For a spicy night, maybe.

Geekly elegant.

Exquisite mentoring-Thrawn is exquisite. Part IV.

And then, to Al'iastov's surprise, Thrawn got down on one knee in front of her, putting his face a little lower than hers. Grown-ups almost never did that. Even most of Al'iastov's other caregivers had usually stood straight up looking down at her. "But while all of us face a variety of paths, we all have the power to choose among them," he continued. "You have that power as well, the power to choose which of those paths is the right one for you".

~

"Are you willing to go with me, just the two of us, into the depths of the Chaos?

For a moment Che'ri's mouth and tongue and brain seemed frozen. What Thrawn was asking was never done. Ever. []

"Can we do that?" she asked hesitantly.

He shrugged, a small smile touching his lips. "Physically and tactically, of course," he said. []

"I mean are we going to get in trouble."

"You, no," he said. "Sky-walkers are effectively untouchable by any punishment. You might get a scolding, but that would be all." []

"If I don't go, what happens?"

"Then I abandon the mission," Thrawn said. "What would take days under the control of a sky-walker would require weeks or months of jump-by-jump travel. I can't afford months." His lips compressed. "Neither, I fear, can the Ascendancy."

This game, at least, Che'ri knew way too well. An adult would make vague threats or vaguer promises, with big stuff happening either way if she didn't run for the extra hour or skip one of her rest days or do whatever it was they wanted.

But as she gazed at Thrawn's face, she had the eerie sense that he wasn't playing the game. In fact, she wasn't sure he even know *how* to play it. []

"Okay," she said. "Can you—? Never mind."

"What?"

"I just wondered if you could get me some more colored graph markers, that's all," Che'ri said, feeling her face warming with embarrassment. Of all the stupid things to ask for—

"As a matter of fact," Thrawn said, "there are two new boxes already aboard. *And* four binders of art sheets do draw on."

Che'ri blinked. "Oh," she said. "I am— thank you."

"You're welcome." Thrawn gestured toward the ship. "Shall we go?"

~

[Pin: @kulturegirlflair]

Logic

Manipulation

"Star Wars: Darth Vader" by Greg Pak is, simply put, one of the best comics I read in recent time. Probably, my favorite SW comic in general.

It is extremely dynamic, almost cinematographic. The scenes jump between past and present, with emotional zooms and vehement images.

I can not express in this (brief?) caption all my thoughts. I had the fortune to share my impressions with @plokoonsbookclub who was patient enough to listen to all my rants, not making me explode for my feelings, and so generous in allowing me to read the current issues as well (I normally buy just TPBs).

You HAVE to read it.

The imponent realization that Darth Vader *IS* Anakin Skywalker in flesh and blood and pain and rage and love.

(SO. MUCH. LOVE.)

His loneliness, his never ceased fear to be abandoned, his incapacity to establish balanced relationships of any kind, really.

His body, his mind, his life, never actually *his*.

A slave, since always and forever.

Serving people. Be *own*.

By Watto, by the Order, by the Emperor.

And if the Padme theme is the main thread of this tormented story, what shocked me the most was the realization of the domestic abusive relationship between Palpatine (the mentor, the friend, the father) and Anakin.

I never truly thought about this before.

Ani seemed a cocky, bold, untamed guy, after all.

He does not listen, he does not comply.

Exponentiate that to the raging power of the Sith.

Deceiving us and himself that the hate makes him free. To choose, to leave, to destroy. To murder here, to force-choke there.

So, why just not kill the Emperor?

Why not conquer the ultimate power?

In these magnificent pages, we can see all the psychological manipulation. The perverse scheme, the prison that cannot be dismantled.

Palpatine using Anakin's inability to balance for twisting him, gaslighting him.

Giving things, removing things.

Crumpling reality.

"Who chooses the Chosen One? And why could they not choose another? You are a tool, Lord Vader. Which can be discarded when it no longer functions"

And Anakin is lost, forgot, completely alone. Hopeless.

"It is too late for me, son."

But it is not.

And Luke will break him free.

Personal memento

Yes, I know.

I already posted this combo of sweater, ring, and earrings a couple of months ago.

But.

I truly truly love to dress in my Ahsoka-inspired clothes and accessories for #TanoTuesday.

Mostly they are by HerUniverse, but I adore as well these more 'subtle' (and age-appropriate?) combinations.

This one is my favorite.

I bought additional earrings by @geekablycute recently: Thrawn, Maul, and the High Republic themed.

[I will share them for sure]

I love their collections.

I love how I feel wearing them.

I love what they represent for me.

But, at the same time, they don't scream 'Star Wars' if people have no idea.

Not that I'm ashamed or anything: I think every human that interacted with me, in real life and not, acknowledges my hopeless passion for this fandom, and my unapologetic way to be and think.

But, wearing an idea, it's a powerful feeling.

It's like a personal memento.

For reminding me to be kind.

For reminding me to be bold.

For reminding me to fight.

For reminding me to never give up.

Chimaera

I would never, not even in my wildest dreams, think that one day I would stick on my tablet a symbol of a Star Destroyer.

I hate the Empire!

Tell this to the person that was starting Thrawn's trilogy in mid-January, and she wouldn't believe you

[My wallet would be probably pretty stunned too, to be honest].

[But this is another story].

However, Thrawn's Chimaera is, for me, everything a model work environment should be: great mentor, wonderful co-workers, freedom of expression and improvement, rewards for hard work, and professionalism.

[Ok, maybe without the "war machine" part]

And if you had the patience to read all or some or even just one of my rants in here (THANK YOU!), you know my personal opinion regarding this attentive, caring, selfless, wonderful Chiss.

[Or, if you have 5 minutes to spare, check my arguments/quotes every Thursday, with some additions here and there].

Unfortunately, many working environments are not ideal, especially when resentment, incomprehension, jealousy, or fear of change are predominant.

Yes, yes, all this because I am prolix and unable to write short captions, and this was supposed to be a simple Monday post, and I was here just for saying that I am so proud of my tablet and inspired by Thrawn's attitude as *mentor and warrior*.

"A great tactician creates plans. A good tactician recognizes the soundness of a plan presented to him. A fair tactician must see the plan succeed before offering approval. Those with no tactical ability at all may never understand or accept it. Nor will such people understand or accept the tactician. To those without that ability, those who possess it are a mystery. And when a mind is too deficient in understanding, the resulting gap is often filled with resentment."

I hope you have a nice week of work, beautiful people!

[In the photo: Listoria (on Etsy) decals on my work Dell Latitude]

She can be me

Hera Syndulla.

General, Lover, Mom.

Nothing less. Not mutually exclusive.

She is sarcastic, determined, caring.

She is a warrior, a pilot, a leader.

As we are.

Women are never just one thing.

We are not just 'badass' or 'beautiful' or 'smart'.

Yes, we are 'able to be' many things at once.

In fact, we are.

So, it's not just about writing or depicting a 'strong' female character.

But a complex one.

A real one.

Someone that I can feel, she can be me.

[Photo: Hera Syndulla Funko Pop, in my very very lime green home]

Send help

Enchanted

Red and Blue

"Lightsabers were designed to end conflicts. [..]

It was bright, it glowed, it was impossible to ignore.

Between the sound and the light, en enemy was given warning, every possible chance to simply not fight, and wasn't that always the best outcome?" 

From "Light of the Jedi" by Charles Soule

Ultimate birthday gift by my beloved @_hipstrice, this @theofficialpandora charm is part of their most recent Star Wars collection.

Although I am not really fond of some of the new SW pieces, this is a real beauty.

The details are stunning, with the shining blue and red lightsabers that show minute hilt design features. The back engraving, "May the Force be with you", complete everything to perfection.

I adore the geek and Disney-themed Pandora pieces and bracelets, so this gorgeous SW charm is so incredibly ME.

Exquisite mentoring-Thrawn is exquisite. Part III.

"Yes, sir," Faro said. "A suggestion, if I may?"

"Your admiral has given you an order," Vader said.

"Continue, Commodore," Thrawn said calmly.

Faro felt her throat tighten. Vader's comment, underscoring as it did Thrawn's order, was in itself an additional order. Was Thrawn simply going to ignore it?

"I've done some calculations, sir," she continued hastily, wondering if Vader was going to interrupt. Or worse. [...]

Thrawn inclined his head. "Show me."

Faro keyed the route to the display, bracing herself as she waited for Vader's inevitable question as to what kind of lane could possibly connect two such minor worlds. [...] But for once, the Dark Lord seemed to have nothing to say.

"An excellent suggestion, Commodore," Thrawn said. "Set the course for Mokivj."

~

"Lieutenant Agral?"

"A moment, sir... yes! Got them, sir!"

"Excellent," Thrawn said.

Faro suppressed a smile. Agral was the youngest of the senior bridge crew, and sometimes his enthusiasm bumped into the more sedate official protocol.

Fortunately for him, Thrawn appreciated enthusiasm from his subordinates.

~

Pyrondi was gazing at the display, watching the fighters drift away. Faro looked sideways at Thrawn, wondering if he would intervene, knowing he wouldn't. He'd explained all the nuanced of the maneuver to Pyrondi and had handed over control of the operation to her. Now he would stand back and quietly assess how his senior weapon officer handled the task. [...]

Thrawn remained silent as Pyrondi repeated the process with the remaining TIEs. "Excellent work, Lieutenant," he said as the fighters faded into the starscape ahead.

~

[Photo: the beautiful pin by @fulcrumdawn, on my truly precious @poppourrico Thrawn Disney ears]

Jedi patience

I am not going to lie.

I care that what I share in this account can be something that you might be interested in. It is not just a matter of "likes", but most about content: photos, and captions.

And, folks, I know that what I am sharing today is totally irrelevant for you, so I am sorry for this ugly personal post.

I love my self-imposed discipline.

Somehow, it defines me.

And, yes, I am that kind of person that does things sequentially, recounts from the start if she thinks that something is missing, and feels physical pain when she needs to move a piece of furniture of 10 degrees.

As probably some of you know, I promised myself to not proceed in playing "Vader Immortal" until completing all the dojos with 3 "stars". I treasure this game super much, and I did not want to "burn" it quickly. Therefore, I constructed many personal rules for it.

Initially, I zen-waited to play the first chapter after teaching the spring semester, at end of May. I really loved the game, and the quarantine was still strict, so I completed the first dojo rather swiftly.

Despite imposing myself to start the second chapter after the summer session, and despite the new and impossible targets for the 3 stars, I was at level 43 at the beginning of September.

Luckily, then, this account happened.

And so "Sims4, Batuu", "Squadrons", and "Tales from the Galaxy's Edge". Therefore, basically, I successfully managed not to play until five weeks ago, when I completed level 50, the last, happy as a clam.

Just for then discovering that the level 46 had just **2 stars**.

T H E H O R R O R.

Lecturing, Thrawn, grading, Thrawn, writing, Thrawn.

Fast forward to yesterday night, when I allowed myself to say "fine, this is the time."

Level 50, in comparison, was a piece of cake. 46 had a minimum of 116 targets destroyed in less than 200 seconds: it is a lot of stuff to kill in 3 minutes, believe me.

But I am stubborn, so I beat it.

Also my neighbor knows now. 🙃

So, there. I am done.

Episode III will be the reward for this spring semester.

Call it Jedi patience.

By the way.

The last time I posted about this, I had exactly 7 likes.

So, really, sorry again.

The alone teacher

2020 has been a weird year. 

If it has been incredibly complicated for instructors with children, it has been completely alienating for people who live alone. I personally never left home since March 12th, 2020, except on three occasions (this is not an over-statement, I actually never went out). I did not see my partner or mother for the last twelve months (which is unprecedented, no matter where I lived in the world before) without physical contact with another human being in ten months.

All this, however, strengthened my relationship with the students.

The human understanding.

I know it might seem unintuitive, but the students felt more connected, “close and personal,” with me during 2020.

They could see my life.

They could see images, frames of a normal human experience: the fridge, the sofa, my shelves with Star Wars toys.

The sandwich that I did not finish because a student asked me something before class.

Why should this be in any way relevant to my annual evaluation, you might ask, or worth sharing as a “lesson learned”?

Fundamentally, because I think this weird, absurd, unwanted arrangement helped make them feel closer to me, to “humanize” me.

Not always do the students think about us as “people.” Rarely, actually.

We are the ones who test, who grade, who fail.

We enter a tiny portion of their lives as inevitable entities, carrying maybe a little bit of knowledge to share (if they are generous enough to acknowledge that) and a lot of perceived “judgment” and “duties.”

They never imagined us with a fridge, a sofa, shelves with Star Wars toys, or a partially eaten sandwich.

Nevertheless, I was there every day, every hour, more “exposed,” more fragile, and more reachable than ever.

From a purely technical aspect, this was very (and sometimes painfully) true: with the MS Teams application on their phone, I was just a DM (direct message) away. Like Snapchat, TikTok, or everything they use to communicate with their peers. This meant receiving messages on my phone-PC-tablet, 24/7, from basically April to December (including summer, since I taught ME 436 in July and August).

But also, it meant a sense of relationship that was possible before just with the few students that were physically entering my office space. A connection, instead, now open to all. If knocking at my physical door was too much of a task for the partially curious students in a standard semester (laziness >> curiosity), having me just a “SEND” button away increased the interaction exponentially.

Ultimately, 2020 gave me many great, proud moments: the so-wanted promotion to Associate Teaching Professor, my second “Professor of the Year” Award, and especially, the totally unexpended “ISU Award for Early Achievement in Teaching.”

I certainly cannot complain.

However, if this year really taught me something as a teacher, besides having a CNN-worthy broadcast with three different devices and four web cameras live from my living room, was the sense of connection and community and human experience that the students, for once, willingly decided to share with me.

And it was beautiful.

The grave

"Ahsoka looked down at the grave, her heart a stone in her chest.

She thought about all the clone troopers she had ever served with. They had been so quick to accept her, even when she first became Anakin's Padawan. Sure, part of that was their genetic code, but that only went so far. They respected her. They listened to her. They taught her everything they knew. And when she made mistakes, when she got some of them killed, they forgave her, and they stood beside her again when it was to return to battle.

The Jedi were gone, but what happened to the clones was almost worse. Their identities, their free will, removed with a simple voice command and the activation of a chip. If she hadn't seen it for herself, she wouldn't have believed it was possible. [...]

Now there was the grave."

I love how this page of "Ahsoka" by E.K. Johnston perfectly interlocks with the CW season finale, like pieces in a puzzle.

Exposing the characters' thoughts and feelings, books add so much more to our understanding and empathy.

And the whole ending arc was so wonderful and poetic. It moved me to experience their pain, their frustration, their friendship, their hard decisions, their sadness.

Their loyalty.

And not just Ahsoka's or Rex, but of the Clones as well.

A true masterpiece.

[Photo: magnificent sticker by @hellotherecargo]

More Eli Vanto in our lives

A life path may change because of important decisions or events.

Those were what drove my current path.

But sometimes the smallest event can also drive a turn.

In the case of Eli Vanto, that force was a single, overheard word.

Chiss.

~

"I'm quite content to be your aide, Admiral.

It's where I'm supposed to be."

~

Did Thrawn have friends? Eli or anyone else? Had he had friends when he was growing up in the Chiss Ascendancy, or had he always been different, the oddness of his mind leaving his young peers bewildered or resentful? How unique was Thrawn?

~

I need more Eli Vanto in my life.

Probably, Thrawn does too.

[In the photo: absolutely perfect and adorable keychains by @ooakrafts]

I am Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze

"I am Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze. I was born on Mandalore and fought in the Purge. I am the last of my line."

Former terrorist, former freedom fighter, former Darksaber owner.

Who is Bo-Katan Kryze?

We encounter her, young and rebellious, fighting her own sister (!), Duchess of Mandalore and leader of the Council of Neutral Systems, with an extremist terrorist group.

They are not nice people: they blow up buildings, they burn villages, they kill innocents. They genuinely believe that war, not peace, is the true *Mandalorian way*.

"We are the Death Watch, descendants of the true warrior faith all Mandalorians once knew. Now my people are living in exile because we will not abandon our heritage. Our people were warriors. Strong. Feared! Now they're ruled by the New Mandalorians who think that being a pacifist is a good thing. They've given away our honor and tradition for peace. Duchess Satine and her corrupt leadership are crushing our souls, destroying our identity. That is our struggle."

But, as often happens with terrorist groups, the operations are financed by the real hidden powers: Palpatine at first, and the Shadow Collective later.

Doubts start to insinuate in Bo's mind, but, nevertheless, she stays.

However, when Maul, "rightfully", wins the Darksaber in the duel against Pre Vizsla and becomes the leader of the Death Watch, she refuses to recognize a non-Mandalorian as her ruler, because, well, definitely that was not "the way" she had in mind.

And when your sister is killed, and your former substantially peaceful and wealthy planet is occupied by a syndicate of gangsters first, and by a totalitarian Empire later, you probably don't take well to see your own guilt in the mirror every day.

So she is fundamentally constantly *angry*.

At herself (mostly), at Maul, at the Empire, at Moff Gideon.

Keep fighting, until she will be able to fix the mistake that, I'm sure, she feels like her own.

"I wish I was good at something other than war."

[Photo: the stunning Bo-Katan pin by @kulturegirlflair + @shopdisney t-shirt]

Light of the Jedi

I will officially start "The High Republic: Light of the Jedi" by Soule tonight, and I AM truly excited, given the stellar reviews by @plokoonsbookclub and @fra_sprea, who are my favorite SW books "pushers."

However, this means also that I finished all the Thrawn canon books available at the moment, and I will be experiencing serious withdrawal symptoms until April 27th, when "Greater Good" will be out.

My friends @fra_sprea and @morry81 already tested this terrible condition of mine, since I bored them to death today afternoon, ranting for 3 hours about "Chaos", the relationships between Vanto, Faro and Thrawn, and perfect actors for a possible art commission (because @morry81 is the best fan castings guru in the galaxy).

Back to "Light of the Jedi", I am really curious about this brand new expansion of the history of the Republic and the Jedi Order. I did not read any spoiler or anything (I never do), so I'm just purely excited. And, I must confess that I never was a big fan of the Order, so that I am truly looking forward to changing my mind about it.

Did you read this book already?

(No spoilers, but feel free to share your thoughts!)

Useless fact about these photos, and connected to the stories I shared today. My shots of @raewardstudios keychains are always great fun to do, and among the ones I planned the most.

However, in these two images, the subject was supposed to be the book, not really the snacks, so they were basically minimally staged, besides moving the snacks jar from a room to another.

The 'problem' is that the keychains are so cute that I might have shifted the main focus a little...

And, yes, I bought a *JAR* just for showing off the delicious Star Wars snacks created by @raewardstudios. And I regret nothing.

The Man with No Name

Cad Bane.

Even if I recently discovered my subconscious preference in relation to morally neutral *blue* guys, as shared in my stories, I truly cannot tie up my irrational love toward Cad Bane as his "being blue", nor "morally neutral".

He is a BAD GUY, period.

And, believe me, I am so not into bad guys.

I never cheered for the Empire, I do not like the Emperor, or Tarkin, or even Arihnda Pryce, despite Timothy Zahn's incredible effort in changing my mind.

So my fascination for Bane is totally a mystery to me.

Yes, true, I adore a lot of bounty hunters: Aurra, Embo, Seripas, and, of course, Boba. But Cad Bane is officially another level of "inexisting morality", not a disguised ultimate Robin Hood.

So that I feel quite uncomfortable even declaring that I genuinely like him.

In search of a more psychological reason, I think the simple answer is: Trinity.

Yes, Trinity and not, as for most of the people, Clint Eastwood's the "Man with No Name". And, yes, I know that Filoni loves Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo and, as a consequence, Sergio Leone's trilogy (as beautifully discussed by @viandante_del_cielo in a post), so, Bane *IS* in fact the Man with No Name.

But I think the insanely handsome Terence Hill in "They Call Me Trinity" is my *personal* irrational connection.

Call me vain.

[In the photo, the perfect @padawan.pins Cad Bane pin]

Exquisite mentoring-Thrawn is exquisite. Part II.

"You're troubled," Thrawn said into the silence of the scout ship's bridge. [...] "They've never understood you, have they?" Thrawn said into her silence.

Che'ri made a face. Like he would know anything about that.

"You want more than what you've been given," he continued. "You don't know what you'll do when you're no longer a sky-walker, and it troubles you."

"I know what happens," Che'ri scoffed. "They told me. I get adopted by a family".

"That's what you'll be," Thrawn said. "That's not what you'll do. You'd like to fly, wouldn't you?"

Che'ri frowned. "How did you know that?".

"The pictures you've been drawing with the markers your care-giver gave you," Thrawn said. [...]

Thrawn paused and touched a key on his control board. And suddenly all the lights and keys on this board went out and the board in front of Che'ri lit up. She jerked back. What in the name–?

"There are two handgrips in front of you," Thrawn said. "Take one in each hand."

"What?" Che'ri asked, staring numbly at the handgrips and glowing lights.

"I am going to teach you how to fly," Thrawn told her.

"This is your first lesson".

"You don't understand," Che'ri said, hearing the fear and pleading in her voice. "I have nightmares about this." [...]

"It's fear that's driving those nightmares. Fear and helplessness." [...] He pointed to the handgrips. "Let's take some of that helplessness away."

Che'ri looked at him. He wasn't joking, she realized. He was deadly serious. She looked back at the handgrips, trying to decide what to do.

"Take them."

Abruptly, she realized something else. He wasn't ordering. He was offering.

And she really had always wanted to fly.

Setting her jaw, choking back the fear, she reached out and gingerly closed her hands around the grips.

"Good," Thrawn said. "Move the right one to your left, just a bit."

"To portside," Che'ri corrected. She knew that one, anyway.

"To portside," Thrawn agreed with a smile.

~

[Note: Che'ri is a 9-years old kid]

[In the photo: Thrawn absolutely wonderful desk stationery by @scifigirlnextdoor, and Listoria decals on my work binder]

[Note: I had a lot of fun with these photo settings. In my mind, the notes in Basic are Faro's, while the ones in Cheunh are Thrawn's]

At the edge of the galaxy

"At the edge of the galaxy

So far away

Black was the spire

That called me to stay.

A beacon for drifters

Forgotten and lost

The spires summoned those

Broken and tossed.

Come stay here forever

Or just pass on through.

The spirit of Black Spire

Will forever change you."

Beautiful.

The first time I read this poem, in @delilahsdawson "Black Spire" novel, it reminded me of:

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

The Black Spire, like Lady Liberty, welcomes us *all*, the drifters forgotten and lost, in this land without time or judgment, at the Edge of the Galaxy.

[Stunning Vi Moradi t-shirts by @bound2bepic]

I see you

The connection between Ahsoka and Grogu was something that moved me deeply.

I knew that Jedi could communicate feelings and emotions through the Force, but, that simple link between these two beings reminded me of the importance of truly "being seen".

Up to that moment, all Grogu's thoughts, pains, sensations were hidden, not understood. Even something personal and important as his own name was concealed and unknown.

Do we really exist, when people do not see us?

When they do not acknowledge who we really are?

So, I thought it was beautiful and poetic that was Ahsoka, among all, who made this connection, who was there to say "Yes, you are here. Yes, I recognize your life, your experiences, and your fears".

This touching moment was perfectly framed by this beautiful art by @hellotherecargo. And I am so glad to say that it will be soon an enamel pin (check out his IG!), that I immediately pre-ordered.

To every one of you, wonderful people out there, I want just to say.

I SEE YOU.

We plan to stay

I have conflictual feelings towards the International Women's Day.

A part of me is happy to celebrate the awesomeness of women all around the world and amazed that this recurrence is, at least on the paper, so globally observed. A part of me, however, recognizes that to have 1 day on 365 in which everyone remembers that we even exist may be a tiny bit limiting. But I am here to talk about useless geeky stuff, so.

In the Star Wars OT, a diverse women representation was basically inexistent. Failing tragically the Bechdel test, all the original movies depict just very few female characters. Golden bikinis and Twi'lek dancers did not help either.

Nevertheless, Lucas *did create* a universe where gender was never a reason to question authority. When Leia speaks, people simply listen. And the whole "I am here to save you" trope is more mocked than not.

That said, although Leia was a damn good character and an inspiration for my generation (as Padmé was for the next), I can not be less than profoundly grateful to Kathleen Kennedy for the changes she brought to the franchise.

Dr. Rebecca Harrison conducted an analysis of the female characters' screentime in 10 movies ("Solo" is missing from this list):

51% The Rise of Skywalker

43% Last Jedi

37% Force Awakens

35% Rogue One

23% Return of the Jedi

22% Empire Strikes Back

20% Phantom Menace

18% Attack of the Clones

17% Revenge of the Sith

15% A New Hope

We are talking about doubling the meaningful screentime after Lucasfilm changed its presidency, and the inclusion of women of color and LGBTQA+ women in sequels movies, books, and games. And these, folks, are not pretty figures in a corporate pamphlet, this is what a real achievement looks like. Especially since Mrs. Kennedy did it dodging death and rape threats (!) on every possible media platform.

Sure, we are not at the finish line yet. But we are on the right path. And every time this franchise allows a bunch of whining white males to win (as in the case of Rose Tico), globally, we lose.

So, news flash.

We are here.

[We always have been]

And we plan to stay.

Your tormented soul

The last of my @maxxmerch chibi pin to share: Anakin.

His decisions were difficult to frame for me. Yes, even empathizing with his pain. Yes, even feeling his love.

I think never truly understood him before watching Clone Wars. His relationship with Ahsoka, Rex, the clones, Obi-Wan, Padmé. Everyone, really.

His way to think, to fight, to live.

And I am discovering him all over again now, with the - beautiful - current Darth Vader comic series.

And for how much I tried to dislike him, he seems so real now.

So close.

Excluding the 'mass-murdering-kids-in-a-temple' part, of course.

Ah, the stories I could tell

I love pirates.

I loved pirates since I remember.

Sure, the romantic, Salgari version of a pirate.

But I was always fascinated by them, dreaming about them, writing about them.

I spent the best summers of my childhood watching absolutely not historically accurate corsairs and buccaneers movies with my grandpa.

And I am talking here that "Pirates of the Caribbean" is my favorite Magic Kingdom ride, and the first I line for every time I visit.

So, you can imagine my total fascination for THE pirate of my favorite franchising. Hondo Ohnaka is, without any doubt, one of my 10 most adored SW characters.

Funny in Clone Wars, lovely in Rebels, iconic around the Black Spire Outpost.

I never played TheSims until I discovered that Hondo was a character for the Batuu expansion. Everyone has her guilty pleasure, her comfort activity for very bad days, and mine is having my Sim playing sabacc with Hondo at the Oga's Cantina.

So, accidental pin collector or not, I could not help but add to my treasure this absolutely perfect chibi version of our very favorite pirate by @coralsnakegoods.

"Ah, the stories I could tell. So many of them true."

More handsome than you have the right to be

Maybe, just maybe, the number of Kanan-related items that I own started to become embarrassing. But, in my brain, he IS my favorite SW character, so I regret nothing.

Therefore, I could not allow this #rebelsremembered day to unfold without celebrating the heart of this truly beautiful human, and honoring everything he taught me. And, as Ezra said, "I don't mean about the Force, I mean about life. About being a good person."

The strength that comes from our failures and weaknesses, the importance to connect with others showing our true selves, the acceptance of our limits (!), the awareness that we are never alone, that we can reach out and find the support of the people that love us the most.

"The point is that you're not alone. You're connected to every living thing in the universe. But to discover that, you have to let your guard down. You have to be willing to attach to others. If you hang on to your past, if you always try to protect yourself, you'll never be a Jedi."

"You've come a long way in a very short time. Where you go from here is up to you, but know that this family is going to stand by you no matter what you choose."

All this wrapped in the most handsome man that any animated character should have the right to be.

Exquisite mentoring-Thrawn is exquisite. Part I.

"You seem disturbed. May I ask the reason?" [...]

"It's not important, sir."

"I presume you were unhappy to hear from Assistant Director Ronan that I had recommended against your appointment as commander of Task Force 231."

And there it was, right out in the open. [...]

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Yes, sir, to be honest, I was," she said, rather surprised her words were coming out so calmly. [...] "May I ask why you did that?"

"Because you are far better than that" Thrawn said. "A better administrator, a better tactician, simply a better officer. I, therefore, requested that you be removed from consideration for Task Force 231 and instead be considered to command the Eleventh Fleet."

Faro felt her eyes widen. "The Eleventh Fleet? Admiral, I'm just a commodore."

"Perhaps that will change."

"Sir, this is hardly a joking matter," Faro insisted.

"I wasn't joking, Commodore," Thrawn assured her.

"The point is that you are an exceptionally competent commander, and the Imperial fleet needs to recognize and reward all such people. [...] He regarded her thoughtfully. "You also have a far better sense of Imperial politics than I do." [...]

"Thank you, sir" Faro said [...]. "I appreciate your efforts on my behalf regarding my reassignment," she added. "I'll look forward to hearing the High Command's decision."

Thrawn's eyebrows rose slightly. "You misunderstand. Your reassignment was approved earlier this morning. You'll be leaving the Chimaera at Lothal for Coruscant and orientation on your new command."

Faro felt her eyes bulge. "My new - sir?"

"Indeed," Thrawn said, and this time there was no mistaking his smile. "Congratulation, Commodore Faro. May you serve the Eleventh Fleet as well as you've served the Seventh".

"Thank you, Admiral," Faro managed. "It - sir, it's been the greatest privilege of my life to serve under you. I can only hope my officers will feel even a tenth of that pride and satisfaction under my command."

"They will that, and far more," Thrawn assured her. "And now, Commodore, one final time: You may prepare my ship".

A glorious ThrawnThursday.

Your purple champion

It is always inspiring to observe how supposed-to-be tragic destinies develop, instead, in joyful endings. How rivalries transform in friendships. How what connects us is always stronger than what divides us.

Alexsandr Kallus. Organized, composed, focused. From ISB agent to Rebel informant. Genocides, Torture, Retaliation. He has seen them all.

But, once again, redemption is the invisible thread of the Star Wars quilt. And he needs to be saved for then saving. Helped for then helping.

His champion is, in a strong and clear metaphor, the ultimate enemy.

Garazeb Orrelios. Imponent, grumpy, adorable Lasat warrior.

Absolutely the most unlikely pair you can think of.

So, obviously, totally perfect.

If you see more than a friendship between them, it is up to you.

[I truly do not count. I slash the red M&M's with the yellow M&M's, so...]

They are true soulmates. Maybe as just as genuine soldiers can be.

So, today I share with you this adorable couple, featuring two in-universe "buns packages" by @raewardstudios.

I am absolutely in love with this keychains series. Extremely creative, every Rebels character has his own little unique "bun" or "snack" flavor and package design.

Zeb's space waffle looks so good. "The best snack on the go". Alexsandr's creamy puff pastry is purply purple, "juicy and fluffy". And I envisioned them surrounded by a mountain of sugar. 💚💜

Too much

Writing a (relatively) short post about Ben Solo is hard.

I would say impossible.

It's like trying to describe Anakin in less than 2200 characters.

[Which, I admit, seem A LOT of characters, but they are not a lot FOR ME]

Far from being the whiny emo-grown-up teenager that some people claim, he is a complex and always changing character.

When I feel he kind of got under my skin, that I can empathize, that I can understand, he somehow slips away from my fingers.

He loves too much, hates too much, loves too much all over.

Everything amplified one hundredfold.

All those sensations and voices.

Everyone pushing and pulling, just projecting what they want him to be.

Keeping the balance is simply impossible.

But, still, even if I feel him, even if I can emotionally connect at times, he is still mostly ineffable.

No matter if I have 2200 or 5000 or one million characters to write.

[I see your scared faces 🙃]

And then @thenerfherderco arrives.

And with two simple packages of magic, she perfectly frames both Ben and Kylo.

Persistent but subtle, present yet, somehow, shy. But also larger than life, powerful, unapologetic.

She has a true gift, folks.

I'm telling you.