Remembrance, gravity, loyalty

"Something on your mind?"

"As a Jedi, we were trained to be keepers of the peace, not soldiers. But all I’ve been since I was a padawan is a soldier."

"Well, I've known no other way. Gives us clones all a mixed feeling about the war. Many people wish it never happened. But without it, we clones wouldn’t exist."

"Well then, perhaps some good has come from all of it. The Republic couldn’t have asked for better soldiers, nor I a better friend."

~

"Rex, what’s happening?"

"Stay back! Find him. Find him. Fives. Find him! Fives!"

~

"Alright, we know Ahsoka Tano is on board. She’s been marked for termination by order sixty-six. Under this directive, any and all Jedi leadership must be executed for treason against the Republic. Any soldier that does not comply with the order will also be executed for treason. Understood?"

~

"Rex? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, kid. I’m okay. I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I almost killed you."

"How widespread is this?"

"Ahsoka, it’s all of us. The entire Grand Army of the Republic has been ordered to hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights."

~

"So what do we do? Fight our way to the shuttle?"

"There are too many. Besides, I don’t want to hurt them."

"I hate to tell you this, but they don’t care. This ship is going down, and those soldiers, my brothers, are willing to die and take you and me along with them."

"You're a good soldier, Rex. So is every one of those men down there. They may be willing to die, but I am not the one that is going to kill them."

~

I am not from a military family, despite both my grandfathers fought in World War II and one of them went back as a decorated veteran with a glass eye, which, for us kids, was more oddity than pride.

However, in these years, I learned to appreciate the deep significance that this day, Memorial Day, instills to many in the United States.

I am not sure I do understand, completely.

My foreigner perspective is, well, foreign.

But, I feel that these touching dialogues fit its meaning properly.

Remembrance, gravity, loyalty.

To serve.

To believe.

To be a soldier.

[Photo: commemorating this heartbreaking scene with a glorious pin by @thescevolitanostore]

Elegance

The grey area of misunderstanding

"I don't think you should make any decisions in this state of mind."

"This state of mind? And what state of mind would that be, precisely?"

"What I'm saying is... Any person would be hysterical by now, but..."

"Hysterical? The Republic is attempting to force its will upon innocent people."

"I only meant..."

"Frankly, I'm surprised you're not hysterical. Perhaps if more citizens got hysterical, they'd be more inclined to speak up when the Republic tramples on their rights."

"Rushing in like this, it's... It's foolhardy."

"Ironic words from a man who spends his days running hither and yon, wielding his lightsaber with deadly force as if on a crusade. Why should I listen to someone who so frequently relies on violence? In my opinion, you're the one who's foolhardy."

[Obi-Wan and Satine, Clone Wars]

~

"Is that how your Republic does things?" Thrawn countered.

"This isn't about politics" Padmé shot back. "It's about individuals. People. Honor."

"Politics is built from individuals" Thrawn said. "The Separatists wished to leave the Republic. Why didn't you simply allow them to go?"

"Because they attacked us. *They* started the war." Padmé slashed a hand of dismissal through the air between them. "That's not the issue here."

"Perhaps it is" Thrawn said.

[Padmé and Thrawn, Thrawn: Alliances]

~

"I see the Republic, trying to take away your freedom. [.] They want you dead. Just for living. Just for being. Just for walking a path they don't own.

Who are they to tell us how to live? Who are they to come to our territory and try to kill us? The Republic. The Jedi. What gives them the right?"

[Marchion Ro, Light of the Jedi]

~

I was here for speaking about Satine Kryze.

An inspiration.

A distinctive example of a leader that does not need to carry a sword for being heard and followed.

A woman of unrivaled wit and keen intelligence, convictions, and political awareness.

Her vision of neutrality, the risks in coercing loyalty.

But, often, my captions have a life of their own.

Marchion's and Thrawn's words simply popped into my mind.

And so the grey area of misunderstanding.

[Photo: exquisite earrings by the incredibly talented @creaturecartelshop]

You will be there

Ar'alani watches the turbolift doors close. Her expression holds thoughtfulness and uncertainty. "You're taking a terrible risk, Mitth'raw'nuruodo," she said. Her voice holds warning and disapproval. "He is unhappy, unwilling, and unconvinced."

"I know. That's part of the framework."

Ar'alani shakes her head. Her expression and body stance now hold worry. "Dangerous," she said. "Harboring a potential traitor is bad enough. Knowing you're harboring a potential traitor is worse."

"Not at all. One can make sure a potential traitor is prepared with the information and expertise one wishes the enemy to know."

"Is that your plan for Ronan?"

"It's merely a suggestion. He's yours now. What you do with him is up to you."

Ar'alani purses her lips. Her body stance now holds some dark amusement. "Someday, Mitth'raw'nuruodo, you'll overthink and overplan, and it will come crashing down all around you. When that happens, I hope someone is there to lift you back to your feet."

"You, perhaps?"

Ar'alani shakes her head. Her expression holds regret, perhaps even pain. "I very much fear I will never see you again. The growing chaos in the Ascendancy warns of coming war. If you don't return quickly, there may be nothing left for you to return to."

"I understand. But for now, I must remain here."

"Then do what you deem right," Ar'alani said. Her expression is stiff but firm, holding farewell. "And may warrior's fortune be ever in your favor."

~

I adore that they are so independent and so complete as individuals, in their goals, careers, lives, but, at the same time, they treasure each other immensely. And yes, this is the last time that Thrawn and Ar'alani see each other before, well, space squids.

["Crashing down all around you". Ar'alani prophetic as Bendu?]

But, no worries. This will not be my last post about them.

I am indeed a sappy happy ending person.

And it is so sweet that she is worried, and he notices.

It is so sweet that he firmly believes that if he will end up losing and losing badly, she will be the one there for him.

To help, rescue.

And lift him back.

[Photo: my perfect Funko Pop by @poppourrico]

Where you belong

"What's your number and rank?"

"My name is Lawquane, Cut Lawquane, and I'm just a simple farmer."

"You're a deserter."

"Well, I like to think I'm merely exercising my freedom to choose: to choose not to kill for a living."

"That is not your choice to make. You swore an oath to the Republic. You have a duty."

"I have a duty, you're right. But it's to my family. Does that count, or do you still plan to turn me in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"I used to believe that being a good soldier meant doing everything they told you. That's how they engineered us.

But we're not droids. We're not programmed.

You have to learn to make your own decisions."

~

Second, perhaps, just to Ahsoka's, Rex's journey through the whole Star Wars canon is one of the most complete and compelling.

From the firm belief in his duties and loyalties to his progressive attention to clones' individualities and freedom to choose, Rex embodies the best of every person that wants to grow, learn, and evolve.

We are not trees. We can move.

We can change.

And if it is undeniable that society or situations play a fundamental role in narrowing our possibilities (change, sometimes, is just available because of an underlying privilege), it is also true that our lives are always in motion, no matter how others scripted us or our future.

"If that's where you feel your place is, then that's where you belong."

[Photo: an adorable Rex keychain by @raewardstudios. As you know, I am totally in love with this "snacks" collection. Rex bun of choice is a "blue bantha and bread" "surprisingly delicious". Indeed!

I prepare my 'blue milk', as in the picture, using butterfly peas tea and milk]

Drunk, flirty, uncaring

The Jedi Order [...] was a way of life, based on the Jedi Code—and a lot of rules for living that weren’t in the Code, that had been tacked on later.

One was that Jedi avoided becoming involved in romantic relationships. Once on the run, Kanan Jarrus had found that rule pretty easy to forget about.

~

It might have been ironic, if Kanan bothered to think much about such things. The Jedi had always preached against forming connections, to prevent their acolytes from putting too much value in any one relationship. In so doing, they had unwittingly trained their students to be the perfect fugitives, able to cut and run at any moment. As long as they didn’t stop to care, they could go on indefinitely.

~

The young man now known as Kanan Jarrus discovered that carousing eliminated those worries entirely. So he’d done more of the same. He’d drunk to forget. He’d brawled to let off steam. He’d taken the dangerous jobs to fund his lifestyle – and then began it all again. He wasn’t some chivalrous nomad, skulking from planet to planet doing good deeds and leaving when things got too hot. No, he left when things got dull. When the drinking money ran out, or when the bar-owner’s daughter suddenly wanted to marry him. Kanan didn’t leave because the Empire moved in: He’d stared down Imperials like Vidian before and lived. They knew he was something to ignore.

No, he left because where the Empire went, fun usually died.

~

Clearly, Hera was politically aware; he knew the sort, having wooed a university woman or ten on more upscale worlds. But those women had all aggressively tried to get him to care about their causes of the week. Hera was letting him be, at least for the moment.

~

Small peeks on the life of Kanan Jarrus.

Lost and unhinged.

Drunk, flirty, uncaring.

These "A New Dawn" passages give even more depth to his (already wonderful) character.

The contrast with the balance that he found later in his life.

With his stable relationship with Hera.

With his ultimate act of love.

[Photo: a true Kanera celebration, these as always creative and gorgeous earrings by @geekablycute]

A full happy (powerless) life

"Is he speaking? Do you understand him?"

"In a way. Grogu and I can feel each other's thoughts.

"Grogu?"

"Yes. That's his name."

"Grogu."

"He was raised at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Many Masters trained him over the years. At the end of the Clone Wars when the Empire rose to power, he was hidden. Someone took him from the Temple. Then his memory becomes... dark. He seemed lost. Alone.

I've only known one other being like this. A wise Jedi Master named Yoda. Can he still wield the Force?"

"You mean his powers?"

"The Force is what gives him his powers. It is an energy field created by all living things. To wield it takes a great deal of training and discipline."

[...]

"He's formed a strong attachment to you. I cannot train him."

"What? Why not? You've seen what he can do."

"His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger."

"All the more reason to train him."

"No. I've seen what such feeling can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight. To the best of us. I will not start this child down that path. Better let his abilities fade."

~

Curiously, every time I see this scene, I think of Kanan, actually.

How generations of Jedi did not realize that "attachment" was not the issue here.

Jealousy was.

Emotional greed.

Possession.

Being connected, being willing to attach, to be vulnerable, to be helped, to be reached, were not incompatible with being a Jedi.

They were, actually, the true meaning of it.

But, ultimately, I personally think that Ahsoka was wise in suggesting to let Grogu's abilities fade.

Was being a Jedi really more important or meaningful than growing with someone that loves you?

Having a full and happy life?

[In the photo: my new TeeTurtle adorable t-shirt, that I grabbed during their "May the 4th" big sale]

Are you willing to go through with it?

"Well done, Captain," Ar'alani said, an edge of annoyance in her tone.

"Next time you have a clever plan, kindly share it with me before executing it."

~

"You disapprove," Thrawn said.

Ar'alani eyed him, her head still spinning from the idea he'd presented to her and the two younger women.

"Of course I disapprove," she said. "The whole thing is totally illegal in at least three directions. Not to mention insane."

"Agreed," Thrawn said. "The question is, are you willing to go through with it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course," Thrawn said. [...]

"Come on, Thrawn, this is crazy. Even for you." [...] "I assume you aren't going to let Ba'kif or Ja'fosk in on that part of the plan?"

"I'm not that crazy," Thrawn said with a small smile.

"But they're going to find out eventually," Ar'alani said. "Have you thought about what they'll do to you afterward?"

A muscle in Thrawn's throat tightened. "If we've eliminated Yiv as a threat, it doesn't matter what they do to me." He cocked his head.

"My real concern is you. What they're going to do to you when it all comes out."

"I'm an admiral," Ar'alani reminded him. "Not nearly so easy to get rid of."

"They'll still try."

"Only if we fail. If we succeed- " She shrugged. "But the future's out of our hands. Let's go with the present." [...]

"And hope that my assessment of General Yiv is correct."

"Right," Ar'alani said. "Let's really hope that."

~

Sparring, wine, dates.

But the apex of Thrawn and Ar'alani's relationship is when they are partners in crime.

The level of trust, despite the madness.

The grounded love and respect.

The bluntness between them.

Stars, I so love these two.

Bonus? Thrawn's amusement.

Seriously, we should stop depicting him as always mad and frowning.

The man smiles. A lot.

And, fundamentally, he enjoys the absolute insanity of his plans.

[Hopefully, you'll excuse the not Ar'alani-related photo, given the out-of-this-world beauty of these @outerspaceoutpost earrings. The universe inside. The colors are hypnotic, and the red stars among the galaxy of blue are the true soul of the Chiss]

Never ask for permission

"Honey, this isn't about your cause. This is about revenge. My employer wants to get even with you. Simple as that."

It should be clear, at this point, that I have something for pirates and bounty hunters.

Seriously, who doesn't?

So, you can imagine how much I totally adore this utterly badass Palliduvan.

From her relationship with a pirate (yes, folks, she and Hondo were canonically "enemies with benefits" at one point, and I SO understand, well, both), to be a sort of mother figure for the most famous bounty hunter in the franchise (and I mean Boba, not Din Djarin— I am old, remember?), Aurra Sing is one of my absolute favorite female characters.

"I just wanted to kill the Jedi that murdered my father!"

"Well, that will have to wait. Grow up. You'll get your revenge in time."

She is practical, patient, smart, skillful.

And, yes, let's face it.

Insanely beautiful.

So, it doesn't come as a surprise that "Assassin" is one of my best-loved Clone Wars episodes.

Three leading women, three absolute icons.

Tell me again that female-driven stories are not action-packed and mind-blowingly cool.

Her departure, the (in)famous "push" by Beckett, is a full story I genuinely would love to read. My gut suggests he made a little bit of a legend for himself, and she died in a more spectacular way, and, definitely, not so easily. Moreover, the fact that a lot of people wanted her dead, Dryden Vos at the top of the list, claims for a book of its own.

And, pretty please, may I have a couple of NSFW chapters with Hondo too?

Just saying.

Hondo: "Oh my dear, you never were good at asking for permission to land."

Aurra: "I never ask for permission to do anything, my darling." [They kiss]

Hondo: "Ah yes. Yes. I remember." [looking at Boba] "Not mine, I take it?"

[In the photo, a magnificent pin by @rebelartempire. Their pins are huge, so detailed, and totally stunning! I mean... look at her eyes! Just wow.

In the background: I recently discovered that a *lot* of SW books are actually black and red underneath the dust jacket. Surprising.]

The Collector Gene

"Collectors." Rossi's tone is flat. "People with more money than brains."

[Captain Filia Rossi via Timothy Zahn, "Thrawn"]

~

If I could have 5 dollars for every person that thought that of me, I would probably afford much more than this 19.99 dollars 50th Anniversary Lucasfilm edition of Thrawn action figure.

To be honest, I was undecided until the ultimate purchasing click if adding this Blackseries to my (limited) collection.

But I didn't want to regret a future sudden change in price (everything Thrawn is always skyrocketing) and, you know.

For completeness.

Heroes

"Anyone can be a hero. Everyone has something to contribute, a special gift to share with the galaxy. The Resistance is built on people, on hope. It's about standing up to oppression, doing what's right, and helping others."

[Vi Moradi in Black Spire]

I have been a fan, an active fan since I can remember.

And, in many years now, I had the chance to meet and be part of many groups and communities.

But never did I encounter such incredible attention to other people's needs and rights, and sensibilities and ways to be as in this fandom.

In this (difficult) year alone, I saw you all fighting the right fights, learning, crying, educating yourself, improving, acknowledging privileges.

Inspired by the character we love, YOU were the true inspiration.

The true leaders.

I pick today just three, in the myriad of acts of kindness I witnessed.

But, this post is dedicated to EVERYONE of you.

You, that shared resources, gathered donations, reported abuses, talked about what matters, went on the streets.

Big help, small help, big gestures, small ones.

Everyone contributing in their own means, everyone AWARE.

You were beautiful to see.

And to follow.

---

@bound2bepic's "Saving what we love" series donates part of the proceeds to NAPAWF. The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (napawf.org) is the only organization focused on building power with AAPI women and girls to influence critical decisions that affect their lives, their families, and their communities.

@fandomplanetpins, in collaboration with Marc Thompson, donated 100% of the profits of their pin sale to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org), committed to helping those living with PTSD. Since 2003, WWP has been a tireless advocate for millions of wounded warriors and their families, improving their lives, providing support and programs.

@bbcre8 donated 100% of the profits generated by their “Rebellions are Built on Hope” patches and pins to the BEAM, Black Emotional And Mental Health Collective (beam.community). BEAM is a collective of advocates, yoga teachers, artists, therapists, lawyers, committed to the emotional/mental health and healing of Black communities.

Our fandom

"Maybe it's not a flag we'll rally around. [...] Maybe it's a person."

[Leia, by Claudia Gray]

Or, maybe.

It is a fandom.

The Star Wars community is a complicated one.

The most vocal, and, maybe, feared, is the "Fandom Menace."

We know who they are, what they say, how they behave.

But we are not them.

And we are, indeed, part of this fandom too.

We believe in respect, in joy, in equality.

We believe that this franchise should be the mirror of the reality in which we want to live in.

In which families are found, in which there is a chance for everyone, in which nothing is more important than to fight for who we love.

We believe in Kanan, saving his adopted family.

In Kuill, protecting a random stranger and his child.

In L3-37, fighting for the ones without a voice.

In Luke, in Hunter, in Obi-Wan, in Din Djarin, in Ezra.

In Rose, in Leia, in Amilyn, in Avar, in Hera, in Vi.

In Ahsoka.

"In my life, when you find people who need your help, you help them, no matter what. I guess it's just who I am."

All the lives they touched, all the people they saved.

All the kindness and the selflessness.

This is our community.

This is our fandom.

[This is the first of a two parts post —tomorrow the second— about this community and its attention to the needs and lives of others. To celebrate this wonderful group of humans that I was fortunate to meet in these months, I share a gorgeous wall art by Geeklygifted. In their shop they say: "as geeks we know that the stories, characters, and fandoms we love so much can inspire, heal and challenge us." And it cannot be more true.]

Vacation

They are us

I weep. A lot.

However, I never sobbed so hopelessly hard as in reading page 99 of "Light of the Jedi."

Chapter 16 affected me irrationally and deeply.

If you did not read this book yet, just finish this caption when you will.

No main spoilers, but.

There are many heroes in Soule's book.

The Jedi. The best version of them.

Governors and Chancellors. Truly believing in their mission. To serve.

And there are. People.

Common, powerless, ordinary people.

Yet able, in extraordinary circumstances, to unexpectedly perform extraordinary acts.

Petty Officer Innamin is a grounded and opinionated human mechanic.

Finial Bright is the fierce and experienced Nautolan Captain of the Aurora IX.

We don't know much about them. The beauty of LOTJ is introducing many of these exceptional yet common characters. Few sentences, small details. And we feel immediately connected.

They are us.

When, despite his growing panic, Innamin decides to sacrifice himself for saving his crew, rescuing civilians on a space station, from an imminent reactor explosion, it was, in a way, something that I expected. Years of life and death situations in novels and movies trained me.

The character, generally, may or may not survive. And, in this case, the Captain indeed comes to the rescue.

With Bright's plan working brilliantly —a droid effective in delaying the catastrophe— and him almost leaving the station, I was mentally at ease.

And then.

A stranger. An alien.

Unconscious. Too heavy for Bright to be transported.

He can be anyone.

Bright does not know anything about him.

A good person. A bad person.

A brilliant mind. A fool.

But, in a second. The decision is made.

"Bright gave himself a moment, just one to think about his life, the things he'd done and the things he thought he might do. He thought about the Republic, and what it meant, and his own oaths to serve is and all its people"

And then he ran back to the reactor.

"I've got this" he said, pushing the pill droid out of the way. []

"You've got a patient"

And this is different do die because you are Jedi.

Or because you have a mission or a goal.

But because others are 'our neighbors'. To be loved.

'Others' are us.

 

Clarity

Posh

Ar’alani’s promotion celebration party was winding down, and the crowds of well-wishers had dwindled to a lingering few, when Thrawn finally made his appearance.

“Congratulations, Commodore,” he said, inclining his head to her.

“You’ll remember I said you’d be here one day.”

“Actually, as I recall, you suggested I’d someday make admiral,” Ar’alani reminded him. “I still have a ways to go.”

“You’ll make it,” Thrawn said. “I understand you’ve been assigned the Destrama and Picket Force Six.”

“I have,” Ar’alani confirmed. “I’ve also requested that you be made my first officer.”

“Really,” Thrawn said, clearly surprised. “I thought your babysitting duties had ended.”

“You think you were aboard the Parala because General Ba’kif wanted me to look after you?”

“I think it was more a matter of wanting you to make sure I didn’t go off the edge.” Thrawn paused. “Again.”

“There may have been a bit of that,” Ar’alani conceded. “But that’s not really relevant. I asked for you because you’re a good officer.” She smiled faintly. “I also suspect there’ll be a promotion for you somewhere along the way.”

“Thank you,” Thrawn said. “I’ll try not to make you regret your decision.”

He hesitated. “I’m in need of advice, Commodore, if you have a moment to spare.”

“For you, what moments I can’t spare I’ll make,” she said, glancing past his shoulder. None of the other guests were close enough to hear. “And when it’s just the two of us, it can just be Thrawn and Ar’alani.”

He gave a sort of hesitant smile. “Thank you. That’s… I’m honored.”

[]

Again, Ar’alani looked over his shoulder. Still six people lingering, but they were engrossed in conversation with one another and would never miss her. “Tell you what. Let’s go someplace a little quieter, and you can buy me a celebratory drink.”

She touched his arm. “And while we drink,” she said, “you can tell me all the other goals you have that the Ascendancy will pretend not to be grateful for.”

~

In search of Ar'alani merch, I thought: how to have her in a post without having her in a post?

Simple.

WINE.

[I do not know if it is more posh Thwawn arriving late, or Ar'alani deciding to leave her own party for drinking with him].

That moment

That moment.

That moment in which your mom, that hates SW with a passion, creates a personal icon so that she can comment on your nerdy posts.

Now I saw them all.

Does love make us blind?

"You are so…beautiful."

"It’s only because I’m so in love."

"No. No, it’s because I’m so in love with you."

"Then love has blinded you?"

"Well…that’s not exactly what I meant."

"But it’s probably true."

~

Considered by the most as one of the worst romantic conversations ever, I think that is, instead, dramatically representative of Padmé and Anakin's emotional state at that moment.

And, no, I am not discussing their ability to perceive each other beauty (you should be truly blind for that), but their lost connection with reality.

I do not believe that love makes us blind.

But there are some relationships, some complicated ones, some very intense ones, that see us totally lost in them.

Deep down, though, we know painfully well how things ARE.

We know how much of our personal beliefs and character we sacrificed in the process, but we are simply too "in love" (or happy) to do something about it.

And if I can expect to live in this passionate illusion from someone like Anakin, not exactly a character that I would place at the top of the list of grounded and rational ones, I have serious difficulties to pardon that to Padmé.

Probably, because I cannot pardon myself when I do the same.

And, yes, YES.

I do agree with every one of you that Padmé did not write herself, and, for the decisive young Queen she was in Episode I, she would probably question herself more when her boyfriend went from 'mourning anger' to 'mass murder'. (Oh, Ani, you killed kids. There, take a cookie).

But, tragically, I do believe that even very strong and bold personalities can, on some occasions, be tamed and dimmed in the shadows of a potent relationship.

To be clear, I do necessarily consider this 'bad': everyone has the right to change, adapt, compromise for someone. However, I guess, there is a limit in how much an *I* can be blended in a *WE*.

And this, before skewered kids are involved.

[Photo: celebrating the most uncomfortable nightgown in the movie history -can you imagine sleeping ON pearls?- these gorgeous earrings by @sanctuarymoonstudio are seriously divine. I feel elegant when I wear them. And, truly, I am SO not].

Be your own Jedi

“But seeing and doing nothing isn’t the worst thing,” Hera had said.

“The worst thing is to see and not to care.”

~

“Maybe it’s time for people to be their own Jedi. They weren’t gods— just people like us, who saw a need. If they could find a way, I’m sure we can.”

[this sentence is said by Zaluna, but I feel like sharing the sentiment today]

~

As you, perhaps, read in my IG stories, it is a pretty insane week and weekend for me. I am missing interacting with you all and posting once per day.

I promise that you will be bored by my presence and usual long rants starting next week.

Today, however, the Force was definitely with me, because I took this photo while drinking my coffee at breakfast (I have to multitask while I do not grade), and it went out *exactly* as I envisioned it in my notebook, and in just one take (unprecedented).

The crucial factor, obviously, the out-of-this-world beauty of this @teamtanoalive Hera pin, and the incomparable @intoalargerworldbykara art in the background. I have also to thank again @spacemomcreations for the Hera face mask, even if I have to deeply apologize to keep using it in a very improper way (but check out her creation on TeePublic!).

Now, back to my "Elements and Performance of Power Plants" papers.

[Yay??]

Stick, or unarmed?

The weekend after Thrawn was acquitted he called to invite her out, to help him celebrate and as a thank-you for her help. From the enthusiastic way he talked about the evening, she'd envisioned a night of music and food, perhaps a gymnastic or musical performance, and certainly a modicum of drink.

What she got instead-

She looked around her at the quiet patrons and the somber colors, at the neatly arranged hangings, pictures, sculptures, and drapings.

"An art gallery" she said, her voice flat. "You brought me to an art gallery."

"Of course" he said, giving her a puzzled look. "Where did you think we were going?"

"You said there would be insight, drama, and the excitement of discovery" she reminded him.

"There is." He pointed down a hallway.

"Where to next?"

"You want to see more?" Thrawn asked, frowning a little.

She shrugged. "We've come this far. Might as well make an evening of it."

She quickly came to regret giving him such an open invitation. By the time she called a halt an hour later, her head was spinning with names, images, and tactical inferences. "Okay, this is all very interesting" she said. "But near as I can see, nearly all of it is very theoretical. [] I'm a practical person, and when I hear a new theory I like to give it a test." []

She headed toward the exit. "Where are we going?" Thrawn asked as he caught up with her.

"My quarters" she said. "I do a little wire sculpting in my spare time to relax. You can study it and see how well you can read my personal strategies and tactics."

Thrawn was silent a couple of steps. "Are you assuming we'll someday be at war with each other?"

"Yes, and sooner than you think" Ziara said with a smile. "Because after you finish, we're going to go downstairs to the dojo and go a couple of rounds."

"I see," Thrawn said. "Stick, or unarmed?"

[Bold: headcanod]

[Photo: beanie, print by @poppourrico]

You can clearly see that representing Thrawn as always mad (like in 99.99% of the pictures) is misleading. When he is happy, he IS happy. He smiles often, actually. Definitely, he has very dry humor, but he does say jokes (in canon) or witty sarcastic notes. And he DOES call his best friend for CELEBRATE for a night out. He has his very own set of social skills and understanding, but he literally took her in the place that, for him, was the most fun ever. And since she is a wonderful wonderful woman and friend, she adapted. They are so brilliant together that I want to cry. And, yes. I'm literally commenting on my own post.

May the Force be with You

I really wanted to post something today.

To thank all of you.

ALL. OF. YOU.

Because today, more than ever, I wanted to give back.

Because this community is -objectively- extraordinary.

This year has been difficult for many, but I was among the luckiest ones.

And the reason has been every one of you.

Your constant mind-blowing generosity.

Every person that listened to my rants in DM (you know who you are, and you are truly *wonderful human beings*), everyone that commented on my silly posts, everyone that simply swiped one of my photos, one day, randomly.

I really needed to come here today, despite all the mess that my week is, and say.

THANK YOU.

I did not have anything ready, even with my very long (LONG) lists of ideas for photos to take. So, this is not a thought and framed shot, and I edited it quickly, while gobbling my coffee, reading a bunch of essays waiting for the first exam of the day.

But, genuinely, I wanted to say.

May the Force be with You.

And I MEAN it.

[Photo: Her Universe new collection]

Krayt spit

The Morocco case

Vanilla Luke

You don't tell people you love them, you show them. Or maybe I'm just terrified of sounding like an idiot when I try to tell someone they make me glad to be alive. I hope my friends know that I would fight and die for them. And I also hope that is enough though I'm afraid maybe it isn't."

[This is my favorite Luke's quote, and it is so me that it is painful]

The #MaytheFourth celebration week has started, and I have barely the time to breathe. So, these wonderful scents are my key to remain sane.

Thenerfherderco (on Etsy) recently suggested this Claireifiedbyclaire (also on Etsy) soaps, and, being her the absolute Master in terms of perfumes, I couldn't miss the chance to try.

And, in fact, I adore this Luke's soap.

Although, obviously, different from Thenerfherderco wax melt scent (also in the photo), it combines with it beautifully. And this is precious because it means that our Luke inspires similar feelings and fragrances: wise, hopeful, with a touch of real vanilla.

[Which is a little spicy and sour if you ever had the chance to smell it].

Have a wonderful week you all, and enjoy for those who cannot.

Jane Austen Star Wars

"Should we go dance, Jedi Master Elzar Mann?"

Avar Kriss is not exactly my favorite character of the High Republic.

And if plokoonsbookclub is right (and he normally is) about her similarities with Obi-Wan, I might have a hint why.

But, I love Elzar very much (the Jedi experimentalist!), and his relationship with Avar in "Light of the Jedi" is intriguing and definitely one of the highlights of the book.

She glanced at him. He looked good. Happy, his dark eyes shining, a grin lighting up his face, though that could be due to the drink in his hand, some green stuff in a stemless glass bowl. []

"Varykino," he said, gesturing with his drink toward the island. "That's the name of the island. It's an artists' retreat, a place for creative outcasts, to live together and think deep thoughts." [] Elzar glanced at her. He ran a hand through his dark hair, cut short, with a natural wave to it.

"Sound nice, actually," he said. "We should remember it, once we're too old for the Order to make use of us anymore. I wouldn't mind spending my days in quiet contemplation. Maybe figure out how to catch a fish with the Force." []

"As long as we lay in a steady supply of this stuff. By the light, that's good."

"Let me try," Avar said, and he handed her the bowl. []

It was easy to forget they were there to continue the investigation into the ongoing galactic emergency. She forced herself to focus. Quiet contemplation could wait for retirement— and for a moment, just one, she let herself consider the idea of spending that time with Elzar Mann— something she would never tell him; he would never let her hear the end of it.

And, yes.

I am totally craving for more of this Jane Austen Star Wars.

Using Soule own words:

She was reading something on a datapad, her eyes rapt. Probably one of the Jedi romances she was always obsessed with. [] They were all set at outposts on the far Republic frontiers, full of unrequited love and longing glances... the only action was the lightsaber battles that were clearly a substitute for what the character really wanted to do.

[Photo: the splendid (and huge!) pin by @sparkofhopepins, which is a lovely, generous human being].