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hellyeahomeland · 4 years

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“Two Minutes” | Directed by Tucker Gates, Cinematography by Giorgio Scali

[This week remained hectic as heck so we are keeping the more casual format. --Sara]

Sara: Opening (or closing) with a Carrie mirror shot is classic Homeland and I love to see it! She looks very tired. I hope when the series is over, Carrie takes a long nap. But not, y’know, the LONG long nap.

Gail: If this shot is a look into her current emotional state, which I think it most definitely is, she looks tired but determined. She hasn’t been out of that rehab center for very long, you have to wonder how her medications are working, because it’s clear she isn’t getting enough sleep. But good God--Claire Danes is gorgeous!

Gail: When I watched this scene I had a few realizations. At first I thought the red thing in front of the water glass was a pill but when I zoomed in it looks like floss. Then it occurred to me that we haven’t seen Carrie taking her meds or listening to jazz this season. This version of Carrie seems very stripped down (no pun intended). No mentions of seeing her family or FaceTiming Franny either. I don’t know what any of this means yet, but pointing it out for future context.

Sara: Floss? Whoulda thunk? I love this very obviously photoshopped (or whatever the video equivalent of that is… CGI?) scene of “mourners” gathering outside the White House.

Gail: I loved this opening shot of Max with his back to us... much like the donkey at the end of the episode, he has the flight recorder strapped to his back via a backpack and he treks uphill. I love the pop of color from the flight recorder and Max’s backpack in this desert-like scene. The importance in this shot is all about knowing where the flight recorder is and less about who is carrying it. Although I’m sure everyone joined us in a sign of relief to see Max still alive!

Sara: Chekhov’s flight recorder! I’m thinking of other significant objects on the show (like Brody’s vest), but none have gotten the attention that this dang flight recorder is getting. Also, Max writing his name in sharpie on his backpack is big younger child energy.

Sara: As someone who wears glasses, I really admire that Max is always, without fail, wearing his. No matter how sweaty he is. I love you, Max!

Gail: It is very interesting how every time Saul is kidnapped, his glasses are taken from him, but Max gets to keep his (for now at least?). Maybe there is a metaphor there about how Max isn’t losing sight of the bigger picture?

Sara: IJLTP, and it’s the first of a few POV shots this week. Max really is like an audience stand-in and this makes it even more literal.

Gail: IJLTP too! Such a great shot.

Sara: They had a shot very similar to this in Keane’s speech from “Paean to the People.” I really love how you can see how very manufactured this all is. Not that any of us need to be reminded of that…

Gail: The focus of this scene starts with the people behind it. I love that, because while the President is what the people are watching, he’s getting his cues and information from everyone else. In “Chalk One Up” we saw the theater of the peace announcement. Here we see the theater of the new president making his first speech. It’s all just words until the intentions behind them are realized.

Sara: Some of the keywords here:

Bust

MARTA (the “mass” “transit” “system” in Atlanta… where my Atlanta homies at?)

Body scanner

Narcos

Influenza

Plot

Gail: If these keywords are a part of the search for Max, shouldn’t his name be on it? Or American? No wonder Carrie was pissed! Get with it, Lonnie!

Sara: I know this is a stunt double, but it’s still meant to be Carrie, and Carrie riding this motorcycle so awesomely is one of the most badass things about her. We have no choice but to stan.

Gail: What a cool payoff to all of the scenes and allusions of Carrie leaving the station undetected. Girl is resourceful, no doubt.

Sara: Are these wide shots so that Costa Ronin, who is apparently nine feet tall, and Claire Danes would both fit in the frame? Also, “I just like how he leans.”

Gail: I think the shot might be indicative of their power dynamic. But I agree with you, Yevgeny’s consistent nonchalance is such a great character detail.

Gail: Interesting that by the end of their scene, Yevgeny sits down, making his body language less threatening. He enjoys these games with Carrie a little too much for my liking.

Sara: That smirk…

Sara: The framing here is really interesting. G’ulom sitting casually while Saul and Scott Ryan stand stick straight, almost obediently (ironically), is really striking. G’ulom has these almost angelic white curtains behind him while Saul and Scott are cloaked in shadows.

Gail: This feels different from Yevgeny’s casual nonchalance. I get the sense here that G’ulom is sitting out of lack of respect for the people standing before him. G’ulom turned his back on platitudes the second he turned his back on Ambassador Gaeto in the opening of “Chalk Two Down.” He only stands at the end of the scene to exert his power over Saul and General Ryan.

Sara: And then this shot, which is incredible. Centering G’ulom in the frame really emphasizes his power.

Gail: Such a great POV shot to see Saul and General Ryan’s reactions to G’ulom.

Sara: ...and I love the specific choreography of Saul and Scott both exiting so that their bodies are hidden behind G’ulom. I feel like Homeland doesn’t do shots this stylized that often so when they do it feels all the more impactful.

Gail: I find it so interesting that G’ulom has turned his back on the audience too.

Gail: I love the glimpses of the relationship between Mike and Jenna. Is this how Saul and Carrie started out?

Sara: Oof, ya think? I didn’t even think about their relationship in that context (maybe because the age gap is not as great) but now that you say it... I find it a really interesting way to shoot this, almost like we’re eavesdropping on them eavesdropping on Carrie. I love when Homeland returns to themes of surveillance.

Sara: Why onions? Because we’re peeling the layers of this story. (I’ll see myself out.)

Gail: OMG, Sara! You are right, they are onions! I’m ashamed to say I thought they were beets. (Thanks, Dwight.)

Gail: When Fibrooz, Max’s captor, reaches for Max’s wrist in this scene, I thought he was going to unlock the cuffs. Doesn’t bode well for Max that this guy is all about making a buck.

Sara: Major Carrie in “Why Is This Night Different?” vibes. The framing is almost identical. This continues some of the role reversal of Carrie and Max this year.

Gail: I love the details in this shot and the one of the market shelves. It looks like a random assortment of remotes and calculators and jars on shelves, but it’s actually very organized.

Sara: Are they selling remote controls without the TVs that they control?

Sara: Chekhov’s flight recorder strikes again! Sorry, I have nothing intelligent to say about the device of this damn flight recorder because I find it so freaking hilarious.

Gail: I love how we are seeing the journey of this flight recorder and all of the different people who are getting their hands on it.

Sara: This show is really making me feel sympathy for Haqqani, which is completely wild. Look how he’s softly dressed in the light here. Total character rehab happening this season on all fronts. Numan Acar has infused him with a real weariness and softness that’s added so many new layers to what was once just a classic villain.

Gail: I agree, Numan Acar has done an outstanding job with his portrayal of Haqqani. The writers approach to softening him has paired wonderfully with the direction of the show and has led to great shots like this of Haqqani, the man and father.

Sara: Gail pointed this out on the podcast. As the conversation progresses and Hayes veers off script he literally turns away from Linus. Subtle but effective. The use of body language this season has been pretty great.

Gail: The choreography has been fantastic, I agree. Wellington has ditched his suit and has rolled up his sleeves. His calm demeanor and thoughtful counsel that we’ve come to know about him is clearly about to be tested.

Sara: IJLTP.

Gail: When one door (seemingly) closes, another one opens.

Sara: IJLTP.

Gail: The blue lights behind her are gorgeous.

Sara: “CATASTROPHIC ERROR”

Gail: The details! And much foreshadowing!

Gail: Things start out friendly and at a distance and then we rapidly move into tighter shots as Mike reveals to Saul just how bad the optics are for Carrie right now.

Sara: This is such a lovely shot and I love all Homeland rooftop scenes. Sometimes Carrie’s smoking, sometimes she’s having a panic attack, sometimes both things are happening at once. See how I turned this into a thing about Carrie?

Sara: I don’t know if this is a new choice by Claire, but recently I feel like Carrie has a habit of literally turning away from difficult conversations. Anyway, this Carrie/Saul scene was incredible.

Gail: There has been a subtle shift to her personality this season. It must be hard to face her new reality and looking at Saul has to be one of the more daunting reminders of what it used to be.

Sara: It struck my while watching (and rewatching and rewatching) that Saul is literally the only human on the planet who could have this conversation with her. He knows when to push and when to relent, when to raise his voice and when to lower it. He really does manage her. Likewise, she knows when and where to strike. It goes without saying that Claire and Mandy are incredible here. This scene is really a testament to how invaluable the foundation of watching two characters (and actors) develop a relationship, in real time, over ten years, is for the audience. It massively enhances the performances and the dramatic weight of the scene.

Gail: Sara!! You are buying into my Ivan/Saul convo theory (from “A False Glimmer”)!! I agree with everything you said and would add that with all of that being true, Saul can’t possibly think Carrie is getting on that plane back to rehab willingly.

(Sara: Guess he should have gotten the handcuffs then...)

Gail: What a stunning shot. I gasped when I saw it. Not because Haqqani was turning himself in. That I expected. But how Carrie witnesses it and reacts to it. The last time Carrie was that close to Haqqani she almost shot him. I Khan’t believe how much things have changed.

Sara: Gail, khan you not? Anyway, I agree, it’s a stunning shot. I can’t properly articulate why I love it so much so: IJLTP.

Sara: I know the show did something like when Carrie woke up from being drugged in “Why Is This Night Different?” I won’t check, because I don’t care to revisit that episode ever again. Gail, can you verify?

Gail: They did and it was eerily similar. Big difference though: Quinn was saving/protecting Carrie and Fibrooz is most definitely not doing the same for Max.

Gail: The bookend to the opening scene with Max. The flight recorder has made its way into another backpack, heading up a mountain. I LOVE the color in this scene and how the flight recorder is on a JOURNEY.

Sara: Quite possibly the funniest scene on this show ever.

Gail: This spy is heading into the cold...

Sara: “Carrie, no!” … “CARRIE YES!”

Gail: Yevgeny’s (partly faux) nonchalance (he sneaks a peek!) and Carrie’s focused stare say so much without saying a word. No looking out the window for Carrie this time, we know where her mind is at.

Sara: Carrie stares straight ahead. Yevgeny can’t help but turn and look at her. Truly iconic. I know I say that about everything, but this really is I-CON-IC!

#homeland #homelandedit #in the director's chair #two minutes #*#by: sara #by: gail

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jedimordsith · 7 years

Text

Dancer

Have a random (unedited, unrefined) excerpt from a story I started but am never going to finish. (Set during the Rebellion.)

Han tugged at his collar and grimaced. “I don't know how Lando wears this stuff.”

Luke shot a look at the Corellian, and unconsciously smoothed his own borrowed outfit. Neither of them had owned anything remotely appropriate for this mission and, shaking his head in consternation, Calrissian had generously allowed them to raid his closet. Personally, Luke thought they both looked as ridiculous as they felt in the fine, colorful silks and capes, but Leia and Lando had insisted the ensembles were perfect for two wealthy businessmen on a professional trip to Thracla.

Chewie and Artoo remained with the Falcon at the spaceport, and Luke almost wished he were with them instead of casually approaching the door of the lush private club where they'd been instructed to meet their contact. He reminded himself to keep a good attitude. Leia had been incredibly miffed at not being able to go, and relented only when he'd promised to relay everything back to her in exquisite detail when they got back.

Uncomfortable in their borrowed finery or not, both men slipped into character easily as they closed the final distance and stepped into the plush lobby. Decorated in rich reds and royal blues, with a scattering of velvet couches and deep leather chairs, the club dripped sophistication. Luke felt instantly out of his depth; forcibly suppressing the feeling, he pasted a look of polite mild interest on his face and followed Han to the concierge counter.

The impeccably dressed twilek behind the counter greeted them in cool, polite tones.

“Good evening, Gentlebeings,” he inclined his head. “Is this your first time with us?”

Han leaned an elbow on the counter, halfway between bored and arrogant. “Yes, a colleague recommended you and made us a reservation.”

The prissy accent sounded almost funny coming from the smuggler, but the twilek didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

“Of course, Sir. Under what name?”

“Captain Vitiam,” Han gave the name their contact had instructed. Luke felt his friend's tension as the concierge typed it into his data pad. They both gave mental sighs of relief when the man smiled, clearly quite pleased with what he found.

“Ah, yes, Captain.” The man's already polite demeanor had increased in respect several notches. “Right this way, please.”

They followed as he led them down a long corridor, making several turns. Deep in the building, he stopped in front of an elaborate door of real paneled wood. Entering a code into the keypad beside the door, he waited until it clicked, then pulled it open for them.

“You'll find everything you need inside,” he assured them with a slight bow. “Your entertainment will be along momentarily. Please don't hesitate to use the intercom if we can bring you anything additional.” He hesitated, then gave a knowing smile. “I'm sure your colleague mentioned that this room is entirely private. Sound proofed, and well secured against disturbances or surveillance. Please feel free to fully avail yourselves of all the room's offerings.”

Both men nodded, and Luke managed the leering grin he knew was expected before they stepped inside and the door shut behind them. When the lock clicked, they exchanged glances.

“Looks like our contact wasn't sparing any expense,” Han commented as they moved through another door into the main chamber.

Luke reached out with the Force, searching for threats. “He was telling the truth about surveillance. It looks like we really do have privacy.”

“We better,” Solo said, dropping onto one of the deep sofas. “Or this is gonna end badly.”

Luke wandered to the well-stocked bar and poured his friend a glass of Whyren's. Grabbing a tumbler of water for himself, he walked back and handed Han his glass.

“If this is for real, it could be invaluable.”

Han sipped his drink and considered. “Ain't every day somebody high up in Imperial Intel decides they want out.”

Luke's head came up. “Company,” he warned, edging his glass onto the low table so that both his hands would be free if he needed to defend them.

Music whispered to life, and a hidden door in the wall slid open. The lithe form of a dancer, draped head to toe in diaphanous, transparent golden silk stepped through. The panel slipped shut again behind her.

Without a word, she dropped into an impossibly deep curtsey, then rose with fluid grace and began to dance. She was breathtaking and Luke stared, unabashed. She wasn't much taller than Leia and, though the swirling spirals of gauze that enveloped her made it nearly impossible to make out much else clearly, obviously possessed an enticing figure with soft curves in all the right places. Beyond that, however, she positively glowed in the Force. She was radiant, like an emerald star, he thought, but bound by black bands that constrained her. It almost physically hurt to see the dark ribbons cut across her Force presence, biting into that beautiful light.

A dancer who's Force sensitive? Here? Now? That thought brought a flash of wariness, but he couldn't sustain it. She was too light; whatever had been done to her to create the strips of darkness, they were outside of her. He knew, in ways he could not explain, that she would not hurt them – that she could be trusted.

The dance took her on a sweeping, meandering path around the room. Luke felt her reaching out, testing and searching, though she scrupulously avoided his personal space in the Force.

Doing the same thing I did, he realized. Checking the room for privacy and traps. Oh kriff, she's the contact!

He felt her tense and realized she'd felt his shock. Immediately, he calmed himself, trying to send out reassuring vibes. It was something he was still working on and he wasn't sure whether or not it worked. Her dance never faltered, and her presence evened out to a quiet, wary intensity. The music faded as she slid back to the ground in the same position she'd begun, a deep curtsy just at the edge of the seating circle.

Taking a deep breath, Luke let it out slowly, bleeding his nervousness and excitement off into the Force as he approached her. He gave a half bow and held out a hand to help her rise. “You didn't tell us you were Force sensitive,” he said, unable to keep the eagerness out of his voice.

“They didn't tell me they were sending a Jedi,” she replied coolly, rising smoothly without taking his hand. She lifted her chin, daring him to reprimand her, and Luke found himself caught and instantly lost in eyes the color of emerald wine.

“She's the contact?” Han demanded.

His friend's voice snapped Luke back into reality and he stepped back quickly, motioning towards the chairs. “Please, sit.”

Mara skirted past the Jedi, willing her heart rate to slow. His piercing blue eyes had burned into her with an intensity she'd never encountered before. He felt inexplicably like sunshine, warm and sweet. To a creature accustomed to cold and dark as she was, his honeyed Force presence was dangerously alluring. It promised an intoxication she could not afford, and she schooled herself to the task at hand.

Luke's eyes half shut of their own volition as the woman's golden silks fluttered against the exposed skin of his wrists and fingertips as she passed. She smelled impossibly like white tea and spices that he couldn't name, and he had the absurd desire to bury his face in her silks and breathe it in until he was saturated with it. Startled and embarrassed by the realization, he pulled himself together.

Han sat forward now, elbows on his knees, eying the woman as she sank regally into one of the leather club chairs. Luke eased onto a lounger opposite Han, creating an uneasy triangle between the three of them.

“This is quite the introduction,” Luke noted with a half smile of amusement, hoping to put the contact at ease.

She shrugged a slender shoulder. “It was convenient. I just concluded as assignment here and an additional day was easy to slip in unnoticed.”

“Assignment,” Han picked up. “What's Imperial Intel doing in a place like this?”

“I'm not standard Intel,” the woman said carefully.

“No kidding,” the smuggler retorted with a grin, running his eyes over her attire again. “Most of the Intel guys I knew were ugly as sin.”

“What kind of Intel are you, exactly?” Luke asked gently.

Those intriguing eyes searched his for a moment before she answered. “I am the Emperor's Hand,” she said simply.

Han's jaw dropped. “You actually exist?” he demanded incredulously. “I thought you were a myth.”

She laughed bitterly. “We're very real.”

“What's an Emperor's Hand?” Luke asked, confused.

“Old Palpy's personal, invisible minions,” Han told flatly. “Assassins.”

Luke blinked, astonished. An assassin?

“How many of you are there?” Han queried the woman.

“I don't know,” she told him, the silk rustling almost musically as she shook her head. “He used to tell each of us that we were the only one, until a few of us accidentally discovered each other.” The bitterness was back, and Luke caught a hint of betrayal and hurt wafting through the Force. “So far I found five – but only two still alive, myself included.”

“Trying to get out before you get dead?” the smuggler asked knowingly.

She hesitated, and Luke felt a flicker of something in the Force. Despair? Vulnerability? From an assassin?

“The loss of the others has prompted the Emperor to consider shifting our primary duties,” the woman finally replied, picking her words carefully. “Rooting out and eliminating corrupt sleemos who abuse their power and authority is one thing. Potentially being assigned to whore myself out to buy loyalty to the Emperor because the Hand formerly responsible for that has been lost is an entirely different matter.”

A faint sick sensation rolled off of her and Luke had to physically fight the urge to reach out and squeeze her hand encouragingly.

Han stared thoughtfully between the assassin, still sitting regally tall and swathed in gold, and the Kid, who stared at her intently. He wasn't sure he was comfortable with quite how Luke was looking at the woman, but he'd yet to see the Jedi lose his head. And really, Cracken would probably court-martial them both if he found out they'd had contact with a mythical Emperor's Hand and not secured her for the Rebellion.

“All right,” he said easily, after a moment. “I can see why you'd want out.” He leaned back against the cushions and tipped his head slightly. “The thing is,” he drawled, “High Command is kind of hoping you'll hold off a bit. Feed us information for a while before you drop out and join our ranks officially.”

The woman's presence in the Force plunged, suddenly as icy as the plains of Hoth with unmistakable dread.

“It's all right – you don't have to.” Luke hadn't meant to say it – Leia would kill him – but he couldn't help it. Her response had been so stark he'd been compelled to say something, anything, to soothe her. “I mean, it would help. Tremendously. But if you're going to be assigned to … such horrible things soon, we'll take you with us – get you out - tonight.”

Mara got up and walked to the bar without a word to either of them. Her mind raced as she deliberately poured herself a glass of ruby wine. She could feel the Jedi's concern and his companion's consternation. Logically, a detached part of her mind acknowledged the reasonableness of their request. She wanted to work against the Empire, and staying in and passing information would allow her to do more good for a longer period of time than simply defecting.

But the risk. Even if her assignments didn't change, they had no idea what she'd have to keep enduring as it was.

Han shot Luke a look behind the contact's back and mouthed. “Can we trust her?”

The Jedi nodded decisively. “Completely,” he mouthed back.

Well, that settled it then, Solo supposed. He wasn't ever going to understand how this Force stuff worked, but Luke was always blunt about when he was just guessing at Force clues and from the set of his body and the look on his face, it was pretty much screaming at him right now. He was content not to look the gift nexu in the mouth.

Mara carried her glass back to the conversation circle and set it down on the low table. “How long?” she asked, her voice entirely business-like.

Han's head came up. “As long as you can,” he told her, bluntly. “Ultimately, that'll have to be your call.”

“I assume you have a plan, then?” she prompted.

“You've been doing a good job passing us messages this far,” Han pointed out, refusing to be embarrassed over the fact that they really didn't have a plan. “We can build on whatever you're already doing, right?”

She considered this for a moment, then gave Luke a long, considering look. Turning back to Han, she pinned him with her sharp gaze. “Promise that when I say it's time, you'll get me out or make sure I'm dead. Not reported dead,” she clarified, ignoring the stunned stares of both men. “Verified with your own eyes and burned to ash,” she insisted. “Give me your word on those terms, and I'll do it.”

Luke's gut rebelled against the idea of killing this woman but Han was already speaking. “Done,” he agreed.

He stuck out his hand and the contact took it, silk falling away from her delicate wrist as she shook firmly.

“You got a name?” Han asked.

“Mara Jade.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Jade. I'm Han Solo, Captain of the Millennium Falcon.” Han grinned.

“Informal Consort to Princess Leia of Alderaan, I know,” she replied, with just a touch of amusement.

Han blinked in surprise, then gave in to a smug smile. “That too. Now, current system okay, or do we need to work out something new for getting in touch?”

“I may be able to provide something better. If the Jedi is willing.”

“My name is Luke. Luke Skywalker.” Luke's voice was low and steady, but his heart beat a little faster at the woman's intent gaze. Why did she affect him like this? He had never been comfortable around pretty, elegant women, but hell – he didn't even know if she was pretty. He had yet to see anything but her eyes. Well, that was a lie. She was breathtaking in the Force. But even that shouldn't have accounted for her strange effect on him.

“May I try something, Skywalker?” she asked, her tone unexpectedly formal.

“Of course,” he invited, genuinely curious.

Can you hear me?

Luke started. Her voice had been clear as Alderaanean crystal in his head. “Yes,” he said aloud, automatically.

Try again. In my head this time, she instructed.

He had no idea how to do that. “I'm afraid I haven't learned that yet,” he admitted, chagrined.

“Learned what?” Han asked, suspiciously.

“She can speak into my head,” Luke explained, unable to keep his curiosity or awe from his voice. “Perfectly clearly – it's amazing.” He turned to her. “Can you show me?”

She considered him, slightly uneasy for reasons he didn't understand. Finally, she shifted slightly and held out a hand. “You have to invite me in,” she said firmly. “I won't intrude beyond where you offer.”

Luke looked surprised, but reached out and grasped her hand gently with his own. “I didn't imagine you would.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that why you aren't shielding?”

“Shielding?” He hesitated, then shrugged. “I only know a very little about shielding,” he confessed.

“I see. Well, one issue at a time,” she replied. “First, invite me in.”

Luke closed his eyes and reached out in the Force, easily finding Mara's presence and opening himself to it. He felt the cautiousness in her approach and wondered if she'd had bad experiences with someone entering her mind. He felt her catch the thought and snort.

You have no idea, she told him. Then she was gently picking through his head with feather light touches until she found what she wanted. You're sure you're all right with this?

Please. He didn't know how to project it, so simply thought it fervently instead, hoping it would be enough.

Apparently it was, because he felt her ease into a tiny nook in his mind. With gentle, precise care she rooted tendrils of her Force presence into his mind. He gasped at the intimacy of it, and involuntarily wrapped his own presence around the tendrils, clinging to the warm silken feel of her. He heard her breath catch and he winced, jerked back.

“I'm sorry!” he blurted aloud. “I didn't mean to -.”

She cut him off with silent reassurance, and he started at how clear and close the feeling was. It's all right. I just didn't expect you to catch on so quickly. Not a mistake I'll make again.

He felt a nudge, and tentatively entwined himself around her again, sighing in sweet relief as the warm, contented feeling returned.

“Your turn,” she said aloud, and he felt a tremor of uncertainty under the cool demeanor she projected. “Just tread carefully. My head is a little more… volatile than yours. But I'll show you a safe place.”

Luke nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see him, but apparently she got the message anyway. He watched, in a manner of speaking, as she rose from inside his mind and pulled back. Part of her, he noted with delight, remained embedded where she'd settled in his mind. Reassured, he followed the rest of her Force presence out along a glowing thread in the Force and into her mind.

He paused at the edge of her mind, staring blankly for a second. He'd never done more than skim the surface of another's thoughts and feelings before, but he could tell with instant clarity that hers was not a normal mind. It was fiercely ordered and regimented, trained both physically and mentally in ways he knew he wasn't yet prepared or equipped to understand. She waited patiently, and he quickly moved to catch up. Her mind was soothingly cool, and he slipped through it behind her, trying not to get distracted by the patches of darkness or the walls of scarring. He didn't want to think about what had caused them, or how much pain she must have endured getting them.

As promised, she led him to clean, secured nook. You'll be safe here.

As she had done, Luke sank to “floor” and carefully extended tendrils of his Force presence into her. The feeling nearly made him giddy, and he struggled to keep his composure and watch his motions. He didn't want to go too deep or too fast and risk hurting her. He stopped when he felt her slide her own presence up to embrace and merge with his. Secure, he rose unsteadily and let her lead him back out.

Drifting into himself again, Luke slumped back against the cushions. “Wow,” he muttered, suddenly both tired and elated. He grinned. “That was amazing.”

Mara let out a shaky breath. “You're very good, Jedi.” Her grip on the arms of her chair tightened. “But we'll need to work on your shields before you go. You can't go running around unshielded with me in your head.”

“She's in your head? Han asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It's incredible, Han,” Luke gushed. “I've never felt anything like it.”

“It's a simple Force bond,” Mara explained. “Usually used for training.” She glanced down at her hands, now folded together tightly in her lap. “It's also my area of gifting. I can maintain bonds and communicate clearly across vast distances.”

“That's why the Emperor likes you,” Han caught on.

“One of the reasons, yes,” she admitted.

Luke jerked upright. “The Emperor is in your head like this?”

Even through the veils he could see her wince. “He won't know you're there,” she assured him.

The Jedi grabbed her hand. “That's not what I meant.” His thumbs stroked gently over the soft skin of her wrist. “I just… it must be awful for you. To feel him, like this.”

Mara looked up in surprise. He's worried about me? She couldn't think of the last time anyone had shown genuine concern for her comfort, and had no idea what to say.

Han interrupted, waving a hand at them. “Can this – bond thing be undone?”

“Of course,” Jade replied promptly. “Skywalker can kick me out any time he wishes.” She shot a look at Luke. “Though I'd appreciate some warning. It can be unpleasant if it isn't done correctly and with mutual participation.”

“I would never do that to you,” Luke said at once, already fiercely protective of the woman he now cradled inside him.

“I was thinking more along the lines of 'Ol Yellow Eyes,” Han told them. “You're gonna want him out of your head before you get out, I imagine.”

“I won't endanger any of you by defecting while still linked to the Emperor.”

Han nodded. “So, what, now you can talk directly to the Kid, uninterrupted through your own private channel?”

“Essentially, yes. I'll still need to use other methods for large quantities of data, but I can check in and relay codes and such directly to Skywalker. It will ease communications significantly.”

“I'd say so,” Solo agreed, pleased. He tipped his head. “You gonna take off that veil at some point so we actually know what you look like if we ever meet up again?”

She appeared to consider this for a moment, then stood. Reaching behind her, she undid a hidden clasp and pulled the head veil away. A second later, the longer veil draped around her shoulders followed, both tossed over the back of her chair.

Han blinked, completely unprepared for what he saw. She's just a girl. She couldn't have been any older than Leia and the Kid, and probably not even that. He suddenly felt grimly guilty for what they'd just convinced her to do. Everything in him abruptly wanted to drag her to the Falcon and whisk her as far away from monsters like Palpatine as he could.

Luke gaped. Mara's lithe curves were sheathed in a thin film of gold material with the faintest hint of a shimmer. There didn't appear to be an ounce of spare fat on her, and while her hands had been firm and slightly callused from her work, the now exposed skin of her shoulders was invitingly soft and creamy. Above enticing red lips and those sparkling green eyes, red gold hair had been plaited into a fastidious braid and wound around her head in an elegant coronet.

He understood with horrible, glaring clarity why her Force presence was bound with such tight, dark bands. A spirit as strong in the Force as hers, housed in a body like this, with the training she had, was impossibly dangerous. Of course Palpatine had sought to control, confine, and use her. An ache blossomed in Luke's chest at the thought of how magnificent she would be unchained and fully trained.

“I'm not that strong, Skywalker,” she said, picking up on his thoughts. “I have my giftings, but I'll never be as strong as you.”

“Who told you that?” he demanded, angrily. “The Emperor?”

She looked at him strangely. “Of course. Who else would have assessed me?”

Luke stood and gripped her arms. She stiffened under his touch, entirely unaccustomed to being touched at all, except clinically or by fumbling, drunken targets. He ignored her response, catching her gaze and holding it firmly, blue eyes burning.

“He lied. You are far more powerful than you imagine.”

“I don't want to be powerful,” she argued sharply. “Power in the Force in dangerous.”

“You are already dangerous,” he pointed out, frowning.

“To others, not myself,” she shot back.

“Force users are more dangerous – to everyone- untrained,” Luke objected. “There's more risk of crossing into the dark side if you aren't trained.”

Mara snorted and jerked free of his hold to cross her arms over her chest. “Believe me, I know the dark side. I won't ever cross into it accidentally.”

“No,” he said, considering her. “I guess you won't. But you of all people ought to embrace all the power you have to protect yourself from the darkness you're surrounded with every day.”

She looked away, her chin ducking towards her chest as she unconsciously tried to make herself smaller. To cringe away from memories of what dark Force users did to those who couldn't protect themselves.

Luke's heart clenched and his hands fisted at his sides as he felt her shy away. “He hurts you.” It was a statement, quiet and saturated in grief.

“Of course,” she snapped. “He's a Sith. He hurts everyone.”

The Jedi's hand came up and rested lightly on her arm, just above the elbow, his thumb sweeping in easy, soft strokes over the tense muscle. “Let me train you, Mara. At least a little, for your own protection.”

She regarded him warily, indecision and caution seeping from her. Eventually, she gave a single nod. “Fine. I have to train you on shielding anyway, and it might not hurt to have a few extra tricks up my sleeve if I'm not leaving right away.”

Luke beamed at her, his relief evident. “Thank you.”

“Speaking of leaving,” Han interjected with a grimace. “Our time here is about up.”

Mara immediately took a step backward, gathering her veils, and Luke felt the loss. He was comforted, however, by a quick check inside himself. She was still there, nestled safely in his new “Mara-place”.

In seconds, Mara was once again completely concealed by her diaphanous veils. “Where are you docked?” she asked Solo.

“Bay 61F,” he told her. “We're not scheduled to leave until tomorrow afternoon.”

She nodded. “I'll come in the morning to teach the Jedi how to shield.” She shot a glance at Luke, then back at Han. “I recommend not telling anyone about the bond. For everyone's safety.”

“We'll have to tell Leia,” Solo objected. “And Chewie. But I agree – nobody else.” He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “That goes for you too.”

She snorted. “Who would I tell?”

He looked at her. “I dunno. You don't have any trusted servants or best friends or anything?”

“No,” was all she said, but the single word and flat, empty tone spoke volumes.

“You do now,” Luke spoke up, determinedly.

She shook her head. “You're my contact, Skywalker. Eventually, you'll either be my evac or my killer. You needn't feel obligated to be my friend, as well.”

He caught her hand as she turned away. “I want to, Jade.”

She looked pointedly at their hands, then back at him. “Touching me like that normally causes people to lose an appendage.”

Her expression said he should be worried, but he felt no malice in her Force presence, so he simply smiled unrepentantly. “I'll keep that in mind.” Still, he released her. “Do you have a preferred code name?” he asked, changing subjects. “Using your real name probably isn't wise.”

“Almost no one knows my name,” Mara said, thoughtfully, “but you're right.” A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face before she smoothed it away. “Call me Dancer.”

Until tomorrow, Jedi, she said in his mind, inclining her head slightly. “Solo.”

Then she was gone.

#luke x mara #unfinished fics #did you know Mara was a dancer?

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thedramafilesblog-blog · 7 years

Text

Appearing before the Dramacourt: Man to Man Ep 01

***If this is your first time browsing The Drama Files, please read The Rules section first for our reviewing and rating system***

Issues:

Whether the sniper shooting scene was realistic

Whether the “prison break” was believable

Whether the evil scorpion man villain scene was the funniest thing ever

Whether the breakup with the mob boss’s daughter was legit

Whether ex-fangirls would really make the best managers

Whether the explanation on ‘how to contact a Ghost Agent’ was hilarious

The Rule(s):

Absolutely not. There’s a reason snipers don’t move around and jump across buildings when on a mission.

Somewhat. It started out strong and then its like the write gave up thinking halfway through.

Totally. Cheap, terrible CGI and random NYPD in the most un-New York environment is totally ridiculous.

No. It was totally not legit. So many unanswered questions.

Depends.

Yes. Totally hilarious.

Analysis:

RedRosette J: Finally. A show that isn’t absolutely horrible right from the start. I have to say that I was waiting for this show ever since they announced it. I love James Bond-y spy shows, so this is totally up my alley! It got off to a rocky start with the ridiculous “sniper” scene (See Issue 1) at the beginning but after that the show picked up. There was all the super secret spy stuff, running around Europe, and things blowing up just like in any good spy show. There was definitely a LOT going on in this episode and I had to stop for breaks throughout (this probably has nothing to do with the actual plot though and more to do with the fact that my brain is tired from studying. Exams. Ugh). Park Hae Jin is totally believable as Agent Kim Seol Woo. He’s done previously “soul-less” roles before (Bad Guys and arguably Cheese in the Trap), so there’s no doubt he can deliver. I also like that he brings a little bit of a “I-give-no-shits” vibe to the character. I really liked the introduction of the movie star Yeo Woon Gwang and the people around him. They all seem to have unique and well developed characters. Right down to a Descendants of the Sun spoof! I’m excited to see how Park Hae Jin’s and Kim Min Jung’s characters interact as the show goes on. For right now, it seems to be the typical borderline love-hate situation. As for the political plot line, I got bored and sort of zoned out, but I’m hoping it gets better later on. The production is well done and the OST is decent too. So far, I don’t hate it and I’m really hoping it continues this way and doesn’t disappoint.

Jubiemon J: Overall, I’ve enjoyed this episode. We had a good mix of action and humour. I also liked how the episode showed a contrast between Kim Sulwoo and Yeo Woo Gwang through the transitions. When Sulwoo is suffering in prison, you have Woo Gwang being a jerk to all the workers around him. There’s a nice contrast between their personalities, yet they’re similar in many ways as well. Sulwoo can charm people like how Woo Gwang is great at acting as if he cares about the people around him (not his direct team; other directors/actors). However, Sulwoo seems to be less conceited and has a more serious, responsible personality unlike Woo Gwang who is really the arrogant type that you can’t hate completely since he’s still good at what he does. Also, though the spy scenes in the start were a bit cheesy at first and the long English scenes were kind of excessive, I still enjoyed seeing that setup for Park Haejin’s character. I felt like the crew intentionally had that long intro segment to lightly make fun of typical spy movies too. In spy movies, there’s always that femme fatale and how Haejin’s character ended the relationship he had with that woman in Hungary was hilarious and totally made fun of spy movies.

I wouldn’t say this episode was a 10/10 because there were still some parts that bug me. I did think that how Sulwoo entered the prison was on the ridiculous side; he could have just committed some crime and entered or acted as some prison guard. Instead, he had to go through that long saga with getting kidnapped by some peeps to get to the Russian military leader. I also don’t particularly enjoy Cha Do Ha as a character. She seems to be the typical Mary Sue. She’s a kind, devoted woman with good intentions and is completely infatuated with Woo Gwang to the point that it’s embarrassing. She’s like at least 30 in this drama . . . and she fan girls like a teenager. I know it’s supposed to be cute/funny, yet I just cringe. Not to mention, did they HAVE to give her the worst bowl cut ever? She also keeps interfering with Sulwoo’s mission which sincerely irritates me. I’d rather watch how his mission will play out than have her believe he is some paparazzi. Even worse, it’s completely obvious how Sulwoo will eventually fall for her. There’s already some hint that something about her “bugs” him; his boss even alluded that there’s always a woman involved. Finally, the political parts were still . . . ugh. Can we just let go of all the corruption dramas going on? -0-‘ So sick of this theme. (I do have to say this drama has done the best so far in terms of dealing with the politics; not TOO TOO much like in some dramas like Defendant. God. No.)

We’d never get anything done if professors looked like this

Fake dating

Tea with a mob boss

Shady shit always goes down in alleys

LOL!

Making sure everything is perfect because you have the boss from hell

Smiles

When someone interrupts your “me time”

This guy tho

“Let me see your equipment” ;)

When you can’t believe he’s so pretty!

There’s some political stuff too…

Issue 1: Whether the sniper shooting scene was realistic

RedRosette J: I get what the drama was trying to do. I really do. They wanted to show him as a rebel who doesn’t follow the rules and does crazy stuff. I get it. But there are tons and tons of other much more realistic ways of showing that! There’s a reason that snipers lay in wait and don’t move. It’s all about precision and timing. It takes time to focus on your target and wait for the opportune moment. It is highly and I mean highly unrealistic for a sniper to be able to pick up his giant ass gun, run across a building, jump down said building and then aim and shoot a man. Seriously? Not to mention, those guns are really not meant to be “portable and user-friendly.” I just found this scene completely ridiculous and thought they could have done much much better.

Pretty sure that’s not how a sniper works

Breaking all the rules

Dude: “He doesn’t listen to anyone.” Dude 2: “Perfect let’s recruit him”

Issue 2: Whether the “prison break” was believable

RedRosette J: Let me just start off by saying that I am a HUGE fan of Prison Break (Season 5 airing now!). So, any show that does anything remotely related to a prison break, I expect Prison Break level standards for the breakout. I was super super excited when things started rolling towards a prison break: stuff got exchanged, soap molds were made, prison batteries were made, shank keys were cut and then the actual breakout was WTF? They just ran. Like ran through the prison. I’m sorry but where were the guards and the locked doors? It’s a prison. Not some hotel hallway where you can casually run down. It gets worse. They get to a grate in the wall which just opens and then they jump into some hole and the scene cuts to them sitting in a car by a helicopter. What? So many questions are unanswered!!! Where did the tunnel lead? How did they get out of the tunnel? Was it even a tunnel? Where was the car? How did they get the car? Did they talk to someone? I don’t know…It was really like the writer got too tired to think about the ending and was just like ‘whatever I’ll resolve it off screen’. No. Brah. You have to see it through!

Jubiemon J: What I did like about the prison break was the start of it, the part where Sulwoo stuffed something on that door which then led to something being lit up. The lights then all shut down. I quite liked that part. I wouldn’t say the prison break was THAT bad compared to the ones I’ve seen in other movies. It was just okay. What bugs me more is HOW Sulwoo ended up in prison. It was totally unnecessary to have to have dated that daughter of some evil guy and then get kidnapped by the dad and thrown to prison. Ha. Like I said before, he could have had a prison guard there. Also that ending part with the Russian military leader being sent off by his crew ? If he could have gotten a helicopter all set up, why couldn’t he have broken out earlier by himself? Was Sulwoo really necessary? I doubt it.

When you in prison but still got moves…

When you in prison but you still chill af…

What is this? Where does it go?

Issue 3: Whether the evil scorpion man villain scene was the funniest thing ever.

RedRosette J: I LOL’d so hard at this! This was the funniest thing ever. The dude was wearing like a full on body suit (Batman style) and had a massive scorpion tattoo on the side of his face that glowed! It was completely ridiculous and totally hilarious. The shitty CGI made it even funnier. It was also set in New York (?) but looked like it was actually outside a strip mall. LOL! Dead. So funny!

Jubiemon J: This part really, really confused me at first because I thought there was some supernatural element to this drama. I almost got really mad and wanted to say no to this drama. After I realized that he was just filming as a “bad” Superman, I thought it was all right. I guess they wanted to introduce a popular guy who does action films that can sometimes be cringey yet still popular. (Hinting at lots of those sequels and franchises I bet.)

LOL!

That tattoo tho LOLOLOL

When you famous because you were in a corny movie, but still got swag

Issue 4: Whether the breakup with the mob boss’s daughter was legit

RedRosette J: I totally understand the logic behind why he had to die for there to be a proper wrap up of the relationship. He’s right. You do not want a scorned woman on your case if you are an international super spy. My only issue is with the execution of said death plot. The car explodes with him in it while she’s walking towards it. Cool. But how did he get out? And then he just walks away right in front of the burning car and she’s supposed to be right behind the car. How did she not see him walk away? I don’t get it. Again, this could have been written better, eg: engineered drive by shooting with a fake blood pack and a bulletproof vest or gets pushed off a cliff into the ocean, or I don’t know anything else that seemed a little bit more legit. It’s for the dramatic theatrics, yes, but still I hold spy dramas to a higher standard.

Jubiemon J: I can kind of see how she wouldn’t notice him going away. When someone is caught by surprise and he/she isn’t trained to be immune to these dangerous scenes, he/she would probably be caught up with whatever that surprised the person. It’s sort of how there has been this experiment that has shown that when there’s a fire, most people are way too shocked to even react and run away. They just freeze. I think it’s reasonable for her not to have noticed Sulwoo walking off. I do agree that we’re kind of left wondering how he escaped; I think that might have been the writer/director thinking that this would show us how awesome Sulwoo is as a spy. We’d never know how he escaped. That’s the beauty? A magician doesn’t reveal his/her tricks?

NO.

Issue 5: Whether ex-fan girls would really make the best managers

RedRosette J: You’d really have to make sure that she’s not some psycho stalker first. But in an ideal situation probably yes they’d make good managers. Case in point is Cha Do Ha (Kim Min Jung’s character), who literally picks up the Yeo Woon Gwang’s car with a forklift because he was making out with some random actress in it. Talk about an extreme deterrent. Ex-fangirls would definitely be willing to go to extremes to protect the star…that much I believe.

Jubiemon J: No. You don’t want someone that’s a crazy hormone-filled fan girl to act as your manager. Sure you will get someone who understands your pet peeves and habits, but you also have someone that’s likely fantasizing being with you or stalking you. It’s also unprofessional for her to be going goo-goo ga ga behind the scenes when there are co-workers around her. It’s cringey and embarrassing. I also think that having someone like her who only sees him as that perfect man will eventually end up stunting his career. He treats his closest staff so terribly that they will likely want to leave him later. Also, I think someone would want a manager to be able to bring some sense to the star like keep them grounded. I think the only reason that he has kept her around is that he is a narcissist. He wants someone to idolize him completely. (This is just on the first ep; his character assessment will likely change b/c we have that hint of him being all sensitive when the politician’s wife told him she managed that clothing brand.)

How you react when you an exfangirl and your bias does something cute

This is top notch deterrence

Issue 6: Whether the explanation on ‘how to contact a Ghost Agent’ was hilarious.

RedRosette J: This was absolutely hilarious. The best part was that what Seol Woo’s “handler” Lee Dong Hyun (Jeong Man Sik’s character) was explaining to the Director was totally realistic. You know how they say the best spies are the ones who wear no disguises? This is totally that except the best spies are the ones that act like regular people! The director was all “how do you contact him?” and Lee Dong Hyun is all “I texted him” LOL! Totally totally hilarious. He goes on to explain to Seol Woo later on that the Director thought he was kidding because it was too normal and realistic. I love it!

Conclusion: Appeal Allowed.

Rating: 3 = MM. Okay. Fine. (It was good. Not cookie worthy good, but still good. Here’s to hoping it gets better)

Dissent from Jubiemon J – 3.5 – that .5 comes in because Park Haejin really studied hard to execute his English lines! He executed his lines very well considering how English isn’t his mother tongue. I’d probably would have given this a 4 if it weren’t for the cringey Cha Do Ha. I think cutting her character out would be fabulous.

File No: Man-To-Man-EP-01 Appearing before the Dramacourt: Man to Man Ep 01 ***If this is your first time browsing The Drama Files, please read The Rules section first for our reviewing and rating system***

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