#let the clones be interesting again! stop making them mandos just because the work has already been done for you!

[antianakin]

You know what's something I wished fanon/fanfic/etc explored? The idea of clones, basically traveling the galaxy because of the war not only having their own traditions, but also picking up stuff and being taught things by various people they encounter. Not even necessarily like a culture/tradition. A planet's local militia taught a trooper how to weave grass during a long night waiting for orders.

Of course he brought this to his friends and now the whole battalion makes things from grass or leaves or thread. It's calming, it's fun, they experiment with materials.

The clones who've developed their own culture (not Mandalorian) but also enjoying learning and participating. Let them be happy and want to explore things beyond their DNA donors world. (I also enjoy the idea of them getting to relax and join in on fun, normal activities).

And the idea of different units having different traditions while also sharing them when they're deployed together is fun.

The idea of mindfulness being picked up from Jedi general's and everyone having a unique spin, either copying meditation or meditating while cleaning equipment.

Also I want people to appreciate the clones as their own people.

Yeah, I hardly EVER see the clones depicted as this really interesting mish mash of cultures due to potentially picking up a bunch of shit from civilian populations they meet and then just passing it around their own battalion which could then make it out to the GAR as a whole.

Weaving baskets is a cute one, it could also be something as simple as picking up new spices every time they land somewhere and so their food is this wild fusion cuisine of spices and maybe fruits/dried meats/nuts from all over the galaxy because they just pick up stuff that goes to the kitchens and the clones doing the cooking in the kitchens use whatever they've got available to try to make new dishes. And they end up perhaps getting really good at figuring out how to combine these different ingredients that, on paper, seem like they absolutely should NOT go well together and yet somehow they make it work. And so clone cuisine becomes its own completely unique thing. You could even compare it to Jedi cuisine where they probably end up combining things a lot themselves, but the Jedi would theoretically often have had more access to resources and time to learn whole dishes than the clones do so it's more that the Jedi prepare different specific dishes from a lot of cultures as opposed to the more fusion-style cuisine the clones have come up with.

Or games, it'd be so cute to have the clones picking up all these different sort-of idle games from different civilian children they meet, like gffa versions of hopscotch or hackey sack, maybe card games that aren't sabacc or board games that aren't dejarik but are more specific to this one planet or culture. Maybe the clones start coming up with their OWN card games as they go because they start getting bored of the few that they know and start getting creative from there.

And of course things like different styles of visual art like painting and tattooing and hair styles that they might pick up on and incorporate into their own style that either becomes very popular among the clones on its own or ends up sort-of hybridized and become its own unique clone specific spin on the artform rather than a direct imitation. Writing would be really cool, too, that they pick up things like novels or journals from different cultures and some of the clones start writing creatively and become really prolific among the GAR (and maybe the Jedi too) for their stories. Similar to before, they might start off sort-of imitating styles they see from other cultures, specific kinds of poetry or tropes, but then branch out and put their own spin on it or start combining different things they've learned from various cultures.

Some clones might end up sticking closer to one specific culture they've connected or that just matches their personal taste really well, while others embrace the fusion more, and everything in-between.

And of course we can bring the Jedi into it more, too, and have the Jedi constantly working to introduce the clones to more things, maybe things THEY know and love from various cultures that they think the clones would find fun or interesting. And not just that person's "birth culture" like Ahsoka teaching people about Togruta culture, but things from OTHER CULTURES that they themselves have experimented with and liked. Maybe Ahsoka has a Mon Cal skincare routine she fucking swears by, or a Zabrak meat dish that's her absolute favorite hands down because of how tender they cook it, or her favorite book is actually Rodian because she particularly loves Rodian romance novels. And she introduces the clones to THESE things as well because why wouldn't she? The Jedi have a smorgasbord of options available to them and their culture encourages learning and connecting as much as possible, something I imagine they'd do their best to pass on to the clones in any way available to them.

And of course the Jedi, as some of the only people really out there with the clones and interacting with them regularly, get to be the first to BENEFIT from the hybridization that the clones utilize and get to see more about how these different cultures they've learned and appreciated for so long can be combined in such new and different ways to create something entirely unique and beautiful, so they get to enjoy these things all over again and it's AWESOME! New favorite noodle dish that combined fish from Glee Anselm and spices from Pantora and noodles from Chandrila, new favorite poem that has elements of Naboo and Ryloth in it, new knitted scarf that combined a knitting style from Lothal and a pattern from Shili.

And I've been going more for physical material things so far like food and stuff, but you can include things like slang they pick up from other cultures or maybe rituals of some kind they saw someone do that they asked about and got permission to participate in that they continue to practice afterwards because it's nice and calming.

The interesting part about the clones is that they don't have a "birth" culture to go back to. They were raised in a very sterile environment where everything they were exposed to was something very specific and aimed towards a certain goal. So they might have a favorite fighting move from the ones they were taught on Kamino or a favorite ship to fly of the ones they were taught to use for war, but it would be SO incredibly limited to what the Kaminoans wanted them to learn and not intended to become something the clones really connected to culturally. The Kaminoans themselves clearly HAVE a culture of sorts, they seem to share a style of fashion at least and probably an architectural style, but this isn't something that was passed on to the clones or that they would've been allowed to ever really participate in (beyond maintenance to the buildings, but they wouldn't have gotten a say in things like paint colors or additions to the building for cosmetic reasons, etc). And of course I don't think canon supports the idea that the clones really had a lot of connection to Mando culture and certainly nothing that supports the concept that they would consider it their "birth" culture. Jango barely seems to have passed any sort of Mando heritage on to BOBA, so it seems INCREDIBLY unlikely he'd have passed anything significant on to the clones he DIDN'T consider his son. And the Mando trainers are a legends thing these days, and were never canon anyway, so their exposure to Mando culture would be even more limited than their exposure to Kaminoan culture quite honestly.

All of which means the clones don't really have a firm basis of a birth culture from which to start on and then sort-of experiment out from. They're almost entirely open to whatever they discover or are introduced to in terms of culture. They're not Mando, they're not Kaminoan, they're their OWN THING and they can literally incorporate just about anything and everything into the culture they choose to build and that's SUCH a cool thing to look at and to explore and I don't know if I've really seen that much of it in fics. Especially via the Jedi who are their own massively multi-cultural society and can take the opportunity to really widen the clones' horizons in so many ways.

#star wars #clone troopers #clone trooper culture #jedi #pro jedi #anti mandoclone #mandoclone critical #let the clones be interesting again! stop making them mandos just because the work has already been done for you! #it's lazy as hell and boring at this point too! #blah blah armor blah blah fighting blah blah vod blah blah jetii blah blah blah blah blah blah #it could not GET more uninteresting than that #also i am CONVINCED there are more restaurants in coruscant than dex's diner #and yet somehow that's the only one the clones ever seem to go to aside from 79's #i love dex too but come ON

[crispyjenkins]

Me again, hope you don’t mind... anyways could you do Cody and Obi wan First Meeting out of Cody’s POV and he slowly realizes that this isn’t you usual Jedi general but that Obi-Wan Kenobi is not only beautiful but also 1. Incredibly good at words 2. Actually cares about the Vode 3. For that reason dislikes fighting and casualties and actually shows his compassion to the Vode 4. Is an absolute badass and 5. Absolutely insane

(Obi-Wan defying the troopers' expectations is the reason i'm alive, and the vode being intimidated by this scary magic man only to find out he's a reckless dumbass who cares more about them than actually winning the war is just. yes. not actually sure how it happened in canon, my brain is being mean, but canon is nebulous and i do what i want. 

so here's Cody being surprised by Obi-Wan's endless love for absolutely everybody, and obi being surprised that Cody is surprised.)

  Cody is running on six hours of sleep in two days following General Rret So’s reassignment, and he isn’t even close to being finished cleaning up that... disaster. They’ve got a new batch of shinies to paint and name, bodies to bury, a new general to meet, and to be honest, Cody doesn’t have all too high hopes for their next one. It’s already kriffing clear that none of the Jedi have proper military training, and while Cody isn’t one for gossip, he’s also heard rumors that Kenobi hasn’t been in the field since Geonosis. And they want him to lead an attack battalion.

  But when Cody arrives in the hangar of their current outpost to make sure it’s in shape before Kenobi arrives, there’s a Jedi near the center of the room, sitting on the floor. Or sitting... a few inches above the floor, only one hand gently touching the durasteel below him, and Cody halts just inside the door.

  It doesn’t take much to guess his identity, what with the Jedi robe mostly pooled on the floor, whose edges drift in lazy swirls. The man has his eyes closed, several small stones levitating in equally lazy spins around him, but the casual show of power doesn’t put Cody on edge the way their Nautolan general had; the air around Rret felt like static when he meditated, but General Kenobi effuses warmth and calm, his expression as thoughtful as it is peaceful. 

  Cody skeptically takes in the armor under Kenobi’s robe, modified clone armour; General Rret never touched anything not sent directly from the Temple. And Kenobi is... smaller than Cody had expected of the famed Negotiator that had helped lead at the Battle of Geonosis, more lithe, more compact. His hair is longer than regulation (not that that has ever stopped Tup), just enough to pull back, with an endearing curl that’s escaped the elastic floating at his temple.

  Cody was created for problem solving, for analyzing patterns and information where his rank-and-file brothers could not, but all these little details just leave him confused.

  The stones gently and slowly settle back onto the ground, followed by the general as he inhales a deep breath, and that aura of tranquility does not leave when he opens his eyes. 

  And then he smiles at Cody.

  Cody snaps a salute, nerves jumping despite the general’s expression, and tries to raise his mental shields like Jango had taught them to. “General, sir,” he greets, keeping his gaze just below Kenobi’s eyes, which unfortunately has him pinned on his lips.

  “Commander Cody,” he returns warmly in High Coruscanti, rising in a fluid motion and holding out a hand. Cody stares at it for a moment before he realises General Kenobi means to shake his hand, and he almost thinks it’s a trap, but he hesitantly reaches out all the same. That smile grows as Kenobi then moves to grip Cody’s forearm like any proper Mando, tapping his other fist to the center of his chest. “It’s good to finally meet you, Commander: I’ve been assured that we will work quite well together.”

  Reeling, Cody almost forgets to respond. “Sir?”

  “I’ve heard nothing but compliments from your men, and from other battalions; Captain Rex in particular speaks very highly of you.”

  Does he know Cody was almost court martialed for arguing with General Rret? Does he know about the multiple complaints submitted by the Nautolan for insubordination? 

  The way Kenobi’s eyes crinkle at the corners doesn’t assure him that he had. “I like to get my information from multiple sources,” Kenobi explains, finally releasing Cody to tuck his arms behind his back almost at parade rest. “You’re here a bit early, aren’t you? Excellent, that gives us some time to chat before your men arrive.”

  It’s enough that General Kenobi went out of his way to learn his name, and then use it, leaving Cody absolutely helpless as Kenobi launches in questions about the cleanup from Rret’s departure.

-

  Kenobi growls like a stampeding reek as their next assault goes to kriffing shit. No sooner had Kenobi managed to greet Ghost Company, that the call to arms had blared through the outpost, a droid battalion approaching from the South. Which was something Rret had apparently anticipated but not felt the need to tell anyone, including the High Generals.

  And Kenobi had loaded up with the rest of them, speaking quickly with the pilot, and surely his general wasn’t planning on— on actually fighting with them? 

  But he had indeed leapt from the transport into the dense forest right alongside him, and Cody had realised, kriff, he has to try and keep this crazy Jedi alive long enough for him to ask what the kriff he’s thinking.

  And then things just keep going wrong, from misinformation about droid numbers, to being cornered in a ravine, to Cody having to step over a Shiny that hadn’t even been named yet. Kenobi whirls through the droids with his lightsaber, but the B1s seem to just keep coming, and Cody has almost resigned himself to dying here, because Rret would never let them change the plan this far in—

  “Commander!” Kenobi shouts, shoving a B2 droid off his ‘saber. “Full retreat! Evac is inbound, get your men to the top of the ridge!”

  “Sir?”

  Appearing at Cody’s side and handing him a fresh blaster, Kenobi’s serene expression is traded for troubled rage, but it’s by some miracle not aimed at the vode. “We’re not winning here today,” Kenobi says, jerking his chin towards the ridge as he tugs Cody behind a boulder. “We need to regroup, your medic is already overrun.”

  Which doesn’t quite compute. It’s not as if they haven’t lost entire squads in similar conditions, what does Kenobi hope to achieve by—

  “I’ll hold them off,” he says, making Cody choke on his spit. “As long as I can.”

  “General!” By the Force, he can’t honestly think that Cody will let him stay behind, that Cody will leave him here.

  “That’s an order, I’m not losing any more men today,” Kenobi says firmly. He checks around the boulder before spinning back to Cody. “I was told you were by the book, that you were a stellar soldier with his brothers’ best interest at heart. Are you going to make me a fool for believing that?”

  “General, I don’t think—”

  “I’ve given you an order, Commander. Retreat. I will meet you back at the outpost.”

  Swallowing down the urge to throw up, Cody nods and salutes, and prays to whatever deity listening that he’ll wake up tomorrow with absolutely no memory of today.

  Kenobi gives him a small smile, before reigniting his ‘saber and rushing back into the battle.

-

  Cody is just beginning to wonder if they’re going to have to get another new general when Kenobi shows up in the last search party before they call it off for the night, stepping off the transport with several more injured brothers that hadn’t made it back with the first two evacs. A squad of shinies runs up to get the stretches to the medbay that is indeed overrun, but Cody doesn’t worr— can’t worry about that right now, marching up to Kenobi with a comm disk.

  “Sir, welcome back,” he greets, taking quick stock of the minor grazes on Kenobi’s face, how limp his hair has turned, but he otherwise seems fine, which is a miracle in it of itself. “High General Mundi—”

  “Later,” Kenobi cuts him off, not unkindly, but with an air of unspeakable exhaustion. “Master Rret So restationed your secondary medics, yes?”

  “Yes, sir, but what—?”

  Kenobi nods once and starts to follow the shinies, Cody matching pace with him even as he’s sure he’s broadcasting his confusion into the Force. Kenobi offers him a tiny smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Your brothers aren’t going to last the night if I don’t go help Wupi, and you’re horrendously undermanned as it is.”

  Another name casually thrown out, as if General Rret hadn’t even bothered to learn their numbers, and if Cody wasn’t already a whirlwind of emotions, he might have some feelings about that. Later. Everything later.

  A thought occurs to him. “Sir, General Rret said they were needed elsewhere. The secondary medics.”

  They arrive at the medbay that is in utter chaos, too small to house so many vode, already filled from their last skirmish and now completely overflowing. Kenobi looks around almost as if he’s going to cry, before he clenches his jaw and turns to Cody.

  “General Rret was mistaken. I hailed the 501st from the transport, they’ll be here tomorrow afternoon, but until then, it’s my duty to keep your men alive. Can you help me do that, Cody?”

  Cody simply nods, wondering if he had been concussed during the battle. “Yes, sir. What do you need.”

  “I need every sheet you can spare, and the emergency medkits from all the transports. I need you to hold off General Mundi until morning, I know he’s expecting a long conversation. And please, tell him in no uncertain terms that I plan to have very harsh words with his former padawan as soon as the 501st arrive.” Kenobi takes a deep breath, seeming to draw energy in from everywhere, and then puts a hand on the side of Cody’s neck for the briefest moment. Almost like static shock, Cody flinches, but suddenly doesn’t feel so exhausted, and he blinks down at Kenobi.

  “That should hold you over until morning, I trust you to handle the rest of the outpost?” He raises a single brow, but kriff if Cody is going to tell him no.

  “Yes, sir.” He salutes, feeling a green warmth brushing against his mind that certainly was not there before, but belongs there all the same. 

  That warmth stays with him long after the 501st arrives with aid, and Cody intends to hold onto it for as long as his cannon-fodder life allows. 

#cody super does not know what to make of his new idiot general #star wars #tcw #clone wars #codywan #commander cody #obi-wan kenobi #fanfiction #star wars prequels #prompt fill #ask #1elysium #ask box is always open! #alternate first meeting #au #a jedi as an antagonist #think krell but more pouty and self-obsessed #medic wupi #battlefield boyfriends #crispy writes

[letsunity]

Not Afraid - Chapter 2

Summery -  

The Bad Batch go to Tatooine to resupply and avoid the Empire. As per the usual, Omega gets separated from the group. Fortunately for her, Krayt's Claw just so happens to be nearby. Bossk and Embo guide her to Boba Fett, who takes interest in why the Kaminoans want her. It's a reluctant partnership, with the Bad Batch having to rely on Krayt's Claw to navigate non-military life.

Come the morning; Omega awoke inside of a ship she didn't recognise. It was cosy, the padding she lay on was soft, and the covering was warm. The smell of Kamino eased her anxieties, adding to the comfort. As she sat up, she saw carvings in the walls. They looked like stories, but she couldn't read them.

She heard chatter outside, the sound of Bossk and the Dengar man. The girl calmly slid off the bunk, not having slept like that in a long while. As she stepped outside, Dengar gave a short wave.

"Got some new clothes for ya," said the man, snapping his fingers as he pointed at the 'base'. "Sonic shower is just downstairs. High's down there if ya need a hand."

As they watched her walk inside, Bossk sighed, uncertain of the coming days. If the Kaminoans wanted her, Bane would be sniffing around. Whenever he's involved, things get complicated.

"She looks like Boba, don't she?" Dengar said casually, not bothered by the similarities. "Maybe those long-necked guys mixed his juice with someone else?"

The moron could be right, although Bossk couldn't be sure. That was something to investigate later on.

"All the more reason to keep her around. Where's Boba?"

"Buggered off with Black San. They think they've found the ship or something."

"Yes, the ship you were supposed to look for."

"Hey, if a lovely lady wants to grind my gears, I'm not gonna say no."

"What mental deficiency did she have?"

"I can get women!"

"Kidnapping doesn't count."

"You're just a total buzzkill; you know that? You're killing my vibe. It's Vibemicide right now."

"How about I move up to homicide?"

"I'm too pretty to die."

"How'd you know? You crack any surface showing your reflection."

Back and forth like that could go on for hours. Dengar had an answer for everything, prolonging verbal combat.

Omega entered a makeshift basement, a larger area containing their weapons. The droid tried speaking to her, but when that failed, they motioned for her to follow. They guided her to the 'shower', providing a box to put her old clothes.

The showers on Kamino were more like gusts of air. It was freezing and felt like sand against her skin. She hated them, even though they were infrequent.

Instead of a small tube, it was more spacious. As Omega touched a button, vibrations surrounded her body. The grime the days since Kamino fell away, stripped from her skin. Her hair felt funny, sifting out dead skin and natural oils. It wasn't long but didn't need to be.

When she stepped out, the droid had turned away from her, which was odd. The Kaminoans preferred her without clothing so they could examine her easier, even if it was uncomfortable. Omega looked at some folded clothing left on a tale for her, new and fresh.

As she put them on, the feeling was abnormal. She expected it since she was wearing new clothes, better suited for the outdoors. Her new shoes were heavier, made to last a while in tough terrain.

"Thank you," she smiled, earning a nod from the droid.

She ran back upstairs, greeted by Marrok and Embo. Embo gave her a thumbs-up as Marrok licked her cheek.

The atmosphere changed as the door opened, revealing a human in dark armour with similar colours to the Bad Batch. Marrok whined at the human, tipping as a treat flew his way.

"Any luck, Bo?" Bossk asked, coming from the back with Dengar, who had a bloody nose.

"I left a note," 'Bo' shrugged, turning to the kid. "You must be Omega. I'm Boba."

"I'll make breakfast," Bossk stated, moving to their pantry. Dengar protested, insulting his 'Mando' food. "Shut up, or you're breakfast!"

Highslinger beeped, making Dengar throw a tin at the droid. Embo supported the droid's statement, tipping his metal hat.

"Welcome to Krayt's Claw," Boba introduced, used to their antics. "How're you with spicy food?"

"What's spicy?"

"You're about to find out," he assured, removing his helmet. She was stunned to see a clone. He raised a scarred brow like he was reading her. He tossed a blaster to her, smirking. "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, kid."

She had her own blaster, all for her. Finding a holster, she pushed it in, feeling secure.

-------------------------

No matter where they looked, they couldn't find her.

It was terrifying. She was swallowed by the crowd, vanished without a trace. Tracking in the sand is a nightmare; there were too many trails to choose from. Wrecker felt responsible, which he partially was, even though Hunter might've done the same.

"There is a new development," Tech said, pointing to a 'note'.

Someone took a knife and carved a message into their ship. Angry, Hunter walked up to it, reading each symbol carefully. It was made roughly half an hour ago, meaning that they missed whoever has Omega. It gave coordinates, but Hunter was cautious. It could be a trap.

"If they're looking for credits, they aren't going to get any. We barely have enough for fuel and less for rations, let alone the kid," Echo pointed out, sounding incredibly irritated. "It's not like we have the resources to fight our way to her."

"If they wanted to fight, they'd have set up an ambush," Tech countered blandly, wanting to repair his ship. "Though cautious, we should investigate."

"Who's to say it isn't a Bounty Hunter wanting us as well as Omega?" Echo asked, rightfully unsure.

"Regardless, we're getting her back. We don't leave our own behind," Hunter affirmed, ready to get her back.

Warily, they followed the coordinates, weapons ready for combat. In the distance, they could see a black Wookie staring at them, observing quietly. He was probably steaming hot in this weather. The female Zabrak next to him stared as well, starting to talk in her comms.

Everyone was aware of them, which wasn't good. They came to Tatooine to be hidden but only became more obvious.

As they grew closer to the location, they saw fewer people. Those who weren't carrying blasters, many illegal, avoided this area. Not far, they could see a few ships, their style telling of Bounty Hunters. Bounty Hunting ships are usually very colourful, a warning to space pirates that they're a threat.

A few people got the idea to imitate Bounty Hunter ship styles for safe travel, but it didn't always work.

They saw a droid sitting outside without a care in the galaxy. With typical robotic movement, it pointed to the door, waiting for them.

The degenerate observed, unintimidated by Wrecker's size.

Hunter went to enter first, expecting a hostage situation.

That's not what he got, though.

Sitting on a bar table was a young clone, playing an instrument while singing some space shanty. A Trandoshan and man were singing along, playing along for the joy of it. Omega on a chair nearby, trying to learn the fun shanty with a Kyuzo. She wore different clothes and had a bowl of food in front of her.

This was a weird bunch.

The singing stopped when they noticed Hunter, but the young clone kept playing the guitar. Omega smiled, overjoyed to see her friend again. She jumped from the chair and ran to him, hugging him tightly.

"You've made some friends?" Hunter questioned, glad that she was ok.

"The Trandoshan is Bossk, that's Dengar, he's Embo, the one outside is Highslinger, and that's their boss, Boba."

Everyone had heard about that little shit.

The clone that destroyed the Endurance, who nearly killed General Skywalker and General Windu. He was the same scamp that played a part in the prison break and was nothing but trouble for the Republic. He stole, killed, captured and traded on the black market, a prominent figure in the underworld.

He had every reason to take Omega to whoever put a bounty on her but chose not to. His crew fed her, gave her shelter and new clothes. Although Hunter was thankful, he was suspicious.

"This could work to our benefit. They know more of the underworld than us, and we need supplies," Tech announced plainly, observing the Trandoshan. He was hissing protectively, though he couldn't tell who he was protecting.

Boba jumped down, eyeing the four curiously. After crossing his arms, an idea came to mind.

"Since you're protecting little Omega, you're not loyal to this Empire garbage. You're fugitives, and I'll postulate that criminal life isn't easy, hm?" He mused, finding potential profit in their presence.

"What's a postulate?" Wrecker asked, expecting an answer from Tech.

"I wouldn't use that exact word, but it's a synonym for suggest."

"Cinnamon?"

"No. It's a word that has a similar meaning to another word. An antonym is the opposite of a word, such as ice and fire."

"I hate this brainy word stuff!"

How funny, these idiots were similar to Boba's band of morons. That'll make working with them around a whole lot easier.

"Word meanings aside, it hasn't been easy," Echo admitted, feeling weird from the boy's gaze. He was looking into him; it felt violating. "You offering a hand?"

"Until I figure out what the Kaminoans want, sure. Whatever they want Omega for, I want to be in their way."

"Why?" Hunter questioned.

"Because fuck 'em," Bossk casually answered, getting an agreeing smirk from Boba.

Omega was happy to know they could stay. She liked them, even Dengar, and especially Marrok. He was so cute and fuzzy, and Embo was nice too. She wanted to play the guitar and learn how to make food. She could learn to use her blaster, so she didn't feel like a liability to the others.

She's a part of the Bad Batch and wanted to prove herself.

"Eh, what's that smell? Whatever it is, it smells good!" Wrecker announced, looking like a happy puppy. Bossk grinned at Dengar, claiming some kind of victory over the cyborg.

If it wasn't already chaotic for Hunter, it was about to get crazier.

#the bad batch #omega #Not Afraid fic #fanfic #star wars #they're all insane #fuck the kaminoans #hondo ohnaka space shanty is awesome #Krayt's Claw #omega and boba fett #bossk and boba fett #embo #dengar #highslinger #marrok #hunter #tech #echo #boba fett #wrecker #the bad batch fic

[nyodrite]

@a-world-in-grey @illusorygardens @sparklecryptid @hamelin-born @secret-engima because each of you seemed interested in this idea

so.

the entire thing is 30% Nyx's fault and 70% Ramuh's fault. because a non-Lucis Caelum wielding the Ring of Lucii left it's mark and made things.... incorrect in terms of Nyx's death

the Ring kind of laid claim to Nyx's soul and, instead of going to the afterlife he was supposed to be at, was trying to drag him into the Crystal

which Ramuh decided nope, not going to happen and just pushes Nyx's soul into the reincarnation cycle somewhere outside of the Crystal's influence

so eventually Nyx Ulric is reborn in a galaxy far, far away as Jango Fett which, with Ramuh kind of... intertwining with the Manda/Force/whatever, means he'll be able to go where he's supposed when he dies this time

of course when people find out about Nyx being reborn elsewhere many decide that they have to follow him

and more were tossed into things as a kind of... rehabilitation program?

the Fetts

only Arla and Jango are reincarnations

Selene winds up reborn first because detangling Nyx from the Ring took a bit longer

she isn't born Knowing, none of them are, but when Jango is born and Arla holds her brother for the first time she Knows

Jango spends most of his childhood unaware. He finds it a bit odd why Arla seems to be both amused and oddly delighted each time he calls her ori'vod but his sister is weird so he just goes with it

then their parents are killed and, amidst blood and fire and death, he remembers

then Jaster is dragging him away and he fights because he just got his sister back, just remembered what it was like to lose her and have to live without her, he's not letting it happen again

and he warps

(Nyx doesn't have magic, not like a true Lucis Caelum, but the Ring - for all that Ramuh severed it's connection to him - left... echoes.

He can still warp, it's familiar and easy as breathing to him, and he can reach out and share magic with someone but he has no armiger, he can't make potions or elixirs, what shields and elemental magic he can do is limited

but it's enough)

Nyx tosses the blade - a kukri, like he used to have, like their mother owned and taught them to uses as children in Galahd - his sister got him and warps back into the burning house

Arla - Selene, he knows it in his bones, can see it in how she switches from shooting a blaster to using a kukri to dig into the gaps of the armor as easily as she breaths - is fighting two Death Watch, she's holding them off but more are coming they just have to wait

so Nyx doesn't

He darts in, wraps an arm around his sister - has a moment to see horror cross her face - before he is warping them both out the house

the - king - Mand'alor definitely has questions when they appear so suddenly but there are more pressing matters and Nyx has time to figure out an answer

(Nyx never has to answer those questions, the Mand'alor always has a special connect to the Manda and Ramuh makes use of this to explain enough to satisfy Jaster

and if Ramuh hints at Jaster adopting both Fetts, despite Arla being technically old enough to be considered an adult, well that not favoritism that's just logic)

Jango and Arla become bounty hunters, though it's less of a full time thing and more of a I'm done dealing with politics I'm gonna go hunt something thing, and because they've no need for subtly decide to "hide" who they are by going by Nyx and Selene Ulric when on a job

technically both of them are in line to be the next Mand'alor and there pretty much even in terms of who the people want to be the next one

however, neither of them want the responsibility - or the politics, or the paperwork - and so basically try to... talk up the other as the better candidate

Nyx neatly solves this by taking on a bounty that leads to him getting a job on Kamino. and sure, it sounds super shady but there's no way his sister will be able to find him in time to keep herself from being declared Mand'alor

this holds out until the Alphas are made and then Nyx has a moment of oh shit i am a dad of a hundred and counting now

there is much panic and flailing, the comm message is basically incoherent

Selene starts praying for Libertus to show up because she left her brother unsupervised for one job. ONE. and this happens? clearly he needs his proper braincell back

and on that topic, let's head to the other, non-Ulric reincarnations real quick

Libertus is either Obi-Wan or Feemor, it depends entirely on how much I want Obi-Wan to have a proper big brother and Libertus to fuss over Obi-Wan's self-care, self-esteem and just everything really

if Libertus is Obi-Wan then Titus is gonna be Feemor, if Libertus is Feemor then Titus is going to be Dooku

which, you know what. I like that. Libertus is now Feemor, Obi-Wan gets his big brother and Titus is Dooku

so when that mission to Galidraan comes up, Dooku goes and sees Jango for the first time and suddenly Titus comes rushing in. and he's confronted with what is clearly TWO Ulrics before him

he is a Sigh

on the upside the mission ends mostly peaceful, none of the True Mandalorians are killed by Jedi and Death Watch gets dealt with

and there is now a, kind of nebulous, alliance between the Jedi and Mando

Titus!Dooku returns to the Jedi Temple and decides to reconnect with his lineage instead of isolating himself because clearly that kind of stuff didn't work the first time

and then he meets, after much scolding of Qui-Gon, Feemor who he can already tell is Libertus just waiting to wake up

he promptly tells Feemor that he should pay a visit to Mandalore as soon as possible and meet the future - because Nyx definitely saved Jaster on Korda 6 - Mand'alor

and Feemor may have intended to do so, however begrudgingly, but then he found a padawan and didn't really have time for a side trip to Mandalore

(which is good because he definitely would have stopped the clones from happening)

as for the rest.... well Crowe is Asohka, of course. For some reason I really like the idea of Luche as Xanatos du Crion?

Sonitus is Mando, not sure if he's reincarnated as someone already, but he's the kid of an armorer. Tredd I'm thinking Pre Vizsla maybe?

Pelna I'm thinking him being over in Corellia, not sure if he's a Corellian Jedi or if he winds up as a senator. Axis... I have half a mind for him to be Maul — or maybe Feral?

anyway, everyone only remembers when they see Nyx, hence why Titus!Dooku is trying to get Feemor to meet Jango

Sonitus actually remembers before Titus does, he's the son of one of Jaster's armorers and runs into Jango when he's old enough to start helping his buir

after that, Luche is actually the next to remember — because if I recall, Jango is only three years younger then Xanatos and the year Xanatos became a padawan was the same year that a some kind of pandemic spread through the galaxy, starting with Mandalore. so that sounds like a good set up to a potential mission for Jango and Xanatos to meet

next would be Tredd, which happens because Tor Vizsla dies via two protective Ulrics and so the Maat Mando'ade take in most of Death Watch after killing a bunch of the higher ranked ones

and then the few of Death Watch who got away set up Galidraan to try and wipe out the Haat Mando'ade and Titus remembers

Pelna and Libertus actually run into each other and make friends before remembering then, shortly after Feemor leaves Corellia, Nyx arrives and then Pelna remembers

honestly, Libertus is one of the last to remember but with multiple instances of where he just almost runs into Nyx

Luche!Xanatos finds Axis!Maul, drags him to meet Nyx and remember, then promptly returns to the Jedi Temple declaring he has a new padawan

then the clones happen and Ramuh gives Selene a break and reveals that Feemor is Libertus so she goes marching up to the Jedi Order and lowkey kidnaps Feemor - and his padawan who is having the time of their life right now - to drag him to Kamino

and then Feemor meets Jango and seconds later Libertus is yelling at Nyx over dying - then he finds out about the clones and yells some more over that

Crowe is the last one to remember timeline-wise but that's just because she's born later, she basically remembers as soon as she's taken to the Temple because Libertus is on creché duty with Nyx and she sees them

thats all I remember so BACK TO THE CLONES

the clones are raised as both Mando and Galahadian, and they get to choose—

choose if they feel more Galahadian, or if the want to swear to Resol'nare and be a proper Mando'ade instead of a Mando-raised Galahadian

of course there are those who are both, who have their armor painted in clan colors and clan braids not only in their hair but on display - in braided leather strips hanging from their armor

the clones also get to choose on if their names - not just if they want to name themselves or if they want Nyx to do it (and if they'd want a Mando or Galahadian name) but also if they want to be a Fett, Ulric or any combination of the two, or even something else entirely

after Selene finds out, and drags Libertus into things, a plot is hatched to kidnap the clones

Titus gets dragged into things because he's an older and respected jedi, and might be on the council, and basically changes the "order"

so the four of them wind up taking all the clones, now into the thousands with the oldest - Alphas - being preteen age?, and just flying first to Mandalore then straight to the Jedi Temple

they head to Mandalore first so that Selene can officially declare them citizens, Jaster gets to learn he's a grandfather thousands of times over and Nyx gets yelled at again

then they take any clones that didn't decide to stay on Mandalore over to the jedi temple where they waltz up to the jedi council and inform them about the army ordered for them

eventually it winds up with the rest of the clones getting added to the creché, in their own clans though raised along the jedi younglings

things get restructured a bit since most of the clones are not Force-sensitive, though some ARE because that's cool, and there's no way Nyx is going to be kept from visiting his kids

so you got some retired Mandos now in the creche with entire clans of clones that they've adopted, doesn't matter if they're a Fett or Ulric

you also got clones that straight up adopt various jedi so there's that too

anyways, Luche!Xanatos is the one who figures out about the chips which ignites all the protective rage and an investigation over just who ordered the clones though that winds up a bit of a dead end for a while

misc.

I'm not entirely sure if the Clone Wars happen here? if it does occur then it's not gonna be Republic vs Separatists because there's no Dooku to be a puppet leader — instead I think that winds up with the Sith Empire actually being reformed?

(which, has many a reincarnations seething because they already dealt with an evil empire and now there's another)

if that happens then Dathomir gets raided at some point for Sidious and Plageuis to steal Nightbrothers to raise as acolytes to help with their war

which in turn leads to some Nightsisters to side with the Jedi/Mando side because that's their future being stolen — also so Crowe!Asohka can learn about their magic and stuff because that'd be amazing

ANYWAYS

the ffxv world, i think the planet is still called Eos in it?, does in fact exist. it's just a planet floating in wild space

it is also a very, very long time since the happenings of ffxv

not sure if there's still people on planet or not, but it's definitely wilder and less tamed, all overgrown and filled with creatures

not sure which reincarnation finds this... let's say Pelna because I barely even mentioned him

hhhhhhh

Anakin Skywalker... I am not sure — he's brought to the temple young because there's no way anyone is gonna let slavery slide and Ramuh might have noticed his birth and started poking at someone to go investigate

Shmi winds up free and adopted, Shmi Skywalker-Ulric maybe? she works with Selene and both take the Senate by storm whenever they have to visit

Anakin winds up and Ulric by virtue of being Shmi's son

Libertus, purely out of self-defense, promptly adopts Obi-Wan to braincell for the newest Ulric - or, well, Obi-Wan may already be adopted by then and Lib just yeets his baby brother at the little Ulric to braincell

.....i think that's all the thoughts i have right now

#star wars #ffxv #long post #which i am sorry for but i did this on moble and can't do the read more thing #but i tagged it so people can skip!!

[twilightofthe]

Chapter Twelve liveblog of The Mandalorian Season 2!  Let’s go!!!

Ok so I already see Greef on the thumbnail for this and the summary mentions old allies, guess we’re meeting back up with Greef and Cara

Once more Din’s Space Honda is a wreck

You better not be asking the baby for ship advice dude

ALSKDJFLJSKDK YOU ACTUALLY ARE

DIN THAT IS A CHILD

EARLY FATHER/SON BONDING????

DIN NOOOOOOO XD XD XD XD

HE’S GONNA SHOCK HIMSELF

HE FUCKING SHOCKED HIMSELF DIN NO YOU BITCH

Ok good he got a reward for his troubles

Aw poor single dad

Whoooop someone’s remodeled the Mando covert

Hey space squirrel!

Oop dead space squirrel

Lol these dudes are dead 

Oh Cara, was expecting Din, but my opinion stands

Ok she’s still a human wrecking ball

Aaaaand now she’s got an animal sidekick xD

The Siege?  That don’t sound good at all lol.  

Oooof I swear this ship wasn’t as junky when we first saw it

SAME GREEF THE CHILD IS EVERYTHING

LISTEN TO HIS BABY TALK

Awwww there’s a school!!

Din c’mon it’s not like you haven’t left the kid with total strangers like five times already

Awwwww Yodito’s making FRIENDS

Lol wait is that kid eating macarons?

LAKSDFLKDSKLJK BABY FUCKING STOLE THE MACARONS THAT’S IMPROPER FORCE USAGE XD

Heyyyy it’s Mythrol!!  Lol and he basically pissed himself

Hah this is why you don’t come back to visit family Din, they always have favors for you 

Lol I kinda love these dicks bullying Mythrol for absolutely no reason

Ok if y’all are tryna scare Mythrol into coming w/ y’all cuz lava tide, why aren’t you at all concerned with your only ride out getting fried by it?

Aw I hope Mythrol doesn’t die from all of this he doesn’t deserve thiiiiis xD

There’s no guard rail on this WELCOME TO STAR WARS MYTHROL

Wtf are in those tanks

LAKSDJFLKSK ARE THOSE DEADASS SNOKE CLONES??!?!?!??!?!

HOLY SHIT THEY’RE ACTUALLY GETTING INTO THE PALPATINE CLONING CLUSTERFUCK

“Pardon me” hah I love Mythrol

M COUNT?

MIDICHLORIAN COUNT?!?!?!

HOLY SHIT THAT’S HOW THEY’RE TYING THIS INTO THE SEQUELS

THEY WANTED BABY YODA BECAUSE HE’S GOT HIGH MIDICHLORIANS SO THEY CAN TRANSFER THEM TO THE PALPACLONE SINCE REY’S DAD WAS BORN WITH NO FORCE JUICE

Baby Yoda is deadass a donor baby they created

Wait a sec but since when can you transfer midichlorians between subjects?

Or maybe you can’t and that’s what Pershing and the likes are experimenting with rn

OOP OH NO YEP YOU BETTER GET YOUR SON MANDO

“There they are!  Blast ‘em!” is like legit 80% of the dialogue in all of STar Wars

Oh damn so that’s how Cara drives

And awww Mythrol’s speeder!!!!

Oh whoop that’s a bomb that other trooper has

And Greef has em

Oop TIES

Aaaand now they don’t have a gun

Wait “almost there” so those TIEs are just gonna what, stop at some imaginary land boundary?

Oh hey it’s Din!  And his ship’s fixed

And Baby Yoda I would Die For You but that’s nothing new

LAKDSJFLKSDJKFSLK HE STILL HAS HIS LIL BLUE MACAROOOOOOONS!!!!!

HE LOOKS SO HAPPY WATCHING HIS FATHER DOING VIOLENCE

Uhhhh Din ur ship’s kinda trash idk if it’s built for ur fancy kind of stunt flying......

Eh if it works it works

Din craves validation from his-- EW VOMIT

Aaaaand Din has Dad Duty and can’t go for drinks xD

Noooo Greef mention the Palpaclones!!!!!

a “’gram?” what’s that?  Space telegrams now???

Cara’s squirrel friend again!!!

Listen to the officer Cara u gotta let them know before Palps can come back

Aw shit right she’s from Alderaan jeez that has to suck

Ooooop that’s a Star Destroyer

Oh I feel like I’ve seen this actress

OOOP THAT MECHANIC WAS A SPYYYYYY OH NOOOOOOOO NOW THEY’RE TRACKING DIN’S SHIP AAAAAAAAAAA

Ok I love Gideon’s musical theme

Wait what are those things are those the sith troopers???

Hey and Carl Weathers did this one!!!  Good on him acting AND directing it

Ok this is gonna be very interesting, it seems like The Mando Show is actually gonna try and attempt to patch up some of the holes in the sequel trilogy like how the First Order was able to form AND how Sidious was able to return if I’m right and Baby Yoda is one of the cogs in the cloning project

Next episode’s probs gonna be the Ahsoka episode but gah I’m still really hmmmm about her showing up, but eh don’t mind me

#liveblogging the mando show #sw the mando show #mando man of mystery #the mandalorian #the mandalorian spoilers #the mandalorian season 2 spoilers #star wars #star wars spoilers #sw #sw spoilers

[vaguely-concerned]

The Mandalorian s2 ep1 Reactions Post That’s right I’m BACK

and none of you not even god himself can stop me from rambling about space cowboy dad and tiny green baby stuff for much longer than any sane person should 

the TL;DR is that I still love this show SO MUCH, beware a bunch of spoilers under the cut!

- costume design wise I LOVE how badly the armour fits Cobb Vanth

 especially when you get shots with him and Din side by side for contrast:

It’s not just that it’s clearly not made for him (it seems he’s a lot lankier and more wiry than Boba is), he simply doesn’t know how to wear it, and he doesn’t know how to take care of it, because he doesn’t know what it means. Remember when Din’s breastplate got bent completely out of shape by the mudhorn and he had it repaired to the best of his ability long before they even finished with the ship? That’s why he looks so grounded and natural in it and Vanth has sort of a clumsy Spiderman-in-his-first-home-made-costume air about him. (also Boba’s helmet has a beautiful heft and solidity to it in this, they make all the beskar have a Feel and weight to it, makes it feel important)  

I like that Vanth is taller than Din; everything that drives home that Din’s strength doesn’t come from being naturally physically imposing or impressive is a joy to me 

- Boba’s armour seems to be confirmed to be real beskar, which gives me so much hope that they’re doing something actually nuanced and interesting with Boba and Jango’s cultural identities as Mandalorians (whether they do consider themselves that or not, for example), unlike George Lucas’ inexplicable yet unbending stance of ‘They aren’t and never were lol get fucked Fetts’  

the way the triumphant heroic part of the mando music sputtered and died when the man himself showed up tho... uh-oh this might be bad news 

man but that’s a stunning and surprising way to introduce a well-known character divorced from what makes them so iconic, though, just from that I’m going to trust they know what they’re doing (AND they got temuera morrison back I’m so EXCITED!!!). without the armor there’s the face of someone who shared that face with literal millions and at the same time must be looking older than his father ever got to at this point, and that’s super interesting as a starting point to me. (I... guess there’s still a chance it’s a fakeout and that it’s actually another clone, but that would be such a letdown when they’ve already given us this haha) 

- an excellent [mando sighs] moment

this opening scene did a great job of re-summarizing him for the audience -- establishing again that he gives you one chance at dealing with him fairly and if you insist on continuing to be an asshole about it, you’re toast, the fact that his fighting style is so much about being able to tank blows rather than not getting hit in the first place, the horror movie monster mando setup as he stalked the dude down and strung him up, the Poetic Justice predicated on some very careful word choices, and most importantly “where I go, he goes”... all wonderful, I’m sure I’ll watch this scene back for fine details and better looks at the background characters many many times 

(word seems to have spread about him and the baby for real now, which makes me VERY nervous btw)

- Pulserifle’s back! Jetpack’s back! Razor Crest’s back! Grappling line’s back! PELLI’S BACK!!!!!! Tattooine... is also back *Finn voice* Why does everyone want to go back to Tattooine????

I really enjoyed the way they fleshed out and (for lack of a better word) humanized the sand people, though, if you are going back to this desert hellplanet again that is a worthy reason to do it 

- Din swearing :O!! and one of the less egregious star wars swears too, I’m fine with this

- in campaign star wars news: I guess there was sort of both a binbon and a jubna in this ep! what a time to be alive

- as usual I love the jawa. a bright spot in any day, just a bunch of lil goblin-y friends hanging out having the best time loving sparkly crystals and rescuing silver foxes.  

get in loser we’re going shopping

-  

I uh. Do you think. Hm. Is there maybe a metaphor here somewhere. Is there perhaps a hidden, one may say double, meaning, at play, right here, in this image? Who can say, it’s just niggling at me (there’s a very similar set of shots with Toro in season 1, but seemingly the show went ‘I fear we might have gone too subtle with it, let’s amp it up this time’ over the season break loool)

honestly though this dynamic really highlighted everything I love about the ways Din performs masculinity. It’s so much softer and more community/collaboration focused and more comfortable to be around than Vanth’s version -- and Vanth isn’t a bad dude by any stretch of the imagination, it’s not hard to see why he’s like that considering where he’s from, he’s just such a... man. The lone person who can protect this village! The only man who’s got what it takes! It’s all on his shoulders and no one else’s, so do exactly as he says or he’ll put a hole in you! (I think it’s telling that one of his first comments to Din is ‘I’m sure you call the shots wherever you’re from, but ‘round here, I’m the person who tell folks what to do’, because as we as the audience knows, Din very much does not call the shots of where he’s from lol) I guess it says some nice things about the tribe of Mandos Din is from that this is how he approaches things, and it says some good things about Vanth how quickly he comes around to this smarter and less confrontational/domineering style of doing things once he’s been exposed to it and sees how it works. it’s just neat

(it’s smart of Favreau to set his ~*lone gunslinger*~ character up like this, too, it makes him so much more interesting and versatile)   

- With the way Din says ‘a Mandalorian Armorer sent me on my path’ it does seem confirmed that’s the equivalent of a priest role or a sort of shaman -- I wonder if he knows the name of ‘The’ Armorer or if they take on the role as a whole identity 

- the sheer contrast between the two people who wanted Din to take his helmet off for them in this ep tho... wants Mando’s armour off for horrible awful reasons and got exactly what he deserved:

wants Mando’s armour off for entirely sympathetic and understandable, just culturally uninformed, thirsty thirsty reasons & also having drinks together:

 (the sort of... little lick over his bottom lip he does there? keep it in your pants vanth my GODjflsadf he’s a good dude tho he understands and respects the ‘no armour removal before marriage’ thing and backs down gracefully)

- This is a nuanced thing: I don’t think I actually ship it (not in a requited way from Din’s side, anyway, Vanth I’m 100% sure about lol), but the incredible potential for out-of-context-taking of “Take it off, or I will”/”...we doin’ this in front of the kid?” is uh astounding  

(anyone got the vibe Vanth sort of had something with the bartender too? no just me? well well)

- I was never really scared Din was actually dead or hurt b/c baby wasn’t scared and I figure he’d know lol, a very useful fear barometer 

- “What’s the plan?” “Take care of the child” “What are you gonna do?” “I don’t know, but wish me luck *yeets his new bro out of harm’s way before diving in head first himself*” fksdjhfkjlashdfkjsldahfkasldjhfskldajhfsadkjfh WHAT a summation of Din’s entire approach to battle & life, dad please you carry a not insignificant part of my heart around with you be careful 

(Also with the heavy implication that Boba was watching the whole thing... can you imagine him just looking on as Din throws himself down that gullet like a madman. There must have been some ‘o_-7 *headscratch headscratch* ???’ going on for him there)

it’s kind of sweet that din trusts vanth will take care of the baby if something happens though, they really bonded quickly huh 

- the sand people who kept willingly going over to the krayt dragon’s cave are honestly braver and more admirable than anyone else has ever been, I kept just shouting in anguish as they were gobbled up, they deserved better 

- can we talk about how clear it still is that Din’s just... lonely. When he thinks he’s found another Mando and he sounds almost reverent with relief... and then it gets odder and odder (’uh... drinks? I guess... does he have drinking straws with him or -- HE’S TAKING THE HELMET OFF???’ oh buddy)

I wonder if they’re building towards something about him realizing it doesn’t have to be Mandos for him to trust and bond with people longer term? Basically all the characters he’s met and we’ve watched him form attachments to and get help from are non-Mandos -- Kuiil :’^(, Cara, Omera, Cobb Vanth, IG-11 :^’’(, Greef Karga to a degree. Establishing so firmly what he’s looking for this early would be good setup for a ‘what a character thinks they want vs. what they need’ thing later on just on a writing level, anyway, Boba Fett could bring in some interesting points of view about Mandalorianness too   

- baby’s happy gurgles when he sees pelli!!!!!! din speaking sand people language and petting alligator doggies!!!!!!

- pedro pascal’s voice work remains an utter joy to me. din’s measured, earnest, occasionally slightly stilted way of talking is still so good, and then he does things like inserting some more... idk life is the wrong word but that more charged and dynamic tone he took on when he said (”I thought you weren’t a gambler”) “I’m not”. *chef kiss*

- if the pulse rifle’s stun is able to do that to a fuckn krayt dragon... that’s some serious shit din is carrying around with him lol (interestingly the actual shooty pew-pew part of it didn’t seem to do much to it, but then I guess he was shocking it from the inside out and not through thick hide, so idk)

- my only real complaints about this ep: Vanth’s backstory ran a bit long, and not enough baby & dad interaction. the concept art’s got me tho: 

 (din often wears his original/old armour in concept art still, incidentally, don’t know what that’s about)

awwwwwww

+ omfg ;______;

- this sand people person conscientiously brushing a bantha’s teeth... blessed

- Customary flame thrower report: there was a rare useful deployment of the flamethrower. Good job Mando’s flame thrower for furthering the field of diplomacy

ETA: I CAN’T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS: DIN BEING COMFORTABLE(ISH) AROUND DROIDS NOW!!!! GROWTH????!?! IG-11 WE MISS YOU??????????

#the mandalorian #the mandalorian spoilers #star wars #the mandalorian meta #meta #(I'm trying to label my meta more specifically these days b/c the general meta tag is a MESS on my blog lol) #mmmmmmmm feels good to break out the overanalysis goggles again it's time to OVERTHINK SOME SHIT my friends

[codythecheshirecat]

Binary Sunset Ch 3: But Finally

Story Summary: Obi-Wan finds himself decades in the future on the ship of a Mandalorian that seems like the last thing he wants is to be sidled with another lifeform. Or two, because suddenly they have a little…tiny… Yoda to deal with. Not actually Yoda, Obi-Wan knows, but still. It’s weird, and stressful, and there’s an entire Empire that’s come and gone (going?). He just wants to rest. Figure out what exactly has happened and maybe, maybe find a way to stop it, if he ever gets back to his own time. Better that than wallow in misery and pain of a past he got plucked from, yet still feels the pain of.

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30771671/chapters/76734395#workskin

    Nevarro is exactly as Obi-Wan remembered. As Mando goes off to do his Guild business, he occupies himself with the market. There’s not much. Nevarro is a place that has people only because of the Guild; there’s little other Nevarro has to offer besides. Or maybe that’s just what the people have come to believe, and they’ve found no reason to make Nevarro anything else.

    While he gets some looks, nobody actually seems to care who he is and why he’s here. He takes care to disguise his accent, all too aware that it would be an immediate giveaway as to where he’s from. It’s simple. Mando gave him a certain amount of credits to use, and he does his best to get the most out of them.

    After that, without any sign of Mando, he goes for a walk. Nevarro doesn’t have any sights to really add to the allure, if he’s being honest. It’s a volcanic planet, so plants are few and far between. But it’s certainly a different look from Coruscant, and Christophsis, and most importantly, the Razor Crest, so for that he’s grateful.

    He returns to the Razor Crest having gotten most of his restless energy out. When he climbs into the cockpit, Mando gives him a peeved look-- he might not talk much, but he’s actually quite expressive once one learns to look for it. And Obi-Wan already has some experience with the clone troopers and the way they’re almost constantly wearing their helmets, anyway. Obi-Wan gives him a small smile.

    “I wasn’t sure when you’d be back. You’re not in a hurry, are you?”

    “The usual.” Mando replies, and busies himself with getting the ship off the ground.

    On his shoulder is a shiny new pauldron. Obi-Wan eyes it for a moment, debating. “You have a new piece of armor.”

    “It was made from a down payment for this job.” Mando says. “We’re heading to Arvala-7.”

    “Sounds like an important job, if they’re offering a prepayment. Who’s the bounty?”

    “All I know is that they’re fifty years old. They were…” Mando pauses. He sighs. “They were Imperial remnants.”

    Something catches in his throat. He narrows his eyes. “You took a job from the people that destroyed mine? And yours?”

    “They had beskar. It’s important for it to be returned to Mandalorians.”

    “I see.” Obi-Wan says. He fights to keep the scowl off his face. “Well, I know what I’m doing when we return to Nevarro.”

    “What’s that?”

    “Getting rid of them.”

    “After I get the beskar?”

    “If you aren’t comfortable with finding it in the rubble afterwards, then yes.” Obi-Wan crosses his arms. He stands. “You aren’t supposed to kill this bounty, are you? Just bring them in?”

    “Yes.”

    “Good. They probably haven’t even done anything wrong.” He mutters, and leaves the cockpit.

***

    Arvala-7 is a rocky desert planet. Obi-Wan only sees it once they land, staring past Mando as he walks out of his ship. Obi-Wan stays firmly where he’s sitting on the floor. He’s absolutely not going to be part of this. He’s not even going to ask. He’d receive a firm no from Mando, anyway, but right now it’s the point. He needs to plan his siege on the Imperial hideout, wherever that is. It’ll be difficult not knowing what the place looks like on the inside, but he’s dealt with worse.

    There’s something forming in his chest, something angry, and Obi-Wan isn’t quite sure whether he should embrace it or ignore it. Embracing it could lead to the dark side; ignoring it might only make it worse. And he doesn’t want to just pretend it isn’t there. He’s angry, rightfully so, he thinks, that his people were wiped out and now his only ally has taken a job from them.

    He’s so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost misses Mando getting attacked. He jerks, staring openmouthed at the scene in the near distance. One of the native fauna, a large, two legged creature with an honestly enormous mouth, slams Mando around like it’s nothing.

    He stands, about ready to run over and run interference, when the creature stumbles and falls to the ground. He pauses. Another charges at Mando, only to stumble and fall as well. Obi-Wan makes his way out of the Razor Crest, watching as a newcomer approaches on the back of another one of the creatures.

    “Thank you.” Mando says quietly.

    The newcomer-- an Ugnaught-- nods. “You are bounty hunters.”

    It isn’t a question. Obi-Wan glances at Mando, then back at the Ugnaught. He’s not even going to try to explain the situation, so he’ll let Mando take the lead here.

    “Yes.” Mando says.

    “I will help you.” At their surprised looks, the Ugnaught simply stares back at them. “I have spoken.”

    Obi-Wan looks at Mando. They both know that he has no interest in helping with this bounty, and before, Mando had no interest in his help. And yet, the Ugnaught wants to help them. Why? How would he react if Obi-Wan just walked back into the Razor Crest and refused to come out? Despite the twisting, shifting anger in his chest, curiosity gets the better of him. He gives Mando a nod, and runs back to the Razor Crest for a blaster or two. 

He’ll hear the Ugnaught out, in the least. Hear what he has to say. Then he’ll decide whether or not to help. He’s not that much of a fan of blasters, or most weapons that aren’t lightsabers really, but they’ll have to do. It’s not like he has his lightsaber.

They follow him back to his home, dragging the creatures-- Blurrg-- along with them. The Ugnaught doesn’t seem to be intimidated by their presence. Then again, why would he, if he’s offering his help? They don’t speak until they’ve arrived, but he can practically feel the suspicion radiating off Mando at any given moment. They crowd into the Ugnaught’s dwelling, one that’s much better suited for Ungaughts than humans.

    “Many have passed through,” the Ugnaught says solemnly. “They seek the same one as you.”

    “Did you help them?” Mando asks.

    “Yes.” The Ugnaught says simply. He pours himself a drink. “They died.”

    Obi-Wan quirks an eyebrow. Interesting.

    “Well then I’m not sure we want your help.” Mando says. Obi-Wan has to agree.

    The Ugnaught turns to them. “You do. I can show you to the encampment.”

Obi-Wan glances between the two of them. The curiosity still sits, tantalizing. “Why help us? What do you get from it?”

    “Since they arrived, this territory has been an endless stream of mercenaries seeking reward and bringing destruction. They do not belong here. Those that live here come to seek peace. There will be no peace until they’re gone.”

    He thinks of the droid army on Christophsis, of the Invasion of Naboo, of the Mandalorian Civil War, of all the places and conflict he’d seen as a Padawan. He thinks of all of the innocent people caught in-between warring factions. The people that had only wanted to live their lives in peace. He sighs.

    “You just want your home back.” The realization sits heavy in his chest.

    “Yes.” The Ugnaught nods.

    “The people here-- are they aggressive, or is the conflict coming only from the bounty hunters?”

    “Does it matter?”

    Obi-Wan blinks. “It does to me, I suppose. I just-- I imagine that if you had a bounty over your head, your neighbors wouldn’t be very happy about it, but it wouldn’t change that you only want a peaceful life here.”

    It’s an uncomfortable silence, and he’s stuck under the scrutiny of his peers. Finally, the Ugnaught speaks. “I do not believe they are here for anything good, no. Trouble always brings more trouble.”

    “What’s your cut, beyond getting your home free of trouble?” Mando asks, taking control of the situation.

    “Half.”

    Mando shakes his head. “Half the bounty to guide? Seems steep.”

    “No. Half of the Blurrg you helped capture.”

    “The Blurrg?” Obi-Wan says with a laugh. “You can keep them.”

    Mando tilts his head in agreement.

    “No, you will each need one. To ride. The way is impossible to pass without a Blurrg mount.”

    “I don’t know how to ride Blurrg.” Mando says.

    The Ugnaught only looks at him. “I have spoken.”

***

    Obi-Wan proves within only a few minutes that he’ll have no problem riding the Blurrg. He’s had experience riding several types of animals all over the galaxy. Some of them have been animals that have been domesticated for riding; others, not so much. Despite never having heard of them before, Blurrg are nothing, really. Ridiculously easy to tame. Easy to ride once one recognises how they walk and act.

    Not for Mando, though. His Blurrg throws him off again and again, sending him to the hard ground with enough force to continually drive the breath from his lungs. Obi-Wan watches from the sidelines, leaning against a fence post for the corral. This is the most amusing thing he’s seen in months, and he’s enjoying every second of it.

    After the sixth time Mando gets thrown on his back, the Ugnaught speaks up. “Perhaps if you removed your helmet-?”

    “Perhaps he remembers I tried to roast him.” Mando grunts.

    Obi-Wan smiles at his frustration. It reminds him of Anakin. “She can feel your impatience, Mando. Calm yourself.”

    Mando levels him with a helmeted glare. “We don’t have time for this.”

    Obi-Wan chuckles. He catches the Ugnaught’s eye, sharing a chagrined look. The Ugnaught shakes his head. Obi-Wan laughs again. “She’s not going to just bend to your will because you want her to. Show her she can trust you. Make friends.”

    “We don’t have time for this,” Mando says again. He pulls himself from the ground and turns to the Ugnaught. “Do you have a land speeder, or-”

    “You are a Mandalorian. Your ancestors rode the great Mythosaur. Surely you can ride this young foal.” The Ugnaught says. Obi-Wan catches a hint of teasing.

    Mando sighs, losing some of his fire. He approaches the Blurrg much more calmly this time, holding his hand out not as a way to grab at her but to calm her. She lets him get near, only growling slightly. He speaks to her, low enough that Obi-Wan can’t quite make out the words. Then he climbs onto the Blurrg, and within seconds he’s riding around the corral like he’s been doing it his entire life. Obi-Wan grins at the Ugnaught.

    Seems like things are working out pretty well.

***

    The trip to the encampment takes several hours. By the end of it, Obi-Wan is sore and tired, but he has more himself to blame than the trip itself. He’s hardly been exercising, or even stretching. Finally, they pause, looking over a valley of sorts with the encampment settled inside.

    The Ugnaught points to the valley. “That is where you’ll find your quarry.”

    Mando pulls some credits from his pocket and offers them to him. The Ugnaught shakes his head. “Please,” Mando says. “You deserve this.”

    “I am not interested in payment. I came here to be free of servitude.”

    “Then why do you help?” Mando asks.

    “I have never met a Mandalorian. I’ve only read the stories. If they are true, you will make quick work of it. Then there will again be peace.” He raises his hand in farewell. “I have spoken.”

    Obi-Wan feels a pang in his heart, stronger than before. The Ugnaught’s want for peace is one he feels deep in his bones. He’s never been one that sought out adventure simply because he wanted it; he goes where he’s needed, and yes, there are times he enjoys a more fast-paced life. He’d slipped into his role as a Jedi General with a grim acceptance. Jedi are peacekeepers, but sometimes there is no option of peace. With the droid army, the only option was to fight.

But he’d have been content to live a simple life at the Jedi Temple. That had been the plan, after the war was over (and he’d refused to think that they might lose the war, but now he knows that was the outcome). Knowing that thirty years in the future there are some that can’t even find peace on such a remote planet hurts. 

He slips off his Blurrg, following Mando. They crouch at the edge of the rock outcropping, looking over the encampment. The people there go about their business. They don't seem to be altogether worried about any incoming attacks. Or maybe they’re just confident in their ability to protect their encampment. He’s not sure, to be honest.

And then--

“Oh, no.” Mando mutters. “Bounty droid.”

“This complicates things.” Obi-Wan says. “Were you not the only person approached for the job?”

“Apparently not.”

The droid is efficient in taking care of the Nikto sentries, but even as it does so, the doors to the inside of the encampment shut tightly. Obi-Wan follows Mando down the cliff.

“IG unit, stand down!” Mando snarls.

The droid turns and shoots him without hesitation. He falls over with a groan. Obi-Wan wisely stays behind cover.

 “I’m in the Guild!” Mando holds the tracking fob up.

“You are a Guild member? I thought I was the only one on assignment.”

“That makes three of us.” Obi-Wan says, moving slightly out of his cover to give the droid a look. Mando climbs to his feet and finds his own cover. “Clearly the Imperials don’t care if we happen to clash, as long as they get their bounty.”

“Sadly, I must ask for your fob. I’ve already issued the writ of seizure. The bounty is mine.”

Mando shakes his head. “Unless I am mistaken, you are, as of yet, empty handed.”

“This is true.”

“I have a suggestion.” Mando glances at him. Obi-Wan smiles.

“Proceed.”

“We split the reward.”

The droid pauses. “In two or three equal portions?”

“Two.” Obi-Wan says before Mando can say anything. “He and I are together, so we get half and you get half. Fair?”

“This is acceptable.”

“Great,” Mando says. He throws his hands up. “Now let's regroup out of harm's way, and form a plan.”

“I will, of course, receive the reputation merits associated with the mission.” The droid walks towards them.

Obi-Wan fights not to roll his eyes. “Yes, of course, now let’s get out of here.”

A blaster shot hits the droid in the shoulder. It does almost nothing. Obi-Wan whips his head around, looking for the source.

“Alert, alert!” The droid says.

Mando shoots one Nikto off the roof. Obi-Wan gets the other. The doors open, and suddenly enemies are pouring outside. Obi-Wan glances behind himself just to be sure that there aren't any Nikto coming from that way. He turns back to the firefight, shoots at a few of the Nikto. Three Nikto go down. He longs for his lightsaber.

“Let’s go!” Mando shouts, running from his cover.

Obi-Wan follows slightly more slowly. He isn’t covered in metal, or made of it, either. He dashes from pillar to pillar, shooting at the Nikto. He gets a few on the roof, a few on the ground. A blaster bolt narrowly misses his shoulder. The three of them crouch behind a wagon. At least, he thinks it might be a wagon. It’s made of metal, resting half on, half off, some boxes on the ground.

He pokes his head over the side, shoots at a Nikto, ducks back below as blaster bolts sail past his head or hit the side. The droid doesn’t bother to duck below at all. IG Units are pretty hard to destroy, he knows. Blaster shots from this distance are unlikely to land a hit hard enough to take it down, unless they get some stronger weapons.

“He’s in there!” Mando shouts.

Obi-Wan glances at the door he gestures at. “Well, at least it’s close.”

“Affirmative.” The droid leaves their cover, drawing most of the fire and sending back almost just as much.

Obi-Wan dashes to the next bit of cover, following Mando-- more pillars. He takes the second pillar. “Now what?” Obi-Wan shouts as the Nikto take a moment to recover and prepare for their next attack.

    “It appears we are trapped.” The droid says, joining him behind his pillar. “I will initiate self-destruct sequencing.”

    “What?” Obi-Wan gasps. They have those?

    “Manufacturer’s Protocol dictates I cannot be captured. I must self-destruct.”

    “Do not self-destruct.” Mando snaps. “Cover me!”

    He runs for the door. Obi-Wan leans from his cover. The Nikto immediately start shooting, but he manages to down three before he has to duck behind the pillar again for a breath. “This is so much harder without my lightsaber.” He mutters, and leans out of his cover again to shoot at the slowly-approaching Nikto. Now he knows how the troopers feel.

    Despite their attempts, though, there are too many Nikto, and Mando joins them behind their pillar before a lucky blaster bolt manages to get him. “There’s too many!”

    That’s what I was thinking, Obi-Wan thinks to himself. Perhaps he could lift something using the force, send it at the Nikto and distract them just long enough to get the upper hand- oh. That’s a rather large weapon.

    “I will initiate self-destruct.” The droid says, cutting through his thought process.

    “Do not self-destruct! We’re shooting our way out!” Mando runs around him, blaster up. The droid goes around the other side of the pillar. Obi-Wan stays where he is. They notice the laser cannon.

“...okay.” Mando says, and they join him behind the pillar again.

The laser cannon begins firing. Obi-Wan presses himself against Mando in an attempt to stay fully behind the pillar; pieces of rock go flying as the laser cannon hits it. They can’t stay here for long. The pillar will be utterly obliterated in only a few minutes.

“New plan.” Mando starts. Obi-Wan can barely hear him over the sound of blasterfire.

If he concentrates, maybe he can move it. It’s already floating, all he has to do is make it turn… he closes his eyes, and uses the Force. All he has to do is feel it, the space it occupies, the heat it emits. All of the Nikto surrounding them. The blaster bolts as they fly through the air. He concentrates on the laser cannon, and pushes.

And yet--

Nothing happens.

In fact, he can barely feel anything. He can barely feel the laser cannon, where it is, how it moves with each bolt it fires. The Nikto manning the cannon. The bolts, their journey from cannon to rock, and the damage they cause. When he tries to use the Force to move it, push it slightly, interact with it-- nothing happens. It’s all barely there, an echo of an echo, and he has no idea how he didn’t notice it before.

Nothing happens.

Obi-Wan opens his eyes. In front of him he can see the rock of the building, the metal door. He can see the red blaster bolts hit and fizzle out. Yet everything seems so suddenly far away. Like it’s happening to someone else; even the sounds of blaster fire and destruction and heavy breathing sound as if they’re coming from miles away.

Why can’t I- what’s wrong with me?

His breath catches in his throat, lodged by an invisible mass. He stares at a pebble on the ground. It’s maybe the size of his thumb, somewhat oblong. He reaches out with the force, and he can feel it there, hardly at all, and-- he can’t even make the pebble move. It remains stubbornly still.

And 

Nothing

Happens.

#Star Wars #The Clone Wars #The Mandalorian #Obi-Wan Kenobi #Din Djarin #IG-11 #Binary Sunset #Chapter 3 #Time Travel #Hm... wonder what's happening to Obi-Wan? #Kuiil

[agent-aurelie]

A thousand years ago (last week) my sweet pal @crimson-dxwn tagged me in this ask meme, and between home renovations and uh, pregnancy, I literally have not had a chance to do it till now, so indulge me. <3 

Name: You can call me Aurelie! (So I don’t get fired, lol.)

Fandoms: Just Star Wars these days.  Prequels, Clone Wars, Rebels, OT, Mando.  The Sequels do NOTHING for me, except for Resistance, and even then, only on a good day. Insofar as writing? Just post-A New Dawn, pre-Rebels era Kanera.

Most Popular Oneshot: If we’re going by hits, it’s The Sleep Shift. 

Most Popular Multichapter: Fam I am tired all the time and barely have the focus necessary to actually plan and plot things out so mutichapters are really hard for me to write.  (But I love reading them!)  I only have the one -  Stay, which was the fic I met @crimson-dxwn while writing! <3 

Actual Worst Part Of Writing: Getting the content from my filthy, borked brain out on “paper” - the number of lines and scenes I’ve lost while trying to fall asleep or taking a shower or driving into work could probably write a full length novel. And then when I finally do have the time or motivation to sit down and make progress - poof!  they’re gone! 

How You Choose Your Titles: Always the dead last thing I do. I usually shorthand my titles or come up with something ridiculous in my Google Drive while I’m working on things, and then when it comes time to post, I straight up panic. (My favorite Google Drive Den Of Sin temporary title was “Stupid Sexy Cockpit Accent Thing” which turned into How Could I Forget? ... the one I’m working on now is pretty funny but I won’t post it for fear of spoiling.  They fuck in it.  Spoiler alert.)

Do You Outline: An outline sounds a lot like a plot, and I’m here for a good time, not a long time.

Ideas I Probably Won’t Get Around To, But Wouldn’t It Be Nice?:  Honestly this implies that I plan far in advance, and I’m not joking, I’m a literal fanfic clown.  I TRULY had no intention of continuing to post, but everyone’s feedback was really encouraging and apparently there are a lot of thirsty people out there. So as long as the interest is still there and I have the time, I’ll keep going, I guess.  Though with a Yodito en route, the kinktober prompts will probably be the last of it for awhile, unless some idea really takes me or I get a compelling prompt. That isn’t pegging, please stop sending me pegging prompts.

Callouts @ Me: For fucks sake, please, self, learn to write from Kanan’s POV.

Best Writing Traits: Y’all seem to like my dialogue based on the lovely comments you provide.  So thanks for that.  I guess I like it, too. 

Spicy Tangential Opinion: I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS. As the Kanera Statler and/or Waldorf to @specseven (wait which one am I again?), I have so, so many spicy opinions, and not in the sexy way.  I’ll leave Filoni worshipping out of it, I guess, because I’ve made my stance clear there.  If we’re talking specifically about fics, one of the things that is a HARD NOPE, a MAJOR TURN OFF for me is Hera being this naive, delicate little flower who knows nothing about drinking or sex or life until she meets Kanan.  I get that she’s “mom”, whatever that means, but at the end of the day, she’s also young, comes from a war torn world, and she’s been independent enough of her life to have seen and experienced the good and bad of the galaxy.  Moreover, she has her flaws, she’s made her mistakes, she’s learned a lot about how things are before she even crosses path with Kanan “What Are You Wearing?” Jarrus. Kanan didn’t swoop in to somehow “corrupt” perfect, virgin!Hera with his crazy sexual prowess and drinking habits.  FFS let the woman live. Don’t @ me.  Or do.  I don’t care.  Y’all wanted spice. 

No Pressure Tags: @specseven, because I love when she has a spicy tangent, and most of her work has heavily inspired mine. 

#writing meme #This Was Fun Thanks Bby

[cienie-isengardu]

Why do you think Jango Fett hired Dred Priest and Isabet Reau, even tho they were suspected death watch sympathizers? I cant imagine the Commandos they trained would be happy to be serving under jedi...

Before I will talk about Priest and Reau, I think is worth to point that no Mandalorian training commandos was overly fond of Jedi or Republic.  Not all commandos / ARC liked to work with Jedi, some were disappointed by their force-sensitive commanders, but I doubt Dred and Isabet personal hate/dislike, even if passed down to their trainees, would make soldiers disobey the orders coming from Jedi. Frankly, commandos get along & work the best with their own brothers, but that is just the way they were raised. Personal feelings will not get in the way, they are too professional for that.

As for the major ask, here we go:

The Imperial Commando: 501’st raised this topic in one of talk between Ordo and Mij Gilamar:

“What was Jango doing recruiting them? He had more reason to hate the Death Watch than anybody.”

“Priest and Reau weren’t exactly card-carrying members. Jango thought they were all talk. He only cared about results.”

But I think the matter was more complicated than that.

Jango Fett hired one hundred people - the best soldiers, tacticians, sappers, communicators, survival experts - to train future Republic Commandos, but managed to get only 75 Mandalorians. Due to Jango Fett: Open Season comics, we know that many friends / associates / allies of Jango were interrogated - and most likely killed afterwards, like Silas - by Dooku during his “research” about Fett’s past, so the limited number of people to choose from influenced the decision to some degree. 

We know little about Isabet, but Dred was considered as a good (albeit idiot) soldier, so he met the requirements.

Then again, even with limited choices, Fett still didn’t want to hire Kal Skirata and he did so only because Walon Vau insisted. But Vau hated Death Watch above everything else, and I don’t think he would agree to work for Fett and/or get along with Priest and Reau, if they were true Death Watch sympathizers back then. 

“How do you lie to a Jedi Master?” Laseema asked. “Without him sensing it, that is?”

“I didn’t,” said Vau. “I said I’d tell him if I found Kal doing anything to help the enemy. The minute that this little shabuire opens a comlink to any former Death Watch personnel, I shall gladly turn him in.”

Skirata paused for a moment, then managed to laugh. “Do I know any?”

“No, but they’re the only group I’d really call my enemy. So I didn’t lie, and I was genuinely emotional enough for him to believe what his Force senses told him he wanted to believe.” [Order 66]

In this short passage, Vau says that Kal Skirata does not know any former members of Death Watch, so during the conflict between DW and True Mandalorians, Reau and Priest weren’t part of enemy group. So, if Jango knew them (otherwise, how he could judge if their skills are good enough to train future commandos?), they most likely were his former allies / subordinates or some freelancers whom he met over the years, right? 

Between Order 66 and 501’st, the biggest hater of Dred and Isabet is Mij Gilamar and I think his hate is only partially fueled by their Death Watch-like ideology. He is the one to say “`They had the makings of the Death Watch in them, those two. Him and that perverted secret fight club, her and that let’s-conquer-the-galaxy-again osik”. Alongside him, Ordo and Skirata were the most vocal about those two Mandalorians. Interesting, Walon Vau - for whom Death Watch is trigger to extreme hatred - did not despite them openly, at least until he saw DW badge on their armors. Then, he was all okay with killing them.

Here is the thing: was Dred and Isabet truly Death Watch sympathizers back on Kamino, or did their ideological thinking was just additional reason why Mij hated them both? Because we know he “loathed them with passion” and being “marooned indefinitely on Kamino with folks you hated on sight and nowhere to escape them” for sure did not help the situation. 

Frankly, Mij and Dred is not the first duo that fought and hated each other guts. Walon Vau, when introduced, also was seen as the psycho, cruel, bad Mandalorian; an image fueled by Skirata’s, Ordo’s and Atin’s POV yet with passing time, perception of his character has changed. So, can we be sure that Dred and Isabet were so awful? Especially since Vau and Fett could tolerate their sentiments, even if that sounded a lot like Death Watch’s ideology?

This leads me to two conclusion.

The Priest and Reau’s ideology was not really unique only to Death Watch. They wanted A) Mandalore to be great empire again, B) Mandalorian people to serve their own interest rather than fighting for foreign governments and strangers. Most likely many other Mandalorians were bitter about their past and current situation. If we take Legends and New Canon into account, this kind of sentiment actually makes sense. Death Watch may take that into extreme, but even people like Skirata - or his just-adjusting to Mandalorian life daughter - from time to time were thinking that Mandalorians shouldn’t fight for aruetii (foreigners) and doing their dirty jobs.

“I’m not arguing,” Gilamar said. “Just making it clear that if I run into Dred and he starts on that bring-back-the-good-old-days garbage, I’ll gut him. And his crazy girlfriend.”

“No reason to run into him,” Ordo said. “Unless you’re in Keldabe.”

“Don’t you think it’s time we started fighting for our own interests?” Ruu took the mug out of her father’s hand and peered into it as if checking up on him. “I’m not saying this guy’s right, but being at every aruetii’s beck and call and doing the dying for them doesn’t sound smart to me. Look at this world. It’s dirt-poor. That’s not much to show for the lives we’ve spent on shoring up other governments.”

“Good point,” Vau said. “You’re definitely a Skirata.”

That was an odd thing for Vau to say, seeing as no Mando cared much about biological parentage. It was a culture of adoption and blurred lines between offspring and in-laws.

He just means she says the same things as Kal'buir. That’s all.

If Skirata can talk/think how Mandalorians shouldn’t kill each other for foreigners’ money, like in True Colors:

Mandalorians ended up killing one another for all kinds of reasons, personal and incidental. It still didn’t make it right. The covert ops troopers sent after Sull, now these strangers-the thought of nek dogs came back to him, dog set on dog for sport, or just a killing machine to do the master’s bidding. Skirata felt it was time Mando'ade stopped being everyone’s nek.

then maybe the idea of “coming back to roots” and creating one mighty army is not so controversial? I mean, Jaster Mereel saw Mandalorians as just well-paid mercenaries, yet by leading (at least three) military units of well trained warriors he had better bargaining position to pick up missions, clients and how much money should be paid than a lone mandalorian freelancer could have. I think that last decade or so before the Clone Wars was time in which “national movements” happened in various mandalorian groups.

We may only wonder how much Priest and Reau’s ideology changed over the years, when they all were stuck on Kamino training little kids to fight for Republic/Jedi Order that no Mandalorian was overly fond of.  

There is also the little passage in Bounty Hunter Code, in which Jango commented that the Death Watch manifesto does not sound like Tor Vizsla (that Fett considered just a thug), the original leader of the group. But is something that Priest or Reau could said.

Jango could not be aware of how deep they felt about the whole “great mandalorian empire”, but either, like 501’st said, he thought they were all talk or knew, but did not care.

What brings me to the second point. Jango changed a lot between Jaster Mereel’s death and agreeing to be DNA donor for Great Army of Republic. Especially after Galidraan. He agreed to work for Dooku, because the man promised to destroy Jedi Order. And as much as Jango hated Death Watch, ultimately he hated Jedi even more. So, he could be as well aware that Priest and Reau were at heart Death Watch sympathizers, but did not care. He needed the best soldiers to train an army to eliminate Jedi - the ultimately enemy of all Mandalorians - once and for good.

“Now do you see? Do you?“ Vau hissed the sibilant like escaping steam. Mird cowered on the floor, whining softly. “I’m sick to death of your sentimental twaddle about Jango betraying us by letting Kamino use his genes. He did it to stop the Jedi. He did it to create an army strong enough to bring them down. You drone on about the injustice of unelected elites, my little working-class hero-well, now they’re gone. Yes, it cost our boys’ lives, but the Jedi are gone, gone, gone. And they won’t be killing Mandalorians again, not for a long time. Maybe never.”

And here comes my, most likely, unpopular opinion: I don’t think Fett cared much for the ideology. He hated Vizsla and DW, because they killed his family and mentor. He lead True Mandalorians because he cared for Jaster Mereel and tried his best to carry on his legacy. But in the end, somehow, in some ironic way, Jango adapted Tor Vizsla’s ruthless determination to achieve his goal. If to destroy Jedi Order he needed to sacrifice milions of his own clones and deal with two Death Watch sympathizers, so be it.

#star wars #jango fett #dred priest #isabet reau #death watch #walon vau #mij gilamar #kal skirata #republic commando #my replies #sorry for the rant i don't have many occassion to talk about DW #thank you for ask! #in short i doubt jango cared about their ideology #he wanted job be done #and by job i mean destruction of jedi order