The Far, Bright Center

A Wolf In My Heart

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 18:20:10 GMT

Currently listening:

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End of Year Fandom Meme - Favourite Ships

Thu, 03 Jan 2019 18:28:41 GMT

✧ end of year fandom meme ✧ → favourite ships

1) SanSan (Sansa Stark x Sandor Clegane) – from the A Song of Ice and Fire series (book-version ONLY). The Little Bird and the Hound…the OTP that got me hooked on fanfiction in the first place, and the one that, no matter what, will always have a stronghold within my heart.

2) Bethyl (Beth Greene x Daryl Dixon) – from that terrible show that shall remain nameless, my achingly beautiful post-apocalyptic OTP of otps, and the pairing I’ve written the most fic for in recent years.

3) Anidala (Anakin Skywalker x Padme Amidala) – from the Star Wars Prequels and Clone Wars animated series. This one might come as a surprise to those who know me solely for the pairings listed above, but my love for these two as individuals, for their secret, intense forbidden romance, and for their glorious, devastating galactic apocalypse of a tragedy knows no bounds. To me, the cosmic embodiment of ‘Death and the Maiden’.

And last but most certainly not least, the fictional relationship that I think about almost constantly, all day and everyday....

4) Snips and Skyguy (Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano) – from The Clone Wars animated series. My all-time favourite ‘Master and Apprentice’ relationship, and the brotp I ‘ship’ as hard as any romantic pairing — so much so, I refer to them as my ‘OTF’, aka my ‘One True Friendship’. There are few fictional relationships I have bawled my heart out over more. 10/10 would die for them. :')

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eventually, even stars burn out

Sat, 11 Aug 2018 08:18:08 GMT

“Sometimes there are things no one can fix.”

~

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve become increasingly concerned that my days in the SW fandom (or at least, the tumblr side of it) may be numbered.

I very much hope I’m wrong about this. So, on the slight chance that it might help somehow, I’ll try to explain why I feel this way right now.

( Read more... )

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It's not just about nostalgia...

Sat, 23 Dec 2017 00:11:47 GMT

***Originally written in response to this tumblr post:

#these three love each other and always will <3 #and they’re such beloved iconic characters too #and no matter what disney tries to do to them #they’ll always be iconic and loved by people all around the world #the lucas movies will stand the test of time and so will these three <3 (via skywalker-saga)

^THIS. This is the TRUTH….and nothing and no one can take this away from us, as long as we uphold the original version of this tale and these characters.

I feel the need to point something out here—and that is, that to hold on to an unabashedly positive view of the Original Trio and to have an unwavering belief in their long-term happiness is not just a result of nostalgia or being attached to these characters as we knew them in the Original Trilogy, but is also the actual intended outcome of Lucas’ entire saga, aka the Prequels *and* the Original Trilogy combined.

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"...I've got to get it back then"

Fri, 26 May 2017 01:25:28 GMT

Anakin Skywalker/Vader (Simple Math) || SmokeyFiizz

An exquisitely beautiful fan vid that perfectly encompasses my feels for Anakin/Vader, Anakin x Padme, Luke & Vader, and my beloved Skywalker saga.

Happy 40th anniversary, Star Wars. :')

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Anidala Week 2017 - Day 6: Favourite Kiss

Wed, 24 May 2017 17:45:08 GMT

~

☆ Anidala Week 2017 ☆ Day 6: Favourite Kiss (RotS novelization):

There was no hope she could be happier—until his eye found her silent, still shadow, and he straightened, and a new light broke over his golden face and he said, “Excuse me,” to the Senator from Alderaan, and a moment later he came to her in the shadows and they were in each other’s arms.
Their lips met, and the universe became, one last time, perfect.

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Anidala Week 2017 - Day 4: Favourite Quote

Wed, 24 May 2017 17:33:51 GMT

~

☆ Anidala Week 2017 ☆ Day 4: Favourite Quote (RotS novelization):

Her real life began the first time she looked into Anakin Skywalker’s eyes and found in there not the uncritical worship of little Ani from Tatooine, but the direct, unashamed, smoldering passion of a powerful Jedi: a young man, to be sure, but every centimeter a man—a man whose legend was already growing within the Jedi Order and beyond. A man who knew exactly what he wanted and was honest enough to simply ask for it; a man strong enough to unroll his deepest feelings before her without fear and without shame. A man who had loved her for a decade, with faithful and patient heart, while he waited for the act of destiny he was sure would someday open her own heart to the fire in his.

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Anidala Week 2017 - Day 2: Favourite Scene

Wed, 24 May 2017 17:11:05 GMT

☆ Anidala Week 2017 ☆ Day 2: Favourite Scene || Lovers’ Embrace (+ binary sunset)

Tatooine is my all-time favourite Star Wars location, so it is no surprise that it is also the setting for one of my most beloved Anidala scenes. For such a brief interlude, it is impeccably crafted. From the direction, to the lighting, to the costuming, the attention to detail is most impressive. Anakin and Padme are especially striking in their contrasting physical appearances here, and this scene provides a tantalizing view of them as a 'union of opposites' ...in both a visual and thematic sense.

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40th 4th :)

Thu, 04 May 2017 16:10:46 GMT

Last month, I missed the festivities surrounding the 40th anniversary panel....and did so purposefully, as I am trying to avoid any kind of spoilers about the next Sequel film like the plague. But since Star Wars is obviously something that means a great deal to me, I dearly wanted to commemorate the 40th anniversary somehow. It's not every day such a huge fandom has such a major anniversary, and I was feeling really down about missing out on it. So, I've set up a big queue on my Star Wars blog, and today I'm celebrating the Skywalker Saga in my own way. :)

After all... it's the '40th (May the) 4th'....which is pretty amazing (and also makes me feel super old, lol).

So....

HAPPY STAR WARS DAY!

.... May the Fourth Be With You ....

And today of all days, I can't not leave you with this classic about my beloved 'Anakin guy'. ♥

We were singin’ …

My, my, this here Anakin guy

May be Vader someday later - now he’s just a small fry

And he left his home and kissed his mommy goodbye

Sayin’ “Soon I’m gonna be a J e d i”

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The Chosen Path - fic rec

Sun, 23 Apr 2017 20:55:54 GMT

Prelude: The Chosen Path by steelneena (for swiftsnowmane)

Read it on: tumblr || Ao3

Summary:

Paths are divergent, and lives are altered. Fates are changed. Destiny is chosen, instead of made.

Notes:

An attempt to remind the fandom exactly who and what Anakin is, and what leads to his downfall in canon, accomplished by circumventing canon altogether.

Series currently in progress. Updates once every month.

A Star Wars fic for anyone who has ever wondered 'what if the Duel of the Fates had ended differently?' Yes, this is a Qui-Gon lives!AU! Written by @muldertorture / steelneena, 'The Chosen Path' focuses on Anakin's journey, exploring how the survival of his first life-mentor transforms the course of his entire existence. If the Prequels are the 'darkest timeline', then this story presents us with what might just be the brightest of all 'possible futures'.

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A Piece of Sky

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 20:36:16 GMT

Father,

I may be falling

through clouded skies,

broken

and bloodied,

weighted

with the horror

of unholy revelation,

but it is you

who fell long ago

from far greater heights.

Father,

you may be standing

against the faded stars,

shackled

and suffering,

bowed

beneath the burden

of long-held darkness,

but it is I

who blaze

with undimmed light.

Let go

of your hate,

Let go

of your fear,

Let go

of your shrouded lies,

and I promise –

I will be there

I will catch you

and together

we will find

our own piece of sky.

— t.f.b.c.

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Fic milestone

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 20:21:21 GMT

I hadn't checked the stats on my Ao3 in a while, but today I happened to glance at them and noticed that Between the Fire and the Sky (my slow-burn Bethyl longfic) had reached 20, 000 hits! :O

Might not seem like a big deal to some, but that is by far the most hits any fic of mine has ever had (or will likely ever have, lol). BtFatS is my 'baby', so I'm just incredibly touched to see that people are still reading (and re-reading) it. :')

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Breaking the Cycle

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 14:08:46 GMT

" In the Star Wars universe, it is stated that slavery is a primary tool of the Sith—for controlling one another, and also for the subjugation of the entire galaxy. And thus it stands to reason that if Anakin is truly the Chosen One (and this is confirmed by Lucas’ canon), then he is also the one who is destined to destroy the Sith, and by doing so, it is implied, break this seemingly-perpetual cycle of slavery (and mental/ideological enslavement)."

—

‘The Chosen One, the Hero’s Journey, and breaking the cycle of enslavement in Star Wars: or, why TFA makes no sense in the context of the Prequels and the Original Trilogy’

(via the-far-bright-center)

“This is why the climactic and emotionally cathartic ending of Return of the Jedi must herald an end to this cycle. What does destroying the Sith mean, if not that? Without this, there is little point to Anakin’s otherwise wholly tragic story. Without this, I would argue, there is little point to Luke’s story, either.”

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'He will avenge us'

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 15:52:38 GMT

re: the final exchange between Obi-Wan and Maul in ‘Twin Suns’

Below the cut I've posted an edited version of my response to ~ this tumblr discussion ~ regarding the mention of ‘The Chosen One’ in the final scene between Obi-Wan and Maul. While I understand (and empathize with!) the fandom's frustration over the use of this term, I feel that, on a meta-textual level, the conversation as a whole refers to both Luke and Anakin, aka the ‘Twin Suns’ of Tatooine.

( Read more... )

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Thoughts on s3 of Rebels thus far....

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 14:59:57 GMT

~

Someone on tumblr recently asked me if I was still watching Rebels, and, if so, what were my thoughts on Season 3 thus far. Well, as of the mid-season finale at least, I'm still enjoying it. I wasn’t sure what to expect after Twilight of the Apprentice in terms of the direction of the show, but thus far I think they have handled things fairly well. Overall, the tone feels a little bit different, but that is expected as the stakes continue to get higher.

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Top 5 - Anakin/Vader fan vids

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 12:04:18 GMT

for @jedifest16′s Top Picks challenge

The Balance by elaine

Five fan vids for my fave. ♥

( Read more... )

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The Faith of her Father

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 12:21:12 GMT

"She still held to the faith of her father, in that she believed there was a heaven waiting beyond this life, and yet she would not let her belief lead her unthinking into oblivion. I won’t surrender, she thought with a vehemence that startled her. I will walk this path to whatever end may await. I will not fade away into nothingness. I’d rather burn.

No, if the God of her father still ruled this world, then surely His reign was not in scripture scrawled threateningly across a wall, nor in the mind of a single, demented leader. Nor was it in the depths of that dark water, but rather in the light that filtered through the trees at dawn, in the flight of the pale doves in the morning, in the graceful, folding wings of a pair of mated swans, in the footsteps of a great stag upon the frosted earth, in the distant stars at night, the flames of the evening sky.

And in those few, small fires that yet flickered within the hearts of men."

— Between the Fire and the Sky

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Qui-Gon Jinn: the ideal teacher of Anakin Skywalker

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 12:14:04 GMT

an excerpt from TPM novelization

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~

( Read more... )

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Anakin's dream on the Dune Sea

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 12:02:10 GMT

~

~

He fell asleep finally, and he dreamed of strange things. The dreams shifted and changed without warning and took on different story lines and meanings as they did so. He was several things in the course of his dreams. Once he was a Jedi Knight, fighting against things so dark and insubstantial he could not identify them. Once he was a pilot of a star cruiser, taking the ship into hyperspace, spanning whole star systems on his voyage. Once he was a great and feared commander of an army, and he came back to Tatooine with ships and troops at his command to free the planet’s slaves. His mother was waiting for him, smiling, arms outstretched. But when he tried to embrace her, she vanished

— Terry Brooks, The Phantom Menace

~

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The Old Spacer in Mos Espa

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 11:47:01 GMT

Or, Anakin’s need for a positive role model/father figure

In the novelization of The Phantom Menace, there is an early scene in which Anakin and his friends encounter an ‘old spacer’ one evening in the streets of Mos Espa. As with anything relating to Anakin’s destiny, the scene contains its share of dramatic irony. But more importantly, it also provides a tantalizing glimpse into a ‘what if’ scenario for ‘this here Anakin guy’.

It’s a lengthy passage, but one that I feel is significant enough to include in its entirety [emphasis mine]:

( Read more... )

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The Clone Wars (2008) – Anakin vs. Dooku

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 11:35:14 GMT

As I've mentioned frequently over the last year, The Clone Wars animated series is one of my most cherished pieces of Star Wars media, and the movie that was made to start off the series is no exception. I adore everything about it, most especially the introduction of Ahsoka Tano, one of my favourite Star Wars characters of all time. Watching Ahsoka and Anakin (aka, 'Snips and Skyguy') bond so quickly and so deeply despite themselves still gives me a thrill even to this day. It has always meant everything to me that, by giving Anakin a padawan who becomes his 'spiritual daughter' in a sense, they have also given this character a direct legacy. This is truly incredible, if you think about it. (And it is so fitting that, later on, Ahsoka, as the legacy of the Chosen One, becomes this 'grey' figure, who is neither Sith nor Jedi, but instead almost this agent of the 'Will of the Force' itself.)

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'Mother of the Rebellion'

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 11:29:28 GMT

Padme's deleted scenes in Revenge of the Sith

Scene 1 - ‘A Stirring in the Senate’

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Anakin's Fall to the Dark Side || Suite

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 11:21:29 GMT

The most astounding thing about the music that accompanies Anakin’s fall is how sorrowful it is. Even as his ‘dark deeds’ unfold, Williams’ score is more mournful than ever. We are meant to weep for Anakin and for those who love him. For the Jedi and for the Republic. Because what is happening to this beautiful young man is the manifestation of what has happened—of what Sidious, and through him, the Dark Side, has done—to the galaxy itself.

( Read more... )

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Top 5 - Twilight of the Apprentice

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 10:41:06 GMT

for @jedifest'16 Top Picks challenge

The s2 finale of Star Wars: Rebels was *the* Star Wars event of the year for me, the catalyst that sent me hurtling back into a fandom that I had distanced myself from for a long time. This episode single-handedly rekindled my love for Star Wars at a very dark time when I’d thought I had lost it forever.

Nothing can ever capture the tumult of emotion and the intensity of feeling I experienced while watching the now-iconic confrontation between Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader. My heart exploded; my soul ascended. The moment Ahsoka slices open Vader’s mask is etched upon my memory forevermore: Vader, brought to his knees, and the voice of Anakin Skywalker, calling out the name of his beloved former apprentice.

Nothing can replicate it, and nothing can ever compare to it. But these five incredible fanworks sure come close.

( Read more... )

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Top 5 - Vaderkin fan art

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 10:29:27 GMT

for @jedifest‘16 Top 5 Picks

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is one of my favourite fictional characters of all time, and thus it's no surprise that attempting to choose only five pieces for this list proved a rather...difficult challenge. In the end, I decided to try a more liminal approach. While both of his dual identities are fascinating in their own right (Vader, his tormented prison; Anakin, his True Self, and the identity that we all long for him to reclaim), when it comes to artistic depictions, I find that this character is often at his most visually compelling when the two intertwine.

The following are five pieces that I feel capture the intermingling of and/or inner conflict between Anakin and Vader. (These are but a taste of the many beautiful works of art I’ve encountered this year; for more, see the tag on my blog here.)

( Read more... )

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