swiftsnowmane: (Anakin Skywalker)
 

Recently, I was asked to write about ‘Anakin as a tragic hero’, and rather than attempting to tackle such a broad topic from scratch, I decided to compile a masterpost of excerpts from (and links to) my previous posts on the subject.  

In my personal view, ‘Star Wars’ (as in, the Skywalker saga) is, at its heart, Anakin’s story, and as such, his tragic fall and ultimate redemption forms one of the main, underlying themes of most of my SW analysis in general. And so, the selections below include everything from in-depth character analysis, to overviews of Anakin’s role in the saga as a whole, to explorations of themes of slavery vs. freedomdeath vs. immortalitypersonal attachments, fear of loss, and perhaps most importantly, unconditional love.

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swiftsnowmane: (Default)
***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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swiftsnowmane: (Anakin Skywalker)
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'.
swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)
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.” 

swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)

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.
 

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swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)


"

Anakin…exists relative to the state of the galaxy. He is not Luke, he is not the youth of western literature on a journey; that is Luke’s role. Anakin’s role is that of the demi-god of Greek and Roman origin. When Anakin rises, the galaxy rises with him, when Anakin is in turmoil, the galaxy is in turmoil, when Anakin falls, so falls the galaxy. Anakin is intrinsic to the galaxy because Anakin, like so many other mythological demi-gods, is an avatar for the gods or, in the case of Star Wars, the Force. Regardless of any one person’s views on the Force (which are extremely disparate and widely varied, so we won’t broach that subject here), this fact is indisputable. Anakin, as the Chosen One who will “bring balance to the Force”, is its avatar. When Anakin is claimed by the Dark, the Jedi Order’s zenith is reached, the Balance is tipped, and the Order descends into darkness with Anakin, just as his return also signals theirs.


The title ‘Return of the Jedi’ doesn’t just reference Luke becoming a Jedi, but Anakin’s return to the Light, and with it, the ability for the Jedi Order to once more flourish. In this he is much like Beowulf, when the Geatish hero sacrifices himself to defeat the dragon at the end of the epic poem. Failure would spell ultimate destruction for Beowulf’s people and country, just as, had Anakin failed to destroy the Emperor, the Jedi and the galaxy would truly have been wiped out. Anakin himself has to die, however, because he is what tips the scales. Once he dies and becomes one with the Force, only then is balance restored."


 

-- ‘STAR WARS: The Creation of a Modern Myth: Cultural Influence, Fan Response and the Impact of Literary Archetypes on Saga Perception’

(via muldertorture)


This right here is absolutely fundamental to understanding the entire purpose of the Skywalker saga, as Lucas so painstakingly told it. The destruction of the old Jedi Order that had ‘lost its way’ and forgotten its true role in the galaxy, and the founding of the New, heralded by Anakin’s return to the Light, and Luke’s essential role in reminding him—and us all—of what it means to be a True Jedi.



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swiftsnowmane: (Anakin Skywalker)

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]:
 

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swiftsnowmane: (Ahsoka - Snow Outfit)



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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swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)

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.)


 

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swiftsnowmane: (Vaderdala - please wait for me)
for @jedifest16′s Top Picks challenge




 


"I will safe keep your good heart, Dear One, until you are ready for its return."

- Vader's Dream by Kirk Reinert




Herein lie enshrined the five Anidala/Vaderdala fan vids that I viewed most this year. Prepare thyself for feels.


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swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)




~

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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swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)

Or, why TFA makes no sense in the context of the Prequels and the Original Trilogy

~
 


~

There is something incredibly unique about Anakin Skywalker as a character: this fascinating blend of hero, victim, and villain, and how the interplay of fate, destiny, character flaws, divided loyalties, tragic decisions, and the machinations of others leads to such great pain, loss, and evil…for himself, and for an entire galaxy. How he, as Vader, becomes both physically and mentally enslaved, suspended in an almost carbonite-like stasis and cyclical mindset for decades, until his final act of free will, spurred on by his latent, powerful love for his son, sets him—and them all—free.

In the wake of TFA, I feel the need to explain why I find Anakin’s entire arc (his fall and redemption) so important—nay, essential—to the overall message of the Star Wars saga, and why, thus far, the entire premise of the sequels feels like such an insult to all that has come before—especially in light of the nature of both Anakin’s tragic tale and Luke’s heroic journey.

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swiftsnowmane: (Vaderkin - Twilight of the Apprentice)
 

It's been a week since the Star Wars: Rebels Season 2 finale aired, and I am still not over it!!!

I can't even begin to explain my feelings on this episode. Somewhere between 'insanely thrilled' and 'traumatized for life', lol.

(Major spoilers under the cut!)



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swiftsnowmane: (SanSan - bubug)
An absolutely ancient response-post on Sansa Stark's role(s) as the Maiden and the Mother, especially as compared with Cersei Lannister and in relation to her later disguise as Alayne Stone. I'm reposting this from the From Pawn to Player: Rethinking Sansa thread on Westeros.org, which I used to be heavily involved with many moons ago but which I haven't participated in for a long time now. I just remembered this post the other day and wanted to archive it here for reasons.

For the original post within the context of the thread, see here.

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swiftsnowmane: (Bethyl - 30 Days)

~



"The first time he looked at her he felt: everything will burn." - Anais Nin, A Spy In the House of Love

~

We all know it. The way he looks at her, that intense gaze. From early on there are glimpses of it: in the way he watches her singing for the group; in the way he hovers at the doorway of her cell, observing her, for a moment, in secret. And of course, all the subsequent glances he casts her way during their time on the run. Looks that could chill. Looks that could burn. But what is behind those looks? We all know the famous line from 'Still', when Beth tells him: "I know you look at me and you just see another dead girl." At that stage, she has a point: Daryl is unable to focus on anything other than all his various (perceived) failings. All the 'dead girls' he could not save, and his crippling fear that she will be next. Obviously, we know that during the course of 'Still', Daryl comes to see Beth in a much different light. At the end of 'Still' and during 'Alone', his longing gazes, his demeanor, and his tender, thoughtful attentions to her demonstrate his high regard for her. But what about before? What about the time before the fall of the prison, before they had (seemingly) lost everything? And what about before that? Did Daryl really always look at Beth and just see 'another dead girl'?
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swiftsnowmane: (SanSan - bubug)


Yesterday I posted a song that related to my musings on Sandor's character arc, so today I thought I'd a song that has always reminded me of Sansa. I don't  have as deep an analysis to go with this one, because it is fairly straightforward.....

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