Reading Star Wars
Nov. 11th, 2003 04:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakAs those of you following these ramblings for a while might recall, I'm the freak who liked the original Star Wars trilogy but loves the prequels. (The explanation is here, if you're curious.) Some recent entries on my friends' list have awakened my inner prequel defender, but instead of launching into a repetition of what I've said before, I'll link some fanfiction this time, stories which use both OT and prequels to great effect and showcase how the new information from the prequels have enriched the characters we already know.
First of all, the classic of classics. Forget about just SW, this is one of the best pieces of fanfiction I've ever read. (It's also lightyears better than any of the media tie-ins I came across, but that would be faint praise.) Set between trilogies, this story in four chapters shows the unlikely growth and destruction of a friendship between Leia and Darth Vader, ending in the bitter hostility we see in A New Hope. Even if you hate the prequels with a passion, I promise you you'll love this one. Incidentally, it's also the story with which the author, Fernwithy, convinced me of her theory that Leia is the Skywalker sibling more like her father and in danger of darkside. Go. Read. Admire - here.
Fernwithy also wrote a later encounter between Leia and Vader, a conversation they have on Bespin, which uses this backstory but can be read independently, as a great "missing scene" from Empire Strikes Back: The Only Question. Again, even prequel haters should appreciate this one.
If you are a prequel hater but have come to trust Fernwithy as a writer based on these examples, why not try her long story about Obi-Wan, Anakin and Siri Tachi between TPM and AotC? Family Portrait is that rare thing in any fandom, a story with a great adventure plot, great depiction of canon characters and great original characters. There is foreshadowing, but not anvilly, and the questions that are raised about the way the Jedi deal with family relationships aren't given any easy answers. If Obi-Wan is the only thing you do like about the prequels, you might also give it a try - imo Fernwithy gives us a better and more credible Kenobi than many a Saint!Obi (or for that matter Sexslave!Obi) writer, a good but not perfect man. Also, the UST between him and Siri is fun - and remains UST, as it should given his convictions.
Something good fanfiction can do is to flesh out peripheral characters and events only mentioned in passing. Such as, for example, Shmi Skywalker, Cliegg Lars, and their marriage. In the story I'm thinking of, this is told from Owen's pov; I do admit I have a soft spot for Owen Lars anyway, who often gets a bad press in fanfic. (Incidentally, the more we see in the prequels the more it appears to me Owen was dead-on about distrusting Obi-Wan and not wanting Luke to become a Jedi.) So, meet young Owen and read his take on Shmi Skywalker and his father, and her absent son, in Fernwithy's The Sand Fair.
It occurs to me the remark above might give the impression I dislike Obi-Wan Kenobi. I don't. Being stuck with raising a child at an age where he has just entered adulthood himself because of a deathbed promise would be a burden to anyone, and he does his best.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bimo gives us a good rendition of what might be going through his head during the early days with Anakin, just after Qui-Gon's death, here.
The relationship between Anakin and Padmé has come in for a lot of criticism. It worked for me (see above), but I do think it needs more exploration. Not that this is a bad thing. It's what fanfic thrives on.cadesama gives us a moment between the two from TPM here, en route back to Naboo and after Anakin has been rejected by the Council. Fernwithy tells how the two went from a kiss to an actual marriage proposal, and I appreciate not just the emotional journey but such details as her pointing out that as a Senator, Padmé could be in for a smear campaign the moment her love affair with a (younger) Jedi Padawan gets out. The story is here.
Another example of how to flesh out background would be what Fernwithy did in the story The Smart One. In AotC, Padmé teases Anakin with the description of her first crush, and kiss; Fernwithy uses what few details are given - the name, Palo, and the fact he became an artist instead of a legislator (causing Anakin's comment that maybe he was the smart one) - to create a short story set between trilogies, where Palo is summoned to Lord Vader. Among other things, it's also a vivid description of what it means to be an artist in a dictatorship, and the choices one has to make.
There aren't many decent fanfics dealing with the relationship between Anakin and Palpatine - or Vader and the Emperor, if you prefer the OT era - but it's one crucial to the entire saga. Geo3 gives us a good missing scene set near the end of AotC, in which Anakin talks with Palpatine about recent events: Step Into My Parlor.
One character who did get his share of fictional attention since the release of TPM, but mostly in slash, is Qui-Gon Jinn. There is, however, some excellent gen fiction featuring Qui-Gon as well. Marnie imagines the young Qui-Gon clashing with Yoda and coming to terms with his heritage; one of the reasons why Marnie's stories are so good is that while she clearly loves Qui-Gon, she doesn't bash Yoda or anyone who has an opposing pov. In her story, it's more than clear why Qui-Gon had to become an outsider among the Jedi, and why many years later Anakin would fit in even less. She also wrote a sequel, Coming Home, in which Yoda attempts to solve the Qui-Gon problem by making him Dooku's padawan. I admire how Marnie made Dooku an intriguing character, full of potential for both good and evil, instead of some Evil Overlord In Training. The relationship which develops between Qui-Gon and Dooku rings true as well and makes Dooku's remarks about Qui-Gon towards Obi-Wan in AotC resonate with genuine grief. A third story of hers, Mercy, in which the two are already Master and Padawan, showcases the ambiguous nature of Dooku again, and emphasizes Qui-Gon struggling to become the independent mind we meet in TPM.
Lastly, two more Fernwithy stories. In Old Friends, Long Gone, set directly after RotJ and dealing with Luke, Leia and what I wanted to see in the actual film but didn't, more of Leia's reaction regarding the news about Vader, she took what must the most hated character in the entire history of SW, and I'm not talking about Palpatine or Vader/Anakin here, and made him an essential part of said reaction. Yes, it's Jar-Jar Binks. If you believe it impossible for Jar-Jar to come across as other than annoying, consider this story as the answer to a challenge.
Dragonslayer gives us a young Luke on Tatoine, and an Obi-Wan still haunted by the past, only starting to try for the future. And again, she pulls off her special trick of managing an adventure plot and character exploration at the same time.
First of all, the classic of classics. Forget about just SW, this is one of the best pieces of fanfiction I've ever read. (It's also lightyears better than any of the media tie-ins I came across, but that would be faint praise.) Set between trilogies, this story in four chapters shows the unlikely growth and destruction of a friendship between Leia and Darth Vader, ending in the bitter hostility we see in A New Hope. Even if you hate the prequels with a passion, I promise you you'll love this one. Incidentally, it's also the story with which the author, Fernwithy, convinced me of her theory that Leia is the Skywalker sibling more like her father and in danger of darkside. Go. Read. Admire - here.
Fernwithy also wrote a later encounter between Leia and Vader, a conversation they have on Bespin, which uses this backstory but can be read independently, as a great "missing scene" from Empire Strikes Back: The Only Question. Again, even prequel haters should appreciate this one.
If you are a prequel hater but have come to trust Fernwithy as a writer based on these examples, why not try her long story about Obi-Wan, Anakin and Siri Tachi between TPM and AotC? Family Portrait is that rare thing in any fandom, a story with a great adventure plot, great depiction of canon characters and great original characters. There is foreshadowing, but not anvilly, and the questions that are raised about the way the Jedi deal with family relationships aren't given any easy answers. If Obi-Wan is the only thing you do like about the prequels, you might also give it a try - imo Fernwithy gives us a better and more credible Kenobi than many a Saint!Obi (or for that matter Sexslave!Obi) writer, a good but not perfect man. Also, the UST between him and Siri is fun - and remains UST, as it should given his convictions.
Something good fanfiction can do is to flesh out peripheral characters and events only mentioned in passing. Such as, for example, Shmi Skywalker, Cliegg Lars, and their marriage. In the story I'm thinking of, this is told from Owen's pov; I do admit I have a soft spot for Owen Lars anyway, who often gets a bad press in fanfic. (Incidentally, the more we see in the prequels the more it appears to me Owen was dead-on about distrusting Obi-Wan and not wanting Luke to become a Jedi.) So, meet young Owen and read his take on Shmi Skywalker and his father, and her absent son, in Fernwithy's The Sand Fair.
It occurs to me the remark above might give the impression I dislike Obi-Wan Kenobi. I don't. Being stuck with raising a child at an age where he has just entered adulthood himself because of a deathbed promise would be a burden to anyone, and he does his best.
bimo gives us a good rendition of what might be going through his head during the early days with Anakin, just after Qui-Gon's death, here.The relationship between Anakin and Padmé has come in for a lot of criticism. It worked for me (see above), but I do think it needs more exploration. Not that this is a bad thing. It's what fanfic thrives on.
cadesama gives us a moment between the two from TPM here, en route back to Naboo and after Anakin has been rejected by the Council. Fernwithy tells how the two went from a kiss to an actual marriage proposal, and I appreciate not just the emotional journey but such details as her pointing out that as a Senator, Padmé could be in for a smear campaign the moment her love affair with a (younger) Jedi Padawan gets out. The story is here.Another example of how to flesh out background would be what Fernwithy did in the story The Smart One. In AotC, Padmé teases Anakin with the description of her first crush, and kiss; Fernwithy uses what few details are given - the name, Palo, and the fact he became an artist instead of a legislator (causing Anakin's comment that maybe he was the smart one) - to create a short story set between trilogies, where Palo is summoned to Lord Vader. Among other things, it's also a vivid description of what it means to be an artist in a dictatorship, and the choices one has to make.
There aren't many decent fanfics dealing with the relationship between Anakin and Palpatine - or Vader and the Emperor, if you prefer the OT era - but it's one crucial to the entire saga. Geo3 gives us a good missing scene set near the end of AotC, in which Anakin talks with Palpatine about recent events: Step Into My Parlor.
One character who did get his share of fictional attention since the release of TPM, but mostly in slash, is Qui-Gon Jinn. There is, however, some excellent gen fiction featuring Qui-Gon as well. Marnie imagines the young Qui-Gon clashing with Yoda and coming to terms with his heritage; one of the reasons why Marnie's stories are so good is that while she clearly loves Qui-Gon, she doesn't bash Yoda or anyone who has an opposing pov. In her story, it's more than clear why Qui-Gon had to become an outsider among the Jedi, and why many years later Anakin would fit in even less. She also wrote a sequel, Coming Home, in which Yoda attempts to solve the Qui-Gon problem by making him Dooku's padawan. I admire how Marnie made Dooku an intriguing character, full of potential for both good and evil, instead of some Evil Overlord In Training. The relationship which develops between Qui-Gon and Dooku rings true as well and makes Dooku's remarks about Qui-Gon towards Obi-Wan in AotC resonate with genuine grief. A third story of hers, Mercy, in which the two are already Master and Padawan, showcases the ambiguous nature of Dooku again, and emphasizes Qui-Gon struggling to become the independent mind we meet in TPM.
Lastly, two more Fernwithy stories. In Old Friends, Long Gone, set directly after RotJ and dealing with Luke, Leia and what I wanted to see in the actual film but didn't, more of Leia's reaction regarding the news about Vader, she took what must the most hated character in the entire history of SW, and I'm not talking about Palpatine or Vader/Anakin here, and made him an essential part of said reaction. Yes, it's Jar-Jar Binks. If you believe it impossible for Jar-Jar to come across as other than annoying, consider this story as the answer to a challenge.
Dragonslayer gives us a young Luke on Tatoine, and an Obi-Wan still haunted by the past, only starting to try for the future. And again, she pulls off her special trick of managing an adventure plot and character exploration at the same time.
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no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:34 am (UTC)*bows*
Date: 2003-11-11 04:47 pm (UTC)Re: *bows*
Date: 2003-11-11 06:52 pm (UTC)Thanks!
Date: 2003-11-11 11:57 am (UTC)So a list of good recs (esp. heavy on the Vader and/or Anakin-- why yes I *am* a villains fan) is much appreciated.
You're welcome!
Date: 2003-11-11 04:46 pm (UTC)I have no idea, other than the Ewan=pretty rationale. (I'm sure the writers weren't thinking of Sir Alec.) Nor do I know why poor Obi ends up having a weepy breakdown over his master's cruelty every other minute even in a lot of gen fanfic. But you know, ever since I went through a lot of B7 stories which had Blake apologize to Avon because Avon had shot him, not to mention a lot of stories in which Avon sobs all over Blake/Vila/Mary Sue, I'm not surprised by any fannish oddity anymore.
So a list of good recs (esp. heavy on the Vader and/or Anakin-- why yes I *am* a villains fan) is much appreciated.
Enjoy. He's my favourite character in the saga, in both incarnations, so my recs tend to reflect that, admittedly.
Re: You're welcome!
Date: 2003-11-12 01:42 am (UTC)Squicked as well...
Date: 2003-11-12 02:28 am (UTC)As to where the slave scenarios come from - see earlier entry, which is still my best guess.
Re: Squicked as well...
Date: 2003-11-12 02:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 12:57 pm (UTC)::bookmarks post under recs::
Thanks *g*
Date: 2003-11-12 12:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 03:12 pm (UTC)bullyingpersuasion (*g*) I have read quite a few of these and know that they're excellent, but I don't think I've read all of them. I'll look forward to checking them out.no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 04:40 pm (UTC)bullyingpersuasive type.*g* Have fun with the rest.no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 03:56 pm (UTC)As to the inciting comments on the friends pages . . . those wouldn't be coments related to the Matrix movies in apparent displays of Lucas-Hate Tourrette's? LHT is, of course, the syndrome in which people burst into random diatribes against GL or the PT while writing otherwise coherent and interesting reviews/essays on topics only tangentially related to SW. For quite some time a vast majority of the print media has suffered from this disease, and recently it has spread to internet forums as well. It is all quite sad, and no treatment is currently known.
Even if I'd *like* to mention that the reason the Matrix sequels sucked is because the Wachowski's created the universe in the exact opposite way Lucas created his and clearly can't juggle the different stories they *did* tell in it . . .
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 12:17 am (UTC)Gen recs: yes, they are rare, more's the pity. I like my slash or het now and then, but if it's the only thing on the menu I feel like eating candy all the time - soon, one does get sick of it. Plus gen or slash, a story which offers both plot and character depth is even rarer. Mind you, since my own humble efforts tend to go more on the character side, I know decent plots are difficult.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 11:58 am (UTC)*carefully diverts the threatening Crossover Bunny back to the weird crossover I'm actually working on*
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 02:20 pm (UTC)You'd think so. (Though btw on the Extended Version of Fellowship they make a point of saying that Lucas & Co. have been very generous with sharing technical expertise.) But no, every other review I read contained snide "whereas GL so thoroughly dissappointed us" remarks.
Crossover? Well, with Christopher Lee starring as Saruman and Dooku you have a starting point.*g*
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 02:37 pm (UTC)I wasn't even thinking about Christopher Lee, despite that one of your recs (by Marnie, I believe) that made a minor point of Dooku's voice so that I smiled over recalling the actor was the same and Saruman's voice was supposed to be so captivating. But I have no actual ideas for one. :)
no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 06:13 pm (UTC)Star Wars is at it heart a fantasy, with evil wizards and (jedi)knights, fair princesses and scoundrels. The society that is in the background is more like medieval fantasy than a millennium old galactic spanning complex society. Not that is anything wrong with that; the director fit the surroundings to the story and not the reverse. And Yes Darth Vader is the most interesting character.
Personally do I like, that whenever I see a space scene from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey,there is no effect sounds only some classic music in the background. I do love hard sf film, they are so rare.
Your posts have me made interested in Farscape, which I do immensely enjoy so far (2x11), with “Crackers Don't Matter” as my favourite episode until now, “Human are superior!”, a gentle poke at some classic old school sf, where human indeed were superior.
If I may perhaps return the favour to you, would I suggest that you take a look at Lars Von Trier’s tv show Riget aka Geister, that I just seen showed on NDR late in the night. I have seen it been described as General Er crossover with Twin Peak, highly original.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 12:17 am (UTC)I'm glad you enjoy Farscape. I'm biting my lips so I won't spoil you, but Crackers Don't Matter, in addition to being fun, also contains some serious foreshadowing.
Thank you for the Lars van Trier tip. Will try to find the show.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 01:44 am (UTC)