Skywalkers

Luke wasn’t looking forward to this. Ahsoka had been so upset when he’d lost his father’s lightsaber, how upset would she be when she heard this?

He’d arranged to meet her on Lothal. She had a mission there apparently…he wondered what it was, and if he could go with her as he wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself anymore. And he most certainly did not want to return to Tattooine…

He landed his ship at the coordinates she’d given him but didn’t disembark. It was cold and empty out here. He wondered why this was where Ahsoka wanted to meet…

Her ship landed not long after and he got out to meet her. As usual she displayed the ability that she could read his mind and said “There was a Jedi Temple here until a few years ago. I thought you should know. The Jedi had ‘outposts’, if you will, all across the galaxy. Many long forgotten before even I became a Jedi. The ones that are left and still untainted by the Sith are the only sanctuaries we have left…”

Luke noticed that she said “we”, even though she’d spent the better part of their time together telling him she wasn’t a Jedi. He wanted to know what happened to the temple but she seemed pretty sad already and it seemed a soft topic.

She was silent for a long time, watching the horizon, so Luke decided he’d better just break the news to her.

“Umm…Ahsoka?”, he said softly. “I met him. I fought Vader, just like Ben-, ah, Obi Wan said. Then the Emperor started torturing me with this blue lighting and…Anakin killed him…He saved my life…”

Ahsoka didn’t respond. Her expression was placid and unreadable. Then finally she said, “…But he isn’t coming back, is he?”

Luke shook his head dejectedly. Anakin might have been his father, but he meant so much more to Ahsoka. They’d been through so much together… “Hey”, he said softly, “He came back. You were right! He was in pain, but the light was never driven from him fully. He’d buried Anakin Skywalker, but he couldn’t destroy him. When he saw me…helpless…everything you told me about him came to the surface and he did what was right…Did you and Obi-Wan mean that I was the only hope to save him?

A tear ran down her cheek. “Yes…”, she whispered, “I’m glad you got to meet him, even if only for a moment… Years ago the three of us ran into some powerful Force beings that confirmed Anakin was the chosen one. And family always drove him…Thank you”

She smiled, and Luke smiled back. They’d both lost so much, but this put both their minds at rest 🙂

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Photo Credits: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/414049759485703804/

One With The Cosmic Force

Hera was broken. After all this time, all her trials and struggles, this was too much. Her strength had finally given way. From the first day she’d met him, she’d realised how special he was. She had always been strong, but when she couldn’t be, he was always there to be strong for her. He was the only person who’d been with her from the dawn if it all…and the only person she thought would have been there until the end…

Kannen Jarrus…that was how she knew him. But since the beginning, Caleb Dume hd always been in there, and he always stood out to her. But it didn’t matter what he called himself. She loved all of him, and she couldn’t believe she’d waited so long to tell him…Somewhere in her heart she knew he knew, but she still regretted every moment of the last several years. She had dragged him into tis fight. He’d never wanted war, and now he was gone because of it…

What had he told her once? “Death is not the end. It’s just movement into another realm. The realm of the stars…” She sighed to herself and walked up to the turret gun on The Ghost. His favourite place, because he could see all around him, all the stars and the skies…and now she was supposed to believe that he was a part of them…? “Rejoice for those around you, who transform into the force”, he’d said. But how could she believe that when it was so mystical, so unreal, and so out of reach?

She was just wallowing in her own misery…gah, she chided herself for feeling that way, she needed to be strong. But how could she be strong without him? She didn’t even remember what that was like any more…fighting the universe on her own. Gods, she was being ridiculous…she was ignoring everyone else…she knew they all cared about Kannen as much as she did, and must have been feeling just like she was. Especially Ezra…oh Ezra…he was so young, he didn’t deserve this. He needed her more than anything right now. And it made her even sadder to think how much Kannen must have resented having to leave him like this, just the way his master had to leave him.

She started to cry…again. But this time she didn’t even try to stop it. She let go, and le the tears roll forth, and years of pain, loss, and grief seemed to wash over her. But then they also washed away. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered what the crew would think if they heard her sobbing over there like a baby, but then she realised she didn’t really care.

Her emotions were settling…if only for the moment. Her head was beginning to clear and she was sure that this was as close as she was ever going to come to “rejoicing” Kannen’s death. She dried her eyes, lowered herself down from the turret, and then walked back to the turret. To her safe place. She announced into the comm system that she was taking them for a spin and when she met no apparent objections she took off. She remarked that Chopper was nowhere to be found. He’d been spending a lot of time in Kannen’s cabin lately but apparently thought no one had noticed. That made her smile.

She sighed. Flying always made her feel good. It made her feel weightless, elated, like a child on a trampoline. Utterly free. Apparently Ezra had noticed this because he emerged from his nose gun hideout a few minutes later and pointed this out.

He sat in the seat across behind her, not wanting to be in Kannen’s seat…They flew in silence for a few minutes before Ezra said dejectedly, “I miss him too…I…just feel so lost…I don’t know what to do, and I don’t want to make you have to take charge that’s not fair I just don’t thi-“
“I know,” she cut him off. “It’s alright Ezra…I understand this has been hard for you…and I’m so sorry…but I believe Kannen would say something like ‘Rejoice for those around you who transform into the force’”

They smiled.

Lightsabers

“so…”, Ahsoka said, “How much do you know about lightsabers?”

Luke took a moment to respond, “Really, nothing…I had my fathers old one but I…lost it when I fought Vader…” Ahsoka was surprised by how hurt she felt that Anakin’s lightsaber was lost…Ugh, she needed to focus…Since Luke knew nothing about lightsabers, she thought she’s better start from the beginning. “No problem,” she said “you can practice with one of mine for now, but first you need to understand how they work, and why we use them.”

“Maybe you should sit down.” she added as an afterthought. He obliged, and sat down with his legs crossed on the cave floor. She sat down across from him and took out one of her sabers. She decided to channel her inner Master Huang and dissect it to show him how it worked. She closed her eyes and meditated, slowly levitating the hilt of the sword. She felt like she was 7 years old again on The Crucible, concentrating on each piece and screw and how they all fit together. When she opened her eyes Luke’s mouth was hanging open and his eyes were so wide she almost lost focus and laughed aloud. She smiled inspite of herself and told him, “this, is a lightsaber. It’s actually part of my second pair but the feel is the same, and that’s the most important thing. The sword and Jedi must be one, and the key component for that, is this.” She pointed at the Kyber crystal and continued, “it powers the lightsaber, gives it life, and connects it to you. In the Order…it was the greatest honour for a youngling to harvest their crystal and build their lightsaber.” She went on explaining the different components and wasn’t surprised by how quickly he caught on. It seemed he had his father’s mind for mechanics, and was very happy when she pointed this out to him.

“When do I get to build mine?”, he inquired, sounding impeccably like every youngling in the temple she’d ever met. She smiled slightly and gave him her best Jedi master answer, “When you’re ready.” He rolled his eyes at her and she started to laugh. Her lightsaber bits clattered to the floor and she could practically hear Master Huang tutting at her in her head. After she pulled herself together and reassembled her lightsaber she threw it to Luke and said “Let’s see what you can do with that. Use the dial on the left to adjust the length of the blade.”

He looked so comfortable with the blade in his hands. She walked him through the forms and styles, displaying her own backward grip and some of Anakin’s specialised styles too. They went over these for weeks. Ahsoka was unsure how long it would take for him to be truly ready, but he was determined, and she respected that. She’d decided to teach him a little bit about Jedi history too, even though she had a strange perspective on it. And of course she made him do force-control exercises. Those were Master Yoda’s favourite, and Luke, like Anakin, hated them.

They had interesting discussions while they trained. Ahsoka told Luke about the Clone Wars and his parents and how she’d come to join the Rebellion. Luke talked about his life on Tatooine and his own adventures with the Rebellion. Finally, one evening as they were collecting wood for a fire she told him, “you’re ready. It’s time for The Gathering.”

Jake Bartok on Twitter: "After watching Empire Strikes Back, I ...

Photo Credits: @JR_Bartok on Twitter. Check him out at https://jakebartok.art and @jakebartok on Instagram too!

Order 66-Part 2

~from Jedi Master Luminara Unduli

Smoke billowed around her. Flames licked the bodies of fallen soldiers and droids, dancing in front of her eyes as though they were waiting to engulf her too. She called on the force to haul herself onto a nearby catwalk, narrowly escaping that fate.

She looked upon the scene before her, the manifestation of all her worst fears. War. Blood. Death. Destruction. She’d become everything she’d sworn to condemn forever. And then a startling realisation came over her; the flames had already engulfed her…years ago when the war began.

Had Barris been right?, she wondered…She’d been heartbroken when her padawan had attacked the temple, an act unthinkable in itself, but then she framed her dearest friend for it. Her anger and resentment had metamorphosed into hate and consumed her, and then they’d spread through the ranks of the Jedi like wildfire. Enhancing an already present fear which had controlled them for decades…only now did she sense the irony of it all…

Barris had seen that, she’d called them out…but in such a brutal way…she wondered where her young padawan had learned that, and prayed that it wasn’t from her. She imagined it was the war taking its toll on all of them. The young were always the first too see it. Ahsoka had realised the Jedi were doomed too, and no longer what we were meant to be…Ahsoka made a choice, but these clones here today, they did not. She just knew it. Their minds were clouded, they didn’t hear her scream. They were not in control and didn’t deserve this fate…yet they’d unleashed so much death and pain. She’d felt it in a flash across the galaxy. As though hundreds of voices had cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. Like an eternal, fighting light had finally been snuffed out. If that bunker hadn’t exploded she would have been snuffed out too…

She shuddered despite the heat of the flames and in that instant she knew the galaxy was doomed. The balance was finally destroyed, and they’d played a part in its destruction for decades. The light was gone. And she needed to go too. She was not safe here, or anywhere anymore…she thought perhaps she could try the emergency comm link, but she had little faith that it would work.

She staggered on…submitting her fate to the will of the force. She ignited her lightsaber, one last time, and lost herself in the flames.

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Photo Credits: Star Wars The Clone Wars

Kanen

Even without sight he had a vision. A hope for the future. A light at the end of this ever so dark tunnel.

Since he was a boy, it seemed like the fighting had only increased, more and more deaths each day, and every effort he made to try and stop it seemed futile. War was all he’d ever known. He was forged by it.

His name was Kannen. A mask that hid his true identity. The facade of a man that did not exist. This man was no Jedi, merely a fighter, like many others struggling to survive the galaxy.

But one day it all changed.

The day he found Hope. A light so pure he couldn’t live a lie any longer. And finally, he was free.

The Stars were his calling, and he rose to them.

He rose to his friends.

His friends were his family.

And his family, was everything.

He had lost his way for a long time, but never again.

Even without sight he had a vision.

A vision of Hope.

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Photo Credits: Star Wars Rebels

Master and Apprentice

“Who are you? And how did you find me?”, he said.

Ahsoka smiled. “I was a Jedi. Now I’m a rebel, just like you.”

Luke thought for a moment then wondered allowed, “How come you’re not a Jedi anymore?”

She looked into those innocent eyes and years of pain filled her with sorrow, “because we were broken…”

Sensing that this was a painful subject Luke decided to change the subject. “So…how did you find me?”

“You’re presence is strong…and familiar. When I heard the Rebellion had recruited another Jedi, I just had to know…”

“Familiar?”, he asked confused.

“You look just like him…”, she almost couldn’t go on, “Your eyes, full of adventure, and your little boyish smile…I wouldn’t have been able to tell you two apart but you’re so much smaller…I guess it makes sense though because your mother…” she trailed off and looked up to see an absolutely starstruck sandy haired boy.

“You…you knew…my parents!!? Both of them!? How? When?…you were a Jedi! Of course!” His excitement was uncontainable and he held on to every single syllable of her following words like it was his life force.

She almost cried. “He was my master…and the best friend I could have ever asked for. He cared so deeply about his friends…his kindness surprised most people, except your mother…”

His eyes filled with tears…Ahsoka had never seen Anakin cry… “My…my…mother?”, he sniffled.

“She was beautiful, kind, brave and the strongest woman I’ve ever known. She made me see that the galaxy was not all black and white, and she made me believe…She brought hope to every citizen of her planet every time she spoke. She was the Queen and Senator of Naboo you know?” She smiled cheekily as she finished.

She wanted to tell him everything, but there was such little time. He had to know how it all happened. This boy was their only hope, she knew it. She remembered every single moment she had lived in a second. All the pain, all the loss, but then the memory of Luke’s mother, showed her all the hope.

“Luke”, she said, “The blood that runs through your veins…will save the galaxy.”

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Photo Credits:True-king-of-monsters on Tumblr.

(I’m not 100% sure about the image credit please let me know who created this if you know)

Another Mountain

~From Ezra Bridger

Sometimes you commit to things impulsively, even though you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.I thought training to be a Jedi would be pretty fun, and besides, who doesn’t want to be a Jedi?But the thing is, it takes patience, and discipline and everything I’m really not good at…and Kannen makes it look so easy…

Sometimes I wonder if I should just quit.Give up and go back to my old life, but then I look around and I realise that I’ve got a family now, and I don’t ever wanna lose them.I’ve learned so much from them, all of them, even Zeb…surprisingly…They’ve reminded me what it is to be a good person, to help those who cant help themselves, and to always be myself.

I’ve come this far, so I guess theres no turning back now.This is…uhh…the will…of the force!This is a mountain I have to climb all the way till the end, because I know somewhere in my heart that this is an experience that I’ll remember forever, and this is what I was always meant to do.

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Photo Credits:Star Wars Rebels

Out Of Place

~From Ahsoka Tano

Ever since I left the Jedi order, I’ve felt like I don’t belong anywhere.Everywhere I go, I feel completely out of place.I’m away from the only family I’ve ever known, and…i don’t think I’m ready for a new one.I put all my faith and trust into the Jedi order, and they let me down…Ever since Barris betrayed me I just don’t trust anyone.And I know it seems like a lonely way to live, but I don’t know what to do.

Sometimes I feel so alone I just want to run back to the temple, to the Jedi,…to Anakin, forget everything that happened and go back to my old life.But I know I can’t go back.I made my choice, I have to sort this out on my own.And even though I’m technically not a Jedi anymore, the force still guides me, and it’s going to help me survive.

In time I know my anxiety will settle down and I might make a few unexpected friends.The force works in surprising ways.But I’ll have to work for it, while continuing to fight this war in any way I can.Because even if I’m not a Jedi; I can fight, and I have to, for those who can not.

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“You can’t stop the change, any more than you can stop the suns from setting” ~Shmi Skywalker (from ‘Star Wars The Phantom Menace’)

Photo Credits:Star Wars The Clone Wars, Season 7

Master Yoda

Fear, irrational it is.Clouds our minds it does; controls us, overcomes us.Fight it, only the strongest, most disciplined mind can.Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate, leads to suffering…

And what a great suffering it was.So consumed we were, with winning, hm!, but see, we could not, for what we were fighting.See we could not, who was really winning.Pawns had he made us, in his silly game.

And so we fell, the Jedi, our great religion, after hundreds of years, watched it crumble do the ground I did…A pain, unbearable it was.But caused by our foolishness it was.Forgot who we were, did we.Forgot what we were.

Luminous beings are we, not this, crude matter.Flesh and blood, hmph!Part of an energy are we, part of the force.The greatest gift this is, and misused it have we…but no more.

Rest I need, yes, rest. sighs

Twilight is upon me; for 800 years have I trained Jedi; but soon, night must fall.A few short years do I have left to live, to ponder over my pain and suffering, and to finish, one last mission.

A new hope has risen.

#savestarwars

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Photo Credits:Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back

Twin Suns

It ends where it began, a planet with twin suns.He remembered being a young boy on Tattooine, longing to leave.Alway’s looking away, to the future, to the horizon; to the suns.That boy was was innocent.Oblivious to most of the galaxy around him; and he yearned to see it, to fly among the stars.

And so he did.And after years and years of adventures, battles, pain and loss; he came to rest, here, upon this rock.

Achh-To is a sacred place to the Jedi.The Jedi were born there, and he hoped they’d die there…How foolish I’ve been, he thought silently to himself.He felt like that boy back on Tattooine.Always jumping to mad conclusions, never his mind on where he was, or what he was doing…Reckless, whispered a small, familiar voice inside his head.

And he accepted it.And with that one singular thought in his head, he left the living force and transformed, into comic energy, becoming one, with the stars.

#savestarwars

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Photo Credits:Star Wars The Last Jedi