airyairyquitecontrary:

urban-spaceman:

Just saw the phrase “yoda apologist” on my dash. Not sure what the new discourse is, but very interested in finding out.

#someone tagged this “problematic your fave is” and ive been laughing for like twenty minutes

redrikki:

flaminganakin:

redrikki:

flaminganakin:

jerseydevious:

i’m very invested in obi-wan’s characterization as an asshole. a well-meaning asshole, but an asshole. that’s the best part about obi-wan – he’s a massive dick.

his whole arc is about slowly migrating from pisscouch status to fucklamp status to slightly itchy sweater status, only to get his heart broken and careen back into the land of tom-dickery.

you first meet him as a cold, harsh jedi who looks at a slave kid and thinks, pathetic lifeform. you continue to see him as some who’s constantly putting his foot in his mouth and can’t ever say he appreciates someone; then, flash to ROTS, where he’s capable of it, but it’s three hundred wrong turns past late, now.

like, obi-wan’s the kind of dude who will scream at your burning body, “I LOVED YOU!” and then leave you to burn. that’s cold, no matter what anakin did, that’s an incredibly cold act – not unjustified, but definitely cruel. he raised this kid and was willing to slice of three of his limbs – that’s some harsh shit, dude. he’s an ass, but he’s an ass for the greater good.

I have a lot of feelings about this because people characterize Obi-Wan as the One Sane Man in the ObiAniDala trio. As the carer. The nurturer. The one who will do anything for you if you just ask. Except, he’s not That? At all.

Obi-Wan cares, and he cares deeply. But he’s tragically terrible at showing it. He’s the Logician. The Rational One. While Anakin and Padme are over here making googly eyes at each other and spouting freestyled love sonnets, Obi-Wan is the one going “Uhhh, you just met each other.” 

That’s his part in the whole tragedy of the prequel trilogy. He loves Anakin Skywalker to every moon in the galaxy and back again but he never actually says it until he’s condemned Anakin to death. Thank a lifetime of indoctrination and emotional repression for that. 

Word.  Obi-Wan is not a mom-friend.  Obi-Wan is the judge-y dad-friend who thinks the best way to show affection is to micro-manage his loved ones until it all goes horribly wrong.

Anakin, on the other hand, is a total mom-friend. He just pours more and more of himself into every relationship he cares about.  He’s the one who offers a hug and a word of comfort to his padawan and probably badgers people to eat more. And, like a mom, he really just wants his loved ones to call and say thank you, I love you once in a while.  IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!

Padme, on the other hand, is that friend who cares for you deeply, but in an absentminded sort of way because she’s got important shit to do.  She’s sure everything is perfectly fine unless you say otherwise, then it’s Padme to the rescue.

Padme is the sister-friend. Super sweet and kind. Knows how to cheer you up when you’re feeling sad/angry/depressed. Always down for a good time or a zany scheme. Isn’t there when you fall and break your leg, but as soon as she hears about it she swoops into the hospital room with every stuffed animal in the gift shop and a mountain of chocolate. 

It occurs to me, out of the three of them, Padme actually has the most healthy style when it comes to relationships.  She can enjoy spending time with her people and both give and receive comfort without it being an undue emotional drain on anyone.  The only problem is that her relationship style was something of a mismatch for what her husband actually needed so she basically spent their entire marriage putting out forest fires instead of minding the camp fire.  

Anakin and Obi-Wan, on the other hand, are constantly stressing out about their relationships.  Anakin wants to make everyone he cares about safe and happy and needs constant feedback to make sure it’s working.  If you’re not constantly affirming his efforts, clearly he’s doing it wrong and needs to do more and more and more until he’s an exhausted emotional wreck. You know, like what actually happens in RotS.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, just wants his loved ones to do and be their best as defined by his specific standards.  The problem is, no one, not Anakin or Qui-Gon or Ahsoka, actually live up to those standards so he goes through life like a worried sheep dog trying to constantly herd his wayward charges back on the proper path.  He fails to realize that not everyone belongs on the same path and so is constantly disappointed in himself and others when they inevitably fail to meet his expectations.

If only Anakin had been provided with the emotional feedback he needed or learned to function without being so damn needy.  If only Obi-Wan could learn to accept that his loved ones could be different and still be valid. If only Padme had been a bit more involved before things got too broken to be fixed.  If only, if only, if only.