Saga Live What You Learn-AU Obi-Wan/Anakin/OC Complete 8/9!!

Awesome!!!. I'll addd my voices to the others and say that I wish this was how the scen of TPM should have gone. I would hope that while I love the character of Obi-wan, I don't think he was the right master for Anakin, for the majority of the reason stated in this scene. Beautifully done.

 

Great stuff, as usual.

As for Obi-Wan not being the right choice given the circumstances, I don't believe the Anakin of TPM should have been trained by anyone because of his fundamental flaws of character...and Qui-Gon should not have asked it of Obi-Wan. Whatever poor little Ani turned into in the movies is because of the choices he made, not because Obi-Wan was too young and inexperienced. As I watched TPM and AOTC, I thought the chosen whiner was arrogant, self-absorbed and self-serving for the most part. Even at Qui-Gon's funeral, a time for thinking about someone else, he was concerned about himself: "What will happen to me now?" Please.

It's disconcerting the "poor Anakin didn't get the right master or he would have been a perfect angel" refrain begins at so little prompting.

Someone who has never complained once about taking on responsibility for a child about whom he had serious reservations in order to keep a promise (and putting aside his own life plans as a result) will always get my respect and sympathy before a kid who grows up to be a selfish, angry, malicious adult because of who he is to begin with and the choices he makes.

Now that I have that off my chest, another engaging story, obi_ew.

 

Your writing is awesome. I'm glad you're able to find the time to start this--what a great premise!--while continuing your other story. You've demonstrated some potent--and logical--emotions here.

Anger, huh? I wonder whence that derives. Interesting nugget there.

I would agree w/ honour's opinion of how Anakin shouldn't have been trained, but of course it's easy for me to say after the fact.

Thank you for sharing this. I look forward to more.

 

NEW STORY YAY YAY!!!

 

Aww, poor Ani and Obi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mush is in the next post, right?

 

AAAHHHHH!!!

Another great story!

How do you do it!!!

And I must shamefully admit that yes, it really has taken me this long to even notice that you've started it...grr...

But nonetheless, this story looks great, and I promise to drop in and tell you that as often as I can, or at least as often as I notice an update...

~The Captain

 

PK - nope, I don't know that a different master would have made a difference, but I do think that weighing Obi down with a ten year old kid with some serious issues was a idiotic thing to do. It's completely possible that Anakin would have turned no matter who his master was - but the issue wasn't helped by having a master as young and inexperienced as Obi (who had some issues of his own to resolve after Naboo).

Honour - I think you're being harsh on Anakin (I know, I know, all of you who know me - I'm defending Anakin ). What kid who's been ripped out of his home, lost the only connection he had to the Jedi (and the one who promised him he'd BE a Jedi), wouldn't ask about what would happen to him? He maybe asked at an inappropriate time, but the kid was only nine. Hell, I would be wondering at that point, and I'm 26! And yes, it was his own choices that caused him to turn, and Obi-Wan undoubtedly did the best he could, but should a kid with that much potential (both for good and for harm) have been entrusted to a 25 year old who was only knighted on the death of his Master? I highly doubt it.

You know, OE, I've always believed that the best stories are the ones that provoke heated debate. Good job - second post and we're already arguing.

Shaindl

 

up

 

Debate away!

 

While I agree with you all that this scene was much better than the TPM council had decided (Obi-Wan was too young and inexperienced to mentor such a problem child), I wonder at which Master will be picked and what problems would arise from it. Also, Anakin will be once again adrift in a Temple which has not welcomed him with warmth. I can't believe that Ani would see it as other than another rejection and a personal rejection from Obi-Wan!

Looking forward to more....

 

And the fur starts to fly...well, it was fun on Lying, let's see if we can take it even further

First of all, Anakin should have been trained. He already had tremendous potential--think of what he could have done with that power had he never learned how to control it. As for the fundamental character flaws, Anakin is not perfect, and neither is anyone else. Even Obi-Wan himself had his moments of arrogance, and at times even had a big stick up his ass, but those were not reasons for him not to be trained.

Secondly, Obi-Wan should have been Anakin's master, but not right after Naboo. He needed time to grow into his new role as a knight, to mature, and to find his own way of passing on his knowledge of the Force. Anakin at that point needed someone who could teach him the basics and help him catch up to his age mates. Obi-Wan and Anakin were good for each other, in the same way that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were good for each other. Besides, Anakin was only ten. He had a couple of years before reaching the age when initiates are chosen as padawans. It's easy to say in hindsight that Anakin was bad/evil/a monster/whiny/self-absorbed/etc, but at the time he was just a kid who had been ripped from the only person who loved him and had lost the one person who had truly believed in him. He was scared and alone--it's understandable, IMO, that he would be worried about what would happen to him.

Thirdly, even with a different master for his entire apprenticeship, Anakin wouldn't have been a perfect angel. He was still the slave boy from Tatooine, and nothing could have exstinguished his love for un-Jedi like activities such as podracing. A different master might not have understood how Anakin came to the Temple the way Obi-Wan would have. He might not have turned to the dark side, or he might have turned anyway.

Did I just say Obi-Wan had a stick up his ass?

EDIT: So let me actually say something about the post I loved Mace and the way he assured Obi-Wan he wasn't breaking his promise I can't wait to see what happens with the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin.

 

Wonderful obi_ew! I know you've been working on your writing, and not that it wasn't good before, but I really see a difference in your discriptions here. These are just two examples I found where your descriptions really stood out.

The very air around him was charged with the incredible power harnessed by these individuals, making him feel slightly lightheaded. He tightened his shielding, trying deflect some of the powerful current swirling through the room.

and

Bowing his head, Obi-Wan forced himself to examine the situation from their prospective. Although a part of him wanted to deny it, they were absolutely right in their decision. He was not capable at this time to take on such a massive undertaking. Adrift and reeling from the loss of his mentor, he knew that it would take time for him to find his center and gain the knowledge needed to train another being. Especially one as unusual as Anakin.

I liked the way you explained things, and how both the council and Obi-Wan responded to each other. It was nice to see Mace go to Obi-Wan as well and not remain as distant and detatched as the council can sometimes appear to be. Now, who was that little flash of anger from, hmmm?

Great job so far, keep up the good work.

--Shan

 

The first reasonable decission I've ever heard from the Council!

I only hope they wont give Anakin into the Count' s experienced hands. At this point he is still a member of the Order, or not?

And it's good to know that Mace will keep an eye on Obi and will function as a mentor of sorts.

Vadey

 

I wonder...alright I can see how if someone's very strong in the Force and subconsciously draws on in, perhaps the person ought to receive some rudimentary training, lest s/he accidentally cause his/her fellows harm. Of course, that is logical thinking, something which imvho the Jedi don't really seem to engage in all too often. (e.g., throwing away your resources into Agricorps)

Still, is training for Jedi Knighthood the only option? There has to be some sort of training he could undergo w/o putting him on the Knighthood track, isn't there? Why not the Chosen One as a Healer. ::thinks about Vadar's habit of asphyxiation:: Er perhaps him as a Healer isn't a great idea, but there has to be more of a choice than knighthood-or-nada. What about being a docent?

 

Someone said the following: "[H]e was just a kid who had been ripped from the only person who loved him and had lost the one person who had truly believed in him..."

How was Anakin ripped? He and his mother made a choice the last time I watched TPM. And did his mother not believe in him?

As for Obi-Wan not being ready to be a master, I would suggest that Qui-Gon still had a thing or two to learn about that file. The "great man" ignorantly cast aside one apprentice in front of a 10-year-old and blathered on in front of said 10-year-old being a chosen something-or-other. Talk about giving an emotionally and intellectually immature child an inflated sense of self.

Other than the fact than no one should have to experience slavery, I have no sympathy for Anakin and I am certainly not prepared to lay the blame for Anakin's shortcomings and egregious actions at Obi-Wan's feet. I'll put it at Qui-Gon's feet first.

The test of character for me is how one deals with adversity. Obi-Wan wins hands down on that file; Whinakin fails miserably. Obi-Wan grows as an individual while the other guy shrinks.

As I said, your story is engaging, obi_ew.

 

I think Jade said everything I think about the situation. After Naboo, I don't think the Jedi could take the chance of not training Anakin - his presence was too well-known, and to send him back out into the galaxy would just have resulted in him being taken by the Sith much earlier. So I don't think the Jedi had much of a choice about keeping him at the Temple or training him.

So the question becomes whether or not Obi-Wan should have trained him. Jade (I think) raised a good point - why didn't they give him that two-three year cushion to catch up to his agemates and then let Obi-Wan take him? They would then both have had time to adjust to their new life circumstances and would maybe have been more successful. But I think OE has given us another good alternative here - Obi as a sort of older brother. And those are two alternatives for Anakin's training that I think we can debate endlessly.

But as PK (I think) said, why train him as a Knight when there are plenty of other occupations within the Temple he could have taken on (I've actually read a story in which Anakin becomes a healer instead)? It's an interesting question and makes you wonder exactly what was the Council thinking?

Of course, if they thought rationally in the movie, we likely wouldn't have had much of a movie to watch. GL needs his plot devices, after all.

Cheers,

Shaindl

EDIT: Honour, you beat me into posting! Maybe ripped was strong (I was the one who said it) - and you're absolutely right, he and his mother did make a choice for him to go, but he still had been taken from everything he had ever known, and the one who promised to take care of him was suddenly dead. I stand by my assertion that you're being too hard on a nine year old kid who, for his entire life, has had to survive by looking out for himself. Incidentally, I never said I blamed Obi-Wan for his fall (and I DON'T blame him at all) - Anakin did make his own choices as he grew up and it was those that in great part led to his eventual role as a Sith. I think Obi-Wan was placed into an untenable situation in which he was destined to fail. How could he possibly have succeeded? I think ultimate blame for everything is on the Council's heads (and partially Qui-Gon's who like you said, threw away one apprentice for another).

 

There was a fanfic w/ Anakin as a healer?! Hmm, that sounds intriguing, Shaindl. Do you have the 411? Inquiring minds have to know.

But yeah, I think honour makes some good points about Q-G's behavio(u)r towards Anakin. I wonder if they had any child psychology courses at all w/ the Jedi. First you reject one apprentice repeatedly, then you (potentially) give the next kid a swollen head.

And what's the deal w/ Apprentice #1 anyways? You hear about how Xani (apprentice#2) broke Q-G's trust...which meant O-W had to practically commit suicide in order to be accepted by the Great Qui-Gon. But whatever happened w/ Apprentice#1? Was he or she dumped unceremoniously, ejected from Q-G's mind as soon as he got Xani? Maybe this is something I missed in the movie? But if that was the case you'd've thought that Apprentice #1 would have been able to offer O-W support.

Um, thank you.

 

Sorry, Lurky, I should have been a little more clear. It's just at the end of the story that Anakin ends up as a healer, not that he's a healer all the way through.

However, I always thought that was an interesting path for him, and I'm surprised no one's taken it up as a story idea - the Council is too afraid to train him to be a knight, so they train him as a healer instead. Hmm, interesting...

Ack! Bad plot bunny! Down! Too many rabid plot bunnies floating around right now...

Cheers,

Shaindl

EDIT: I'm a goof - forgot to give you the title of the story in case you wanted to read it. I'll warn you that it was a very popular story and had over 2000 replies, so it would take a while to plow through. It was The Price of Sacrifice by CalaisKenobi.

 

Shaindl, please don't apologize! But yes, I think that would be a fabulous idea. He's seen so much suffering...it would be nice if he could channel his convictions (and his negative life experiences) into helping others. As a Knight, he'd be living w/ the day-in, day-out necessity of using his warrior skills...every day using & honing the skills that could lead to his fall. Imvvho the margin for error w/ knights would be much narrower.

EDIT: Thanks for the title! And as for the # of responses...well, it adds to the ambiance, doesn't it? That's part of the pleasure, seeing how othes react to a work, what aspects of a story resonate w/ the readers. Often others' comments make me aware of things that I wouldn't have picked up on by myself. While I like the story-only boards (if I'm in a hurry), I miss the interaction.

 

UP!!!

 

Shaindl Mace may pop in quite often thanks to you!

Sheila I tried to imagine how I would have liked events to unfold.

PK Obi will have a strong influence on this Anakin.

Red Your wonderful version of Obi strongly influenced this post.

Seraphena Thanks. I'm glad you agree.

honour Thank you for sharing your views. I love it!

Lurkalidth I wondered if anyone caught that quick reference.

JTJG Glad to see you!

dp A tiny bit of Obikin mush.

Captain I'm glad you found me and are enjoying so far.

thebadge Hi! Thanks for the up!

diane You raise some very interesting questions my dear.

Jade Sorry but I just can't get past that vision of Obi with a stick up his bum!

Shan Your bunnies always seem to inspire me. I'm trying hard to keep the descriptions balanced.

Vadey Hmmmmmmmmm......

Jacen Are you lurking?

I'm thrilled this is getting you guys thinking!


CHAPTER THREE


The Creche took up an entire floor of the Jedi Temple and was divided into two separate sections. The nursery housed the youngest children, infants and toddlers who required close supervision. Once they reached the age of six, they were paired with a roommate and moved to the other section where they remained until they were chosen and sent up a floor to the padawan level.

Unlike the rest of the Temple, the creche?s walls were painted in bright warm colors that inspired feelings of comfort and security, pictures the children had drawn lining the hallways. As he traveled down the familiar hallways, Obi-Wan was flooded with memories of his childhood days spent there. He could vividly remember feeling nervous and uncertain as he was lead into a room to meet his new roommate. That boy had turned out to become one of his best friends. A smile curved his lips as he heard the echo of his and Garen Muln?s childish voices raised in yet another argument.

"Garen loves Siri!"

"Shut up Obi before I have to do it for you!"

"You?d have to catch me first Gar!"

A chase had begun, the outcome inevitable as always. Obi-Wan?s smaller size serving to give him an advantage; allowing him to run faster and hide in places that Garen?s much bigger frame prevented him from entering. Their arguments did little to dampen the friendship that sustained them to this day, although the reminder of them still managed to bring a deep scowl to Garen?s handsome features.

As he reached the door of the recreation room, Obi-Wan smiled in remembrance as his gaze swept the packed and boisterous group inside. Recreation hour and meal time were the few times the children were allowed to shed their serious Jedi demeanor and act like the children they were. The creche workers were spread about the room in an effort to maintain some semblance of order, the children laughing loudly as they played various games.

His smile slowly faded as a survey turned up no sign of Anakin. Spotting a familiar figure, he weaved his way through the crush of small bodies until he stood before the stooped and graying figure who stood watching the organized chaos.

Jedi Master Trew had been a permanant fixture in the creche for as long as he could remember. The tall human female had once been an imposing figure with long red hair and bright golden eyes that never seemed to miss a thing going on around her. He could still remember vividly the countless times he had been wrapped in her arms for a warm hug, her hand cupping his cheek with genuine affection.

"Master Trew?"

A pair of faded golden eyes lifted to squint at him, the aged Jedi?s worn but kindly face splitting into a wide toothless grin as recognition dawned.

"Obi-Wan! What a sight your face is for my old eyes!" the senior Jedi exclaimed, the grin quickly fading to be replaced with one of deep sympathy. "I deeply regret your loss little one."

B

 

the aged Jedi?s worn but kindly face splitting into a wide toothless grin as recognition dawned.

What - they don't have dental hygiene in the GFFA?

Great post, OE! Master Trews was sweet, and I love Obi-Wan's memories of sharing a room with Garen. Any chance we'll see him in this fic too? I'm happy that Mace will be showing up more - he's a great character and I'm curious as to what you'll do with him.

Can't wait for more!

Shaindl

 

I will second Shaindl. Are we going to perhaps see more of Garen in this story? Maybe little Obi-Wan and Garen?

Lovely post and I really enjoyed getting a peek into Obi-Wan's memories of the creche. Anakin was so sad sitting there alone. Sweet old Master Trew, I liked her, but she should push Anakin into the play time. Sitting alone is not going to help him any and only aggravate anti social behavior. Especially after Obi-Wan had to deliver that sad news (of course i am still debating how sad it is )

Your wonderful version of Obi strongly influenced this post [face_shocked] That scares me because I do bad things to Obi-Wan...what are you planning? Hmm?

 

Wonderful chapter, o_e. Despite his heavy heart, Obi-Wan still manages to handle the situation with Anakin in a way that the boy can understand and accept. That shows that he indeed would be a capable master, but not immediately after suffering such a series of traumas.

And great description, of course!

 

Shaindl- you are too funny.

I think this illustrates Jades comment that the kid needed time to grow in the creche. But without someone like Big Bro Obi to guide him, would he accept his place or become difficult?