Raising a Skywalker - the Beru and Shmi discussion thread - Index started! Challenge in 1st post

Okay, okay. I admit that I've always been fascinated with these two incredibly strong and courageous women. They each raised a Skywalker, and imagine how hard THAT job was! Neither lived a very long life and died a violent death. Both lived out their lives on Tatooine. So, what things do you think they had in common and what differences did they have? And how did those factors influence the way they raised their own little Skywalker?



Challenge #1

Write a drabble (exactly 100 words, minus the title) about Shmi. You can describe her, elaborate on a moment in her life, whatever. Please post ALL responses in this thread!

 

Authors A - H




Title:When The Suns Rest
Author: amidalachick
Timeframe: Pre-TPM (Anakin is 4)
Genre: Hmmm...I don't really know.
Characters: Shmi, Anakin
Summary: Shmi tells Anakin a story about why they have nighttime.
Notes: The idea for this came to me in the shower one night (and Tatooine's a desert, go figure) and I just had to write it.
Status: Completed


Title: You Carry My Love
Author(s): Anakins_Force
Timeframe: Before Saga
Characters: Shmi Skywalker
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Shmi Skywalker writes letters to her mother about an important time in her life. Unfortunately she can never send the letters because she was separated from her mother early in life.
Notes: This was originally for Layren?s ?no dialogue? challenge. Tatooine Ghost gave me the plot bunny. Italics are from Tatooine Ghost, the AOTC and TPM novels.

Title: Broken
Author(s): AnakinsHeir
Timeframe: Varies
Characters: Shmi, Anakin, Padmé, Luke
Genre: songfic
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes:

Title: What Are We to Do?
Author(s): Anakin Starkiller
Timeframe: during ANH, while Luke is watching the Suns Set
Characters: Owen Lars, Beru Lars
Genre: Vignette, Missing Scene
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes: Owen and Beru's conversation did not end with the words, "That's what I'm afraid of."

Title: The Setting Suns
Author(s): Ani-maniac
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre: vignette
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes: This a vignette I have had in mind for a while, and I was finally able to complete it. I wanted to explore how Shmi might view Anakin?s turn, and I hope I have succeeded

Title: A Drop of Rain
Author(s): Beautiful_Soul
Timeframe: About 15 years before The Phantom Menace
Characters: Shmi; OC's-Ana and Sky, Karr, Walker
Genre: Drama, some action, General
Keywords:
Summary: Shmi deals with life after escaping from servitude, only to confront more problems on the outside world.
Notes:

Title: 'Round The Twist
Author(s): BrightFeather
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes: This is an answer to the Ridiculously Specific Challenge #8, and the blame lies with Fluff-Slayer. She just had to dare me to do it. And more blame lies with my Master, Layren, because she majorly upped the ante. All dental bills for cavities, etc, can go to them, because they made me do it! This is an AU. Kyran and Han?yaie are Layren's and are appearing by dare. This may eventually have a PM epilogue, because it's the only condition of the upped ante I didn't meet, but I'm not in the right frame of mind to do it. Challenge conditions to follow.

Title: No Use Wondering
Author(s): DantanaSkywalker
Timeframe: TPM
Characters: Qui-Gon Jinn, Shmi Skywalker
Genre: angst, romance
Keywords:
Summary: Former lovers meet again in the hardest of circumstances.
Notes: This is/was my first story here on the boards. I decided that I might have a better chance at finishing it if I didn't keep forgetting it at the back of the Classic forum, so I've moved it.

Title: When the Other Comes
Author(s): DarthBreezy
T

 

Authors I - Q


Title: Faces of the Gods
Author(s): JediGaladriel
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes:

Title: Dreaming of You
Author(s): Knight_Aragorn
Timeframe: Various
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Beru Lars, Mara Jade Skywalker, Ben Skywalker
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: A parent?s gift has the power to transcend all boundaries ? even time.
Notes: This is a four-part fic covering various periods in Luke?s life. It's kind of an odd little story that I was a bit hesitant to post... but I?m sick of fiddling, so here it is.

Title: Sandstorm
Author(s): kristeh
Timeframe: a few months after RotJ. "Sandstorm" begins a few days after the end of "Christmas Reunion," my last story.
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Luke, Owen, Beru, the Darklighter family, some OCs.
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Anakin and Luke are sent to Tatooine to negotiate a peaceful solution to a bloody new conflict between the Tusken Raiders and the settlers on Tatooine. While there, they struggle to come to terms with past memories and forge closer bonds with newfound family members.
Notes: "Sandstorm" is the latest in a post-RotJ AU series I'm writing. It isn't really necessary to read the first stories to understand "Sandstorm," but there are references to events from those stories. If you would like to read the series from the beginning, the links are in my bio.


Title: Moon and Blood
Author(s): Lady_Moonbeam
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Shmi, in the nine months before Anakin, on love, loss, and being surrounded by things she can't understand
Notes:


Title:Journey On - Beru's Ruminations (a vignette)
Author: MirandaFair
Timeframe: ANH
Genre: drama
Characters: Beru Lars (mentions Luke Skywalker, Owen Lars and Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Summary: One path ends and a new one begins it's journey.
Status: completed vignette

Title: Mysteries
Author(s): MissPadme
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Shmi Skywalker, a simple slave, discovers she?s got a Chosen Bun in the oven. Basically this covers the events leading up to Anakin?s birth. I wrote the first draft back in 1999 and it?s finally done!
Notes:

Title: Slave Song
Author(s): MissPadme
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: This is the sequel to the Shmi Skywalker story, ?Mysteries." It begins five years after Anakin?s birth. The story is divided into two parts: Part I will consist of five chapters detailing how Watto won Shmi and Anakin from Gardulla the Hutt. Part II takes place two years later.
Notes:

Title: Confused Identity
Author(s): PrinceXizorsDaughter
Timeframe: Pre-TPM to TPM
Characters: OC's, Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Alternate Universe
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes:

 

Authors R - Z



Title: Lady Healer Shmi Skywalker
Author(s): SilSolo
Timeframe:
Characters: Daragon Teta; Ex-Jedi (female human/Cerean from Cinnagar)
Halen Palpatine; Sith Lord, king of Naboo (male human from Naboo)
Janier Rar; bounty hunter/mercenary (male Twi'lek from Ryloth)
Shmi Skywalker; Jedi Master, healer (female human from Tatooine)
Vima; pet (female dog from Alderaan)
Yoda; Jedi Master (male of unknown origins)
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Shmi was taken to the Jedi Temple in this fic. How will things run differently if the mother of the Chosen One was a Jedi?
Notes:

Title: Anakin?s Story
Author(s): Skywalker_Ruler
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: The future Anakin skywalker from the biological star wars time, time travels back in time two days before TPM to try and prevent his mother in giving him up to the jedi , Anakin trys and saves himself from his dark future! will he he succed or will he fail?
Notes:

Title: Right Under His Nose
Author(s): Tycalibur
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: This is a missing scene story that takes place during the years of a teenage Luke Skywalker on the Lars' farm. Luke runs into an old friend, and makes an amazing discovery that was always right in front of him.
Notes: The story mainly takes place during the teenage years of Luke, but the beginning jumps backward in time, then forward to ANH, then back again few years.

Title: She Made My Bed
Author(s): vader_incarnate
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Cliegg Lars tells Owen and Anakin why he's still looking for Shmi. And his answer is ultimately something that neither of them had ever expected. AotC missing scene.
Notes: This doesn't even make sense to me, I'll be damned if it makes an ounce of sense to the rest of the world. But I finished now, so I have to post it ( ) so be nice and humor me for a while.

Title: The Stars to Which I Pray ? a series of Beru vignettes
Author: VaderLVR64
Characters: Beru, Owen, Luke, Ben
Genre: a series of one-shots
Timeframe: Varies
Summary: each vignette takes place at a different point in Beru?s life.

Title: The Story of Shmi
Author(s): VaderLVR64
Timeframe: 10 years pre TPM
Characters: Shmi Skywalker
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: The story of Anakin?s birth
Notes:

Title: Alone No Longer
Author(s): VaderLVR64
Timeframe:
Characters: Shmi Skywalker
Genre: vignette, drama
Keywords:
Summary: Shmi Skywalker receives some rather startling news.
Notes:

Title: A Mother?s Gift
Author(s): VaderLVR64
Timeframe: Four years pre TPM
Characters: Shmi and Anakin Skywalker
Genre: vignette, angst
Keywords:
Summary: A mother faces a hard truth and must find a way to help her son accept it
Notes:

Title: The Reunion of Those Unmet
Author(s): VaderLVR64
Timeframe: Post ROTJ, Pre NJO
Characters: Shmi and Luke Skywalker
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary: Luke is granted time with a woman he has never known - his grandmother.
Notes:

Title: [lin

 

I think I'm going to like this thread. Although my contribution would seem to pass along the lines of 'differences' because I think they outweigh the 'similarities'.

Of course there's your standard Shmi was a slave and Beru was free. And the fact that Shmi, although a very loving mother, wasn't able to raise her son in the most important time in his life but Beru was there for Luke, though how she was with him is our guess. Though I love your take on it VaderLVR.

Similarities I could only say that they were loved by Lars men. Though I can't wait to hear what others find the same with each. I'm sure I'm missing something important about the two.

But speaking of the two. You know what I'd like to see. A viggie, if there is one already please point it out, of the two of them hanging out in the kitchen, preparing dinner and comparing Owen and his father. Now I have to go pull out my book to remember the guy's name. Bad Lola.

Anyway, that's my two credits. I hope there'll be others shortly.

 

They were both pretty much willing to let their boys going, knowing that they would never be happy in their current condition or truly reach their potential. Luke was no farm boy and Anakin wasn't meant to be a slave.

I think one of the marked differences was that Shmi was Force-sensitive and Beru was not. At least I had never heard anything of Beru having a special sense of sort.

 

I'm not sure that Shmi was Force-sensative. They never really say. One would imagine she was, being chosen to carry the Chosen One, but it could be that she just posessed the right nature.

 

They do say in the Episode I book, Qui-Gon senses it.

 

I think they both commanded your respect and attention in that quiet, loving yet knowing way they both had. They are strong women because they both want their children to be free. Both willing to sacrifice their life for their child. Shmi wanted Anakin to be unchained from his slavery, and Beru wanted Luke to have the feedom to live without the fear that Owen carried for him. I have to think she would have wanted to tell Luke the truth, but knew that it would have to come from Kenobi.

 

Well said, Mariah

I can't add more than that. I've considered Beru more so than Shmi in my writing, but they both had to have been strong women. I'll follow this thread with interest. Thanks for starting it, MamaVader

 

Agreed, Mariah!

I do think Beru would have sought out Ben's advice every now and then. I imagine that raising a Force sensitive child, especially when you couldn't TELL him, would be a very challenging job. Talk about raising a gifted child!

For me, I find these two women absolutely fascinating, though they are different in many ways. Both had a gentle wisdom and generous heart, at least from what I've been able to gather from the books and movies. They are endlessly fascinating characters, for me anyway.

And Lola, why do you set loose plot bunnies?? That's dangerous with this crowd!

 

Sorry. It's a habit that I just can't seem to break, though I'm working on it, really.

 

Just so everyone knows, I've taught Lola a lesson about posting plot bunnies! Boy, is she gonna be sorry!

 

At last! A home for these two extraordinary women. Thank you, VaderLVR!

To this day, Beru and Shmi continue to fascinate me. Both were mothers (of a sort) and both have interesting parallels. Shmi loved her son Anakin. She sacrificed having him remain with her so that he could leave the backward planet behind. Have a life far away from that as a slave. Beru's tale is also similar. While she may have not been Luke's "birth" mother, she raised him as any mother would. Beru and Owen sacrificed themselves to keep Luke safe from the evil clutches of the Empire. Shmi and Beru gave up a part of their lives, so their young men could make the galaxy a better place. In my eyes, they are the strongest (and only ) mother-figures in the saga. Both loved unconditionally and both gave their own versions of the total sacrifice.

Yes, they had different paths in how they led their lives. But the themes are connected and are very poignant.

 

I love these two characters to the point of writing two Shmi fics.

 

Great thread idea, VaderLVR!

I've always liked Shmi and Beru, although Beru fascinates me more. What would it be like to raise a child that is not your own and to constantly be in danger because of that? Did she have much choice as to whether she and Owen took Luke in? I like to think she did, and that her love outweighed her fear. I wrote a fic about that a long time ago, and it's so bad, I dare not post it. Maybe if I rewrote it...

I love reading Beru and Shmi fics. Both are strong women, full of love and (as MirandaFair most eloquently stated ) a willingness to sacrifice everything for their sons. And I think Beru treated Luke in every way like a son.

I can't wait to see what discussions start up in here!

 

I wish we had more data about Shmi's background. I seem to remember reading something about how she had been traveling with her family in space and the ship was attacked and she was sold into slavery. I've always wondered who the rest of her family was or if any of them are still alive.

 

I wish we had more data about Shmi's background. I seem to remember reading something about how she had been traveling with her family in space and the ship was attacked and she was sold into slavery. I've always wondered who the rest of her family was or if any of them are still alive

I remember reading the same thing, but I can't remember which book it was in.

 

Me either. But I've always wondered if there were any other Skywalkers out there for Luke or Leia to meet. And if any were Force sensitive. Plot bunnies threatening again.

 

Vadey runs away VERY fast....

 

I know I've read that scenario in a fanfic that was submitted to the Archive.

 

LOL!!!

That's possible but I still think it's a canon source too.

 

Nope. Not archived, but wonderful still.

JediGaladriel's Faces of the Gods

This is my canon when it comes to Shmi.

I'm not sure it was ever finished.

 

Actually, Herman is right. There was a story submitted to the Archive with that premise.

I wonder if those stories originated from a canon source