Beyond - Legends Enter the Foreign (time travel AU - Anakin Skywalker, Ben Skywalker, Tahiri, Allana, OCs & more)

You guys, your responses to this story mean so much to me; thank you endlessly for sharing them! I will be back soon with proper replies, but before I do that, I want to post the comprehensive guide to the Enter!verse that I promised months ago.

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The Enter!verse Readers’ Guide!​

In this post, you will find links to every single sequel, prequel, spin-off, missing scene, and alternate version of Enter the Foreign that I've posted on the boards. If it links back to EtF in any way, shape, or form, you'll find it here. I plan to update this post as I work on new stories, and my hope is that this will be good resource for anyone looking for a particular fic, or just looking to understand how all of these stories fit together. To that end, I'll include a master list of stories (in order of posting), a timeline for the Enter!verse (with links, again, to make things easier), and a list of all the AU offshoots (anything that happens in a different timeline from the main story of EtF). Here we go...

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Master List of Enter!verse Stories
(in order of posting)​

Enter the Foreign – Just before his fateful turn to the dark side, Anakin Skywalker is transported 70 years into the future, where he meets the ragtag remainder of the Jedi Order and becomes engulfed in their struggle against the new Sith Empire. (Anakin Sr., Ben, Tahiri, Allana, Jacen, OCs & more; time travel, drama, angst, action/adventure; 51 ABY; epic-length)

The Lands of the Dead – When two brothers are kidnapped by the Sith, they fight to survive and eventually come to a grim realization: their old lives are gone, the bright fields of day forever past. There are no Jedi here. (OCs, Jacen; angst, psychological horror; 43-49 ABY; short story)

Where the Waves Shatter – Feelings are hard, especially for a not-quite-former Sith Lord. (Or, Darth Festus and Allana Djo face off in combat for the first time since Vjun.) (Allana/Festus, Ferrus; angst, dark romance, unrequited love; 54 ABY; vignette)

What If This Storm Ends? – Five times Darth Festus definitely wasn't in love with a Jedi princess, and one time she definitely wasn't in love with him. (Allana/Festus, Ferrus; drama, angst, dark romance, unrequited love; 43-61 ABY; vignette)

Here There Be Monsters – Several months after earning a place among the Sith initiates, fourteen-year-old Dorian Starskip encounters monsters on the grave world of Korriban. One tries to eat him, one is possibly mentoring him, and a few just really hate his guts. Which of these is most to be feared? (OCs, Jacen; introspection, angst, drama, action; 47 ABY; vignette)

HK-47 and the Super Evil Chaos Twins of Evil – Darth Ferrus asks his brother to buy a maintenance droid for their ship, but Darth Festus has a slightly different idea. Snark, hilarity, and attempted murder ensue. (Ferrus & Festus, HK-47; humor; 52-53 ABY; vignette)

Forces of Gravity – No matter how hard you fight it, gravity always wins. (Or, Darth Festus and Allana Djo cross paths again when he and his brother are sent to kill a criminal informant that she's protecting.) (Allana/Festus, Ferrus, Ames; drama, action, dark romance, introspection; 55 ABY; vignette)

In Dreams We Dwell – After finishing up an assignment on the idyllic planet Kurin, Jedi Knight Allana Djo finds herself attending a lavish masquerade ball… and dealing with a dangerous uninvited guest. (Allana/Festus, Ben, Ferrus, other OCs; dark romance, drama, introspection, angst; 59 ABY; short story)

Those Three Words – Padawans Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade take some time off from Jedi training to attend a high-end art gallery exhibition. It also happens to be their so-very-secret first date. (Luke/Mara, Leia, Anakin/Padmé; fluff, romance; 1 BBY, in the universe where EtF Anakin never fell to the dark side; vignette)

The Way Out Is Through – Ben Skywalker has lost so many people to war, and still he survives. (Ben, Mara, Leia, Tahiri, Jaina, Jag, Han, Wedge, OCs; angst, drama, introspection, action, horror; 42-52 ABY; vignette collection)

Thunderbolt and Lightning – A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there lived a pair of twins. Nope, not those twins. Or those ones either. (Festus & Ferrus; drama, angst, introspection, action, horror; 33-58 ABY; vignette collection)

Our Weakness Is the Same – She can’t escape his orbit, and he can’t escape hers. (Or, Allana Djo and Darth Festus spend ten years trying to kill each other and/or falling in love, maybe.) (Allana/Festus; dark romance, drama, introspection, angst; 43-61 ABY; vignette collection)

Turn Ourselves Into These Ashes – In the wake of their humiliating defeat on Vjun, Darth Festus and Darth Ferrus lead a surprise attack on a hidden Jedi enclave. (OCs; EtF missing scene, angst, introspection; 51 ABY; vignette)

Metamorphosis – Jacen Solo has had plenty of time to think. He thinks about being a student. About being a teacher. Being a Jedi, and a Sith, and a traitor. Most of all, though, he thinks about being a shadowmoth. (Jacen, Vergere, OCs; introspection; 47 ABY; vignette)

Lover, Hunter, Friend, and Enemy – Nothing’s fair in love and war. (Allana/Festus, Ferrus; drama, dark romance, not-so-dark romance, angst; 43-61 ABY, in the various AUs of the Enter!verse; vignette collection)

There Is Nothing Lost – “For whatsoever from one place doth fall / Is with the tyde unto another brought…” a series of Regency AU ficlets, vignettes, and short stories featuring Allana, the Chaos Twins, and various Skywalker/Solo relations, written for the Kessel Run challenge and beyond (Allana/Dorian, Veeran, Sky/Solos; romance, drama; vignette/short story collection)

Beneath the Gods of the Bright Sky – Problem child, worthless Jedi brat, dumb brute… Veeran Starskip has been called a lot of things in his life, but there’s one name he’ll make sure they never forget. (Veeran, Dorian, other OCs, Jacen, Tionne; drama, angst, coming-of-age, action; 41-49 ABY; multi-chapter)

We Make Our Own Luck – Tahiri is asked to break a stranger out of prison. (Tahiri/Ulin; humor; 44 ABY & beyond; vignette collection)

Enter the Drabble – 100 drabbles set in the Enter!verse and its happy AU counterpart, written for Ultimate Drabble Challenge X (various characters; various time periods; drabble collection)

Sacrifice – The battle isn’t between dark and light, or shield and sword, or the slayer and the trickster – the battle is between Jacen and Jaina, and this is how it ends. (Jacen, Jaina; angst, drama, introspection; 43 ABY; vignette)

Guardian – If there’s one thing he knows with absolute certainty, it’s that he will do anything to protect her. (Or, Allana attracts the wrong kind of attention, and Ben notices.) (Ben, Allana, background Allana/Festus; introspection, family, dark romance; 55-61 ABY; vignette)

The Steel in Our Hearts Will Be Monuments – HK-47 and the Super Evil Chaos Twins of Evil take on an unusual assignment, and things do not go as planned… (Ferrus & Festus, HK-47; humor, drama; 53 ABY; vignette)

Futures and Dreams – It was time for all of them to live… (a series of ficlets picking up after the events of Enter the Foreign, in which our heroes – and villains – adjust to life after the war; written for the 2023 Kessel Run challenge) (Ben, Allana, Tahiri, Festus, Ferrus, and other EtF characters; 51 ABY and beyond; vignette collection)

A Sick One With a Smile – A serial killer challenges a bounty hunter to a knife fight, and one of them dies. (OCs; action, weirdness; 54 ABY; vignette)

A Strange and Dazzling Array – Anakin Skywalker makes a different choice, and his family flourishes in a world unmarred by the atrocities of the Sith. (Skywalkers, Solos, and their many relatives and friends; fluff, humor, romance; post-RotS and beyond, in the universe where EtF Anakin never fell to the dark side; vignette collection)

All These Broken Pieces – Ten years after the fall of the Sith Empire, Jedi Knight Allana Djo has an unexpected encounter with her old nemesis, Darth Festus, and sets in motion events that will change both their lives forever. (Allana/Festus, Ben, Ferrus, other EtF characters; dark romance, drama, angst, action; 61 ABY; multi-chapter, EtF sequel)

Fire in Our Bones – If it feels right, it’s probably wrong. (Allana/Festus, Ferrus, Jacen; angst, drama, romance, dark romance, weirdness; 48 ABY and beyond, in the various AUs of the Enter!verse; vignette collection)

Stardust and Steel – Some realities are kinder than others, but all of them could use a little chaos… (a series of ficlets set in multiple AUs of the Enter!verse… or maybe it'll just be Hondo Ohnaka and the Chaos Twins of Piracy; written for the 2024 Kessel Run challenge) (Dorian, Veeran, Hondo, Allana, other OCs, Luke, Mara; humor, adventure, drama, angst; 44 ABY and beyond; vignette collection)

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Chronology of Main Enter!verse Events & Stories​

26.5 ABY

- Ben Skywalker born​

33 ABY

- Dorian & Veeran Starskip born (This Is My Snow-Covered Home)​

36 ABY

- Allana Djo Solo born​

37 ABY

- Sometimes Goodbye’s the Only Way​

40 ABY

- events of Legacy of the Force: Betrayal (sort of – we’ll just say the events of this book basically happen, and Bloodlines and Tempest kinda maybe sort of happen, but things veer off into majorly AU territory after this)​

41 ABY

- Brute
- Beneath the Gods of the Bright Sky begins
- Jacen Solo takes over the Galactic Alliance government​

41.5 ABY

- Jedi Academy on Ossus attacked; Tionne & Kam Solusar die
- first secret Jedi enclaves established​

42-42.9 ABY

- Luke Skywalker dies
- the One Sith emerge and form an alliance with Darth Caedus
- Jagged Fel dies (The Best Starpilot in the Galaxy)
- Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo dies
- Creep​

43 ABY

- Davin & Dolan Solo born​

43.3 ABY

- Han Solo dies (No Such Thing as Luck)
- Jaina Solo defeats Darth Caedus but dies in the process (Sword of the Jedi & Sacrifice)
- the One Sith retake several ancestral Sith worlds​

43.4 ABY

- Last section of What If This Storm Ends? (Allana’s POV) occurs
- Nothing Would Have Made Us Ready (“Affection”)​

43.5 ABY

- Last Day of the Rest of My Life (“Charity”) & Nothing Would Have Made Us Ready (“Friendship”)
- The Lands of the Dead begins
- Part Two of Beneath the Gods of the Bright Sky begins
- Darth Caedus arrives on Korriban (Enter the Drabble, Week 1)​

43.5-44.7 ABY

- Last Day of the Rest of My Life (“Intimacy”)​

Early 44 ABY

- We Make Our Own Luck​

44.7 ABY

- Yalena rescue mission
- Mara Jade Skywalker dies (Night Must Fall)
- the One Sith spread across the Outer Rim​

44.8 ABY

- Leia Organa Solo takes the remaining Jedi Order underground​

45 ABY

- Roan Solo born​

46 ABY

- Wedge Antilles dies in defense of Corellia (Survivor)​

46.5 ABY

- Last Day of the Rest of My Life (“Friendship”)​

47 ABY

- Here There Be Monsters​

47.1 ABY

- Metamorphosis​

47.3 ABY

- Jacen Solo kills Darth Krayt (Enter the Drabble, Week 1)​

47.3-47.9 ABY

- the Sith Empire is solidified
- Leia Organa Solo dies (Even Stars Burn Out)​

49 ABY

- final scene of The Lands of the Dead
- Last Day of the Rest of My Life (“Affection”)​

51.6 ABY

- events of Enter the Foreign
- Turn Ourselves Into These Ashes (Sith attack on Haven during ch. 18 of EtF)
- Part VII of Fragile and Composed (during Ch. 21 of EtF)
- Jacen Solo dies
- Luminous Beings
- Words We Never Say (51 ABY)​

51.7 ABY

- Section I of What If This Storm Ends?​

Late 51 ABY

- Force Bond​

52 ABY

- In a Galaxy Far, Far Away
- Telescope
- Last Day of the Rest of My Life (“Affection II”)​

52.5-53 ABY

- Home
- HK-47 and the Super Evil Chaos Twins of Evil
- The Steel in Our Hearts Will Be Monuments (takes place between Days 95 and 183 of HK-47 and the Super Evil Chaos Twins of Evil)​

Late 53 ABY

- There Are No Jedi Here & Words We Never Say (53 ABY)​

54.4 ABY

- Light Years Between You and Me (“Harbinger”)
- Allana Djo & Darth Festus duel on Kordros (Where the Waves Shatter & Section II of What If This Storm Ends? & We Ratify the Silence)
- Stupid Girl & A Sick One With a Smile​

55.4 ABY

- Forces of Gravity & Nothing Would Have Made Us Ready (“Charity” & “Intimacy”)
- Guardian (55 ABY)​

55.8 ABY

- This Kind of Fire Don’t Keep Us Warm Inside​

Late 55 ABY

- Corellian Gambit
- Come to Me in the Night Hours​

56 ABY

- Allana Djo encounters Darth Festus on Reialem (Section III of What If This Storm Ends? & Closer Than a Friend, I Can Be Your Enemy & Light Years Between You and Me “Veneration”)
- Guardian (56 ABY)
- Old Friends​

57 ABY

- Firefight​

Late 58 ABY

- Section IV of What If This Storm Ends? & Taris & Guardian (58 ABY)
- End of the Line (Creep II, Brute II) & Words We Never Say (58 ABY)​

59.5 ABY

- Guardian (59 ABY)
- In Dreams We Dwell & If a Dream’s All That I’ve Got & Light Years Between You and Me (“Derecho”)
- I Loved and I Loved and I Lost You (first two scenes)​

59.6 ABY

- Where the Black Sand Meets the Raging Seas​

Late 59 ABY

- Words We Never Say (59 ABY)​

60 ABY

- Words We Never Say (60 ABY)​

61 ABY

- Konton Mutsumon takeover: Words We Never Say (61 ABY, third scene)​

61.6 ABY

- Section V of What If This Storm Ends? & I Loved and I Loved and I Lost You (last two scenes)
- Guardian (61 ABY) & Words We Never Say (61 ABY, first two scenes)
- All These Broken Pieces (the EtF sequel!)​

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List of Enter!verse AUs & Stories​

~ the Happy AU (aka, the AU where EtF Anakin went back and fixed everything)

- A Strange and Dazzling Array (various time periods)
- Enter the Drabble (various time periods)
- Vi’s Fancy Dress Story (2 BBY; posted for First Draft Challenge; incomplete as written)
- Those Three Words (1 BBY)
- The Bright Fields of Day (49 ABY)
- Part I of Fragile and Composed (54 ABY)​

~ the Regency AU (Allana, the Chaos Twins, and the Sky/Solos in Regency England, because why not?)

- There Is Nothing Lost​

~ the Pirate AU (the Chaos Twins become pirates instead of Sith Lords, because Hondo)

- Stardust and Steel​

~ a whole bunch of other AUs, including one where Darth Festus and Darth Ferrus were never captured by the Sith and at least one where the events on Yalena (44 ABY) played out differently… plus more!

- Lover, Hunter, Friend, and Enemy (Allana/Festus; Festus & Ferrus; multiple AUs)
- Where You’re Still in Love with Me (Allana/Dorian; 51 ABY, pen pals AU)
- While There Is Breath in Your Lungs (Festus, Allana, Ferrus; 51 ABY, in an AU of EtF ch. 23/24)
- Fire in Our Bones (Ferrus, Allana, Festus, other OCs; multiple AUs)​

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@ViariSkywalker I have to ask: WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?

I normally don't care much for time-travel, I have no interest in the LotJ/FotJ eras, I don't give a rat's fart about their characters, and I've been known to think that Jacen Solo turning to the dark side was one of the stupidest and most poorly written ideas of the Legends EU.

And yet, I was so HOOKED on this story that I ended up binge-reading it in less than 24 hours, a lot of it during the midnight to 5am time slot when, you know, I should have been asleep.

I'm not leaving a proper review right now for two reasons: first, because I want to go back and select a few of my favourite bits, and second, because I saw that you have some amazing comments and replies in this thread. I skimmed over them because I wanted to know what kriffing happens next, but now I want to go back and read them. So for now I'm just saying thank you for sharing this fantastic read, and I'm noting that I bookmarked the reading guide above for future reference.

I'll be back, thanks again!

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hoooooly loth-cats, that was a ride! What everyone said up above, though I shall try to add a vaguely coherent thought or two of my own too. This is really an incredible journey of a story and it's one that I've no doubt will stay with me for a long time. (So yeah, what @Mira_Jade said, as well as many other comments!)

Just finished listening to this a couple days ago -- assuming that my memory is correct, since I've been away to EtF-land and time is no longer real. (By the way, thanks for having the story on AO3 because this thing clocks in at a whopping 16:53:53 on the text-to-speech software that I like to use sometimes, and I listened to most of it that way with occasional forays into reading the text version. This was an excellent dozen-and-some hours, I must say. )

I absolutely loved the complicated and wonderful and heartbreaking relationships that you created for the surviving Skywalker-Solos + their Jedi family and allies + the villains + time-traveling Anakin here. Can't pick a favorite because they're all my favorite. The progression of Anakin and Ben from total mistrustful strangers to where they are at Anakin's kinda-death is just fantastic, but then there's also the more understated but so heartfelt Allana-and-Anakin stuff. (That she knew, for so long, gah! It just yanks my heart out right at the roots, especially given what happens with her and Jacen.)

And Tahiri, who I adored in my early Legends-reading years and then canon did that with her -- this is just the balm for that rubbish last few series worth of her storyline. She's such a believable (and likable, and actually a decent person!) progression of her earlier self while having some unique-to-this-verse quirks as well. Also, her relationships with the rest of the canon and OC cast alike are such fun. (If you do get to writing more Tahiri and Ulin, I am SO subscribed to that. )

The final battles with both Krayt/Jacen and old Palps were both phenomenal, and I really love that there was such a thorough look into the aftereffects, and how the universe-skipping POV shows each timeline playing out for maximum effect. (The funeral for Jacen and Anakin was just so painful and so perfect. Plus the bittersweet though much more hopeful scene of Anakin leaving for what he expects will be his last mission -- but after a good long time of things being so much better than in the other 'verse. And so was the entire surviving family -- with Roan too! -- getting to see their lost loved ones later at the enclave. I detect the Force ghost of... onions. )

And finally, congratulations on finishing this truly epic tale!

 

All right, status update!

I'm still chipping away at my replies to all of your amazing reviews (you guys are the best ), but today I'm popping in to say that I'm ready to start posting the sequel!

That's right, it's finally happening.

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It’s been ten years since the decisive Battle of Bakura. The once mighty Sith Empire is no more, and lawlessness is rampant across many of its former territories. As the fledgling Republic government works to bring unity to the galaxy, the resurgent Jedi Order offers what help it can, sending its few Knights out across the stars in an attempt to bring peace and justice.

During one such mission, Jedi Knight Allana Djo Solo has an unexpected encounter with her old nemesis, Darth Festus, a Sith Lord who was once apprenticed to her father, and who has long harbored a personal grudge against her. When they find themselves trapped together, Allana discovers the secret Festus has kept from her all this time, and sets in motion events that will change both their lives forever…

All These Broken Pieces

Coming Tuesday, August 1st
Now Posting!​

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I will be back with the promised replies!

 

Replies, finally! This was a long one, and I'm not sure I was entirely coherent at times, but hopefully I've properly expressed just how much all of your comments mean to me!



@Mira_Jade

Ahhh, I can’t believe it’s been a year since I finished this story! I can’t express how thrilled I am to have had you along for the ride these last few years, and if I can serve as an inspiration to anyone else trying to finish old stories or man-eating epics, then I’m thrilled with that, too! More replies below, because it was easier to go in order than to shuffle the comments around.




@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

Aw, thank you so much, I’m really glad you enjoyed the story! It was fun to see how things might have changed for the better if Anakin made a different choice in RotS. Thank you for reading and for all your reviews along the way!




@Mira_Jade

Aw, I'm just happy to have you here, as always!

You know how much I love getting this sort of reaction. I’m glad I could deliver with this chapter in particular.

lol, isn’t it though?

I love that all of this stuck out to you. That’s really what I was going for, just how strange and surreal and almost otherworldly this is for him.

Again, I wanted to highlight the surrealness of, you know, dying, and what his brain might be doing to him as he lies there.

His relationship with war and his identity as a warrior are both so complex; I loved exploring it here.

I have a lot of thoughts about free will and choice and their importance in SW, so I’m glad you enjoy reading my take on them.

Of course!

This imagery was inspired at least in part by leia_naberrie’s A/P fic Kaleidoscope, which featured a gorgeous thunderstorm scene on Tatooine. I’ve never been able to shake the memory of that scene, and if you ever read the story (the untruncated version is on ff.n), you’ll know the scene when you come to it.

I’m so glad to hear this section was effective!

Stover laid down that brilliant star imagery, I was just picking it up and playing with it a little.

This really was the culmination of Anakin’s entire arc in this story, so I knew I needed to hit just the right note here. I’m really happy with how it turned out.

I wrote this line so long ago, it was such a relief to finally post this scene.

They’re alike in so many ways.

He’s the best, Mira.

The ultimate compliment, especially since I’m often insecure about how well I understand Jacen’s character. I may not have been any nicer to Jacen in this ‘verse than the profic writers were in canon, but it was really important to me that I be able to see the boy we all knew in the villain he became.

This was one of the hardest parts to write.

If you’d told me at the beginning of writing this story that I would feel so heartbroken over Jacen’s death, I probably wouldn’t have believed you - the profic burned me that much in regards to his character. There are a lot of things that make EtF very special to me, and one of them is the way it helped me see Jacen with new eyes and appreciate him and understand him in ways I never did when I was younger. It’s been quite a journey.

I do love me some parallels. And this was also a callback to the RotJ novelization as well, where a dying Anakin says a version of this to Luke. I was always struck by how, even after decades of servitude to the dark, Vader repeated the same wisdom that Luke heard separately from Yoda.

This is like the highest praise you could give me.

Sometimes I think the simplest solutions can be the most effective and impactful, and I’m glad you liked how it worked out.

Aw yeah

(I teared up writing this part, Mira. )

Exactly.

Aw, I’m so glad you think so!

This comment left me sort of speechless the first time I read it, and I still don’t quite know what to say in response except (and I couldn’t agree more about the Jedi! )

Syal is so awesome.

The conclusion to Arden’s arc in this story didn’t come to me until very late in the writing, and I’m really happy with how it dovetailed with the rebel victory here!

I really wanted to show, too, that for all his Sith Master facade, Jacen was still Jacen, and the bonds he formed with his apprentices and followers ran deeper than they would have been able to articulate or understand. And then, even bad guys form connections and attachments. For all their attempts to drum such feelings out of themselves, I imagine the Sith aren’t truly any different, at their deepest level. They just tell themselves they are.

If that makes sense?

Yep

I know I say this so much that it probably loses all meaning, but this really was one of my favorite scenes to write.

It’s been really rewarding writing Tahiri as the wise Jedi Master in this story, I must say.

RIGHT?

To add another weirdly pitiful yet heartbreaking layer, Dominius goes to his death without ever knowing the truth about Krayt.

And as for Dominius’s question itself… well, I suppose that’s what sequels are for…

I WASN’T EXPECTING THEM EITHER, MIRA, BUT HERE WE ARE.

I did consider whether to have Dominius say his birth name here, but it felt more realistic to me that he dies still holding tight to his Sith identity, because that’s who he forged himself into, and what else is left for him if not that?

This trash lord.

lol he does indeed.

I love them, Mira.

Exactly.

(on a slight tangent, IIRC this exact tiny segment of the scene was added long after I’d written the bare bones of the whole scene, and it was one of the last things I wrote before starting to write TLotD. This - along with portions of the sequel that I’d already written - formed the basis of TLotD and everything that has come since, and it’s really cool/weird to think back to the chronology of the writing versus when I actually posted things. )

YEP. This. (I’m glad you liked that parallel, too.)

It’s all about that hope.

I think this comment wins the thread, Mira.

And therapy.

My precious cinnamon rolls, I love them so much.

Yeah, this is a thread that shows up in the sequel for sure.

This is the best thing to hear. I honestly thought it was just going to be Gabri and me on this ship, so it’s beyond awesome to have you aboard as well. They’re just so cute!

The relief at being able to give Tahiri this moment was real.

These two have been such an unexpected joy to write in this story and ‘verse, I adore them.

I’m here to give Tahiri all the happiness.

This was a story beat I’d had planned for years and years, and for a while I was worried I might have to change it (because there were still a lot of moving parts as I was writing and rewriting the last arc), so I was really glad I was able to keep it. It seemed fitting.

lol right?

It's a detail I’d had in mind for a long time; I’m glad you found it fitting.

My babies.

Me too.

I guess we’ll have to see…

I wanted to really make the reader feel what Allana was feeling in this scene, physically as well as emotionally.

This was a very emotional scene to write. And it was entirely new, being written after I’d worked on the sequel and a lot of the spin-offs, so I felt like there was just so much more depth to work with in terms of Allana’s character than there would have been if I had finished this story years ago. Because really, it’s not like everything is just magically resolved for her at the end, is it? Her last memory of Jacen is him putting her in the Embrace, and then when she wakes up he’s dead, and she didn’t even get to confront him over what he did to her or say goodbye or anything. She has all this grief and anger to deal with, and now that the source of all that hurt is gone, where does her grief and anger go? How does it ever get resolved? Does it ever?

Even after everything, she still wishes she could have helped him.

Me too

I’m pretty sure I teared up throughout the writing of this scene, so you’re in good company. It was important to me to give this part a sense of closure without really having closure, if that makes sense? Because clearly these are still hurts that Allana is going to be dealing with for a long time, but in the context of EtF, she has to make that choice to move forward, at least for now.

I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you feel this way.

(Also, in a way, using this scene to close out the last full “future timeline” chapter was a way for me to foreshadow the shift in protagonist from Ben to Allana in the sequel. )

Aw, thank you, my friend! I have my replies to your ch. 25 comments further down, but I’ll just say again how honored and thrilled I am that you enjoyed this chapter so much.




@Gabri_Jade

It was worth the wait to see them, wasn’t it?

Aw yeah

Thanks, babe

Ngl, I was really pleased with this line.

Always one of the best compliments you could give me.

I’m so glad I ended up rewriting these scenes with Palpatine, they came out way better than I imagined.

I do love me some foreshadowing.

This. What a magnificent and manipulative bastard he was.

That’s right

Apparently the no attachment rule has left a few gaps in his social awareness.

He has, poor Mace.

HE IS.

I agree with all of this 100%

Agreed

YEEUP ( )

It’s really not.

You waited twelve years and twenty-five chapters to get to this point, but it finally happened!

And I waited so long to write these replies that I’ve already started writing those big sisters, lol

I can’t express how much it has meant to me, having you along for the journey from the very beginning, as a reader and the best beta ever and an amazing cheerleader and sounding board for my ideas and worries and anything else that came up along the way. You're the absolute best, dearest!




@Chyntuck

You have to know that’s one of the best compliments a writer can receive, to know that they caused a reader to lose large amounts of sleep binge-reading their story. I’m far more accustomed to being on the reader end of that equation, so this was just delightful.

Take your time, I’m not going anywhere! The interactive back-and-forth nature of comments and replies is one of my favorite things about posting on the boards, and I’ve loved having a place to dump all my meta and rambling thoughts while also reading everyone else’s meta and rambling thoughts. It definitely helped keep me motivated to finish this story, and I hope you enjoy reading through them all. Thanks so much for this lovely review!




@Mira_Jade

Aww, you are the sweetest!

Oooh, I love that you picked up on that! It probably wasn’t even intentional, but I do seem to be drawn to ocean/water/drowning metaphors more often than not, so I guess it makes sense. It’s such versatile imagery. I loved using that surreal sensation of floating in darkness as a positive thing here for Anakin.

I actually wrote a version of this scene before I even reread Traitor, and now I’m not sure if the cocoon reference was part of that original version or if it came after. Either way, it dovetailed nicely with my preferred metaphors, and I’m glad it stuck out to you.

I love it!

Right?? And I was so happy to finally have Luke and Leia appear in this fic. I’m glad it was worth the wait.

lol I’ll just bet he is

I was worried that the simplicity would be disappointing, so I’m glad to know it wasn’t.

Why thank you

*curtsies*

It feels sort of wrong to giggle at this, but I did.

That’s what I like to hear.

I’ve always imagined Luke was imitating Obi-Wan’s inflection from ANH, saying a very similar line.

It’s all about that balance

It felt like a really important final step in Anakin’s journey here.

Thank you!

This really ended up becoming the theme for all of EtF and maybe even the Enter!verse as a whole. And for all that SW deals with issues of destiny and fate and whether people were bound by prophecy or not, I think the films show us that ultimately, people are free to choose, and they must choose, and it’s those choices that shape the future. Vader didn’t turn back to the light in RotJ because he was destined to; he turned back because he made a choice, and his choice was influenced by the choice Luke made to stand as a true Jedi in that moment and spare his father’s life. It wasn’t a foregone conclusion, which I think makes it all the more powerful. Anyway, I’m drifting away from my original point, which was that I tried to take those themes I always saw as being intrinsic to SW, and apply them to EtF, and I'm so happy with the result.

I really like that you made this connection.

It was a bit surreal writing this scene and trying to evoke that precise moment in RotS when Anakin made his choice. We hadn’t seen Anakin’s time in so long that it felt almost dreamlike, sending him back to it. And I imagine that in a way, that’s what it felt like for him.

Aww! That’s just the highest praise imaginable.

Exactly! (And thanks )

I will admit to being particularly proud of this passage.

Mace is awesome

The ultimate and consummate puppetmaster, right here.

*bows*

I really wanted to stick the landing here, so I’m incredibly happy that this all resonated with you.

Very much so.

I really enjoyed writing the two of them here.

Seriously, they need a break.

The happy AU has arrived!

All the happiness for my Skywalkers

lol right?

I loved imagining Sam Jackson acting out this scene.

I love him, Mira, he's so exhausted and he's going to be feeling it in the morning, and omg what even just happened? He needs a minute.

Aw yay, I’m glad the poem could enhance this moment for you! Yes, in-universe being a Jedi Knight means being part of a very specific organized group, but it’s so much bigger than that for a lot of us who love these stories, and that’s really what I intended to evoke with “The Knight” and with this realization on Anakin’s part – that you don’t have to fit into a certain mold to embody those ideals, and that the labels are far less important than what you do.

Ha, I’m relieved to hear it! I tend to think I’m not very good at exploring the big picture political aspects of SW, so I’m glad it worked.

YEP.

I had to bring it back to the main story, of course.

Indeed they are

Newborns tend to have that effect.

They’re the best.

Me too! *so proud*

Imagining Anakin and Padmé and Obi-Wan together in this reality brings me joy

Again, I wrote most of this epilogue many years ago, but I was so excited to finally return to it again and finish it and give all these characters some happiness.

and no worries, most of my replies consist of emojis and me just being so happy that you’ve enjoyed this story

lol, this whole segment with Anakin and Han was one of the newer additions to this scene. Their friendly rivalry is a joy to write.

lol, and now I’m going to have to figure out what those stories actually are.

Guess it’s a good thing I’ll be continuing ASaDA…

Yes we do.

There’s the angst! ( )

THESE TWO, MIRA.

One of my favorite parts of their whole exchange.

My work here is done. Well… almost.

Success!

THIS PRECIOUS BOY, I FINALLY GET TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR HIM.

It is

It almost felt like this passage wrote itself. I’m so incredibly pleased that you liked it.

I WISH I COULD SAY I WAS SORRY, MIRA, BUT I’M NOT.

I wanted to parallel that scene without straight up copying it, and I wanted to evoke a little of the mood from the end of the NJO as well (which obviously was meant to be a parallel to RotJ in itself.) I’m glad it worked!

As Gabri said when I first showed her this scene, we all know that fanfics are for pairing characters off.

I love my next gen Sky/Solos so much.

I guess I’ll have to make that happen, won’t I?

This sentiment is entirely understandable.

I wrote this line back in like 2015, long before I ever dreamed of pairing up Allana and Festus (but about a year after I’d decided that Festus had developed feelings for Allana, hmm ), and I very, very briefly considered taking this line out… but like you said, it’s completely right for this moment in time. They’re kids, they like each other, and it’s a party. And look, I love writing Allana/Festus, but I’m certainly not guaranteeing anything will come of that pairing in this reality… well, nothing good anyway…

my babies

mission accomplished

I spent a lot of time tweaking this section to get it just so. And I know in canon not everyone gets to be a Force ghost, but I like the idea that everyone is still there, just maybe not as easily reached.

Right?

Aw yeah

And here we come full circle at last.

This is just… I can’t express how thrilled and deeply honored I was to read this.

I really wanted the ends of chapter 25 and the epilogue (Anakin and Ben, respectively) to mirror each other in that way; I’m so pleased that you noticed that!

I was going to try to reply to this part of your review in segments, but I find that I really can’t separate any part of it from the whole. This is everything I ever hoped for in terms of having a reader connect with something I’ve written. I’m still so overwhelmed that you’ve enjoyed this story enough to leave such a beautiful and thoughtful and heartfelt and detailed final review, and that you’d even want to read EtF more than once. All those things you felt while reading are the things I felt while writing, and my heart is absolutely full at the thought of being able to share that through this story. Thank you endlessly for coming along on this journey with me, Mira!

Obviously you already know this by now, but the pestering has paid off.




@Kahara

Aw! I can’t tell you how much it made my day to receive this review!

time is no longer real

And wow, nearly 17 hours! I’m so glad you were able to enjoy it both ways!

This all makes me so happy to hear!

The characters and their relationships to one another are always going to be the things I love reading and writing about the most, and it’s just as important for me to craft villains with depth as it is to write the heroes that way… so I’m relieved it paid off! Anakin and Ben’s relationship is the heart of this story, but it was so much fun to explore a lot of the other ones, too, especially Anakin and Allana. (And Ben and Allana… and Ben and Tahiri… not to mention Jacen + basically everyone )

It still means so much to me that you feel this way! The EU really did Tahiri dirty, and from the first moment I started drafting this story, I knew I was going to write the character I’d expected to see post-NJO, not whatever it was that LotF and FotJ gave us. If her progression feels believable here, then I take that as a huge compliment.

It was really interesting and rewarding developing Tahiri’s older persona in contrast with the rest of the cast and seeing her in the wise mentor role. (And of course, you know there’s going to be more Tahiri/Ulin. How can I resist? )

This is all a relief to hear, as action scenes and lightsaber duels are definitely not my forte. And I was really worried that the denouement would fall flat after so many chapters of relentless tension, so I’m very happy to hear that it was enjoyable!

Those were all scenes that had lived in my head for years, and I’m glad they were just as impactful as I always hoped they would be. (Onions! )

Thank you so much! And thank you for this awesome review; I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the story!




@Mira_Jade

I don't think I could ask for a better reaction than this.

 

Bumping this because I never replied properly to @Mira_Jade's last comment, and because I updated the first post with an index of all the chapters! So now if you're looking to reread a specific chapter, you can go to the first post instead of wading through the whole thread.

I really should have replied to this back when you posted it instead of letting it sit for months , but I was so thrilled to know you were doing a reread of EtF and looking for sequel parallels because parallels are my jam, Mira! I mean look, I wrote a large portion of ATBP before I'd finished EtF or even written any of the rest of the Enter!verse, so even though the story is very different from EtF, I was pretty immersed in the EtF mindset, and I did try to sprinkle those little connections throughout. And of course, now that I have written all those other stories in this 'verse, that's given me even more parallels to work with.

Once again, I am so, so grateful to have had you as a reader on this journey!

lolll, well you should know that the flailing has fed my soul! (And I'm always game to chat about these things, but I'm also satisfied just knowing you enjoyed my rambling replies! )

 

Wasn't planning on getting sucked in like this but I'm a sucker for fish out of temporal water stories. (Though I'm usually pretty cautious when they're done in Star Wars).
Made it to chapter seven tonight, will read more tomorrow. It's oddly satisfying seeing Anakin proud of his children despite all that happened, especially knowing Padme is gone still, that he can take comfort in the successes of his daughter and son, that they achieved so much he was never able to. It plays on the heart strings.

Chapter 8 Reflections: Was wondering how Tahiri would respond to "Anakin", but you managed to cut through the awkwardness by having her looped in pretty quickly. Poor gramps is off his game but can't really blame him considering his lack of sleep. I have to wonder how his nightmares will be solved, especially now that he can do literally nothing about them either way as Padme has already been dead for so long now.

Chapter 9 Reflection: This is a good Council scene, both sides have strong points, both practical and moral. Surprised to see Dani Quee there but of course there is a lot about this AU I still have to learn about. I really am in Anakin's shoes here and am very much learning with him. Tahiri's conversation with him was very powerful, I can understand her mindset, and there really is nobody better she could be talking to about this. Anakin very much as the galaxy in his hands, whenever or however he returns to his own time. Tahiri definitely seems skeptical about his story despite going along with Ben's belief the previous chapter. The fact that she is talking to him as a complete stranger who happens to share the name of her lost love reveals a lot about her mindset.

Chapter 10 Reflection: Not even half done but Anakin and Ben's conversation is simply amazing to me. So many fails to grasp those visions, prophesy, destiny or whatever doesn't negate the power of choice. Each moment you make decisions that include an incalculable number of variables, the impact of each one is far reaching even if the force may be guiding you down a particular path.
Completed: Anakin's interactions with Allana are heartwarming, I'm definitely not surprised she disobeyed orders and joined the team, absolutely no part of her heritage would be happy sitting idly.

 

Well I'm very glad you did get sucked in! I'm much the same when it comes to time travel stories. I love them in general, but I have a harder time buying into them in SW. It's been a long time since I've found a SW time travel fic that I love; the last one I can think of was Sanctuary of Time by AngelofDarkness, which predates this fic by several years. It had a much more serious take than most of the other time travel fics I'd read at that point, and I'm sure reading it was part of what inspired me to try my hand at the genre.

I really enjoyed exploring Anakin's feelings about his grown-up (and long gone) children, so I'm glad you liked that aspect!

It's been a very long time since I planned out and wrote these early chapters, but I remember I liked the idea of Anakin's identity being known from the beginning, but almost no one believes him, and most of the characters just think he's got a few screws loose... but also he's clearly a powerful Force user and they're on the losing side of a war against the Sith, so sure, why not, let's let the crazy guy who thinks he's a dead Jedi war hero help us out. As for Anakin's nightmares/visions... there will be more on that in the chapters to come!

I love that you noticed your own reading experience was echoing Anakin's experience in the story. That's really my preferred way of building the world of a story - little by little, through the eyes of the characters, so that you learn things along with them and feel what they feel. Far too many stories routinely infodump rather than doling out information gradually, and it just kills the tension. So I hoped to avoid that with my own work. I'm also glad you liked that council scene; writing those sorts of scenes are always great fun for me. And you're right, Anakin certainly would be pivotal if he returned to his own time. I suppose the question is: will he?

This comment had me grinning. The question of destiny versus choice is a fairly central one in this story, and that's all I'm going to say for now.

Absolutely true! And I'm glad you liked Anakin and Allana's interactions; scenes featuring those two were some of my very favorite to write.

Thank you for taking the time to leave your thoughts and reactions! I'm thrilled any time someone new starts reading this story, and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it!

 

Been a long week, but I'm back to reading.
Here's a play-by-play analysis of those parts that stand out to me.
Chapter 11
A battle intense chapter, when Festus calls Allana "The little princess" my mind immediately swerves to Leia, Allana is definitely her granddaughter, but man does Festus come off as unhinged though, he tells an interesting tale that makes me curious and maybe I'll look deeper another time, but I'm here for one man and here he comes to the rescue! In a definitely Darth Vader-esq moment.
But in this instance I can at least sympathize with him to a limited extent, this at least isn't a defenseless kid.
As Allana begs him to listen to reason her voice mixes with Padme's in my mind making the scene infinitely more powerful.
Then she say's she is glad to have met him, and my heart melts.
Seems Ames has some anger issue's too, Ben definitely has a more level head than most of his companions at this point.
Aaaaand Cliffhanger.

Chapter 12
The Jedi have the advantage and Dominous seems arrogant, which usually precipitates a Siths fall, yet I am sensing a "but" coming along.
Of course, attack the weak link. How Sith-like not to play fair. It's an odd recognition that I'm finding myself more invested in Ben's duel that Anakin's seeming distraction, the center stage here is clear and I am hooked.

Krayt. Krayt. That was a quick flip of script. Now that he has seen Anakin things are bound to get interesting.
Ben has every reason to be terrified right now, the unsaid prospect of a Krayt and Vader team up is enough to shake the galaxy to the core.
A coincidentally timed ship showing up for a perfect exit, is there any trope that is more pure Star Wars? Now what of Anakin? Ben's Jedi like composure at this point is simply stunning.

Gotta say the first image that comes to my mind when it comes to Anakin battling the reigning Dark Lord of the Sith is Yoda's vision's in his arc of the Lost missions. Maybe Palp's exaggerated somewhat, but the Chosen One definitely seems out of his depths either way. He is a long way from his full potential, but still putting up one heck of a fight. Still, Anakin chose the wise option of retreat, which makes me optimistic.
Krayt revealing himself so casually was not on my bingo card, him not being A'Sharad Hett but rather Jacen changes the entire dynamic of the fic for me. Maybe I need to go back and reread but that broke me. I need time to process that.
It's also a twistedly ironic inversion of ESB.

And then he drops the ultimate bombshell on Anakin, emotionally just reading the line killed me.
Poor Anakin has to face the guilt for a crime he has yet to commit (Wait isn't there a film about exactly that kind of thing somewhere? )
Ok, ok I cope with humor. But I'm honestly not sure I can bring myself to read Anakin's next thought let alone line.
Ben may not have known but I still wish he could have found a way to prepare Anakin mentally for the realization that he killed Padme.
Deep breaths. Here I go.

The ESB mirror is complete, but really, seeing Anakin and Luke respond the same way to such circumstance's is positively amazing. They are father and son, despite their quite obvious difference's as well. I don't know what Krayt expected from Anakin after all that. Few things would turn Anakin from the Dark Side more than the realization that in his quest to save Padme he killed her.

Not sure if I want to stop reading to process all of this or rush ahead because I really need to know what happens next.

1/28 Edit
Gonna read another chapter or two as long as I have time before bed.
Chapter 13
The ESB mirrors continue! It's an interesting Union in my mind of Luke both reaching out to Obi-Wan, and Leia when that didn't work. Quite convenient he named his son Ben for the purposes of this fic. All the more remarkable because Anakin does try reaching out to his old Master too, a part of me really wants Old Ben to respond.
Him falling back to Allana was a twist, but in hindsight it makes sense. Maybe there's just something about the female members of Anakin's lineage that makes them to receptive to such calls.

Not sure whether to think it wholesome or disturbing that Anakin is now directing all his attachment energies on his great granddaughter. Especially considering how things usually go for those he leans on like this.

Ok, some background on how Jacen took up the Krayt mantle. Hard for me to imagine, but definitely not implausible. He's talent for hiding in the force is one of his most famous traits in the later novels.
Ames is channeling Han Solo now. "You call that easy?"
A tracking device in a neckless is actually a lot tamer than I was expecting, but oddly comforting. Presuming the Sith didn't have a backup.

Here comes the conversation I was waiting for.
Anakin asking Ben if he hoped he would Kill Krayt brings to mind the way Yoda and Obi-Wan manipulated Luke in the OT.
I liked Ben's reaction to Anakin's golden prosthetic.
Ben so casually showing Anakin what happened on Mustafar is probably the most surprising thing yet. I know he lost a lot of holo's of his family, but that he somehow managed to keep that one out of all is downright weird. But story wise Anakin definitely needed to see it.

It's not helped by the fact it's been a few years since I read the Dark Next Crisis, but I don't think Ben was present for Luke seeing this scene, and thus I credibly believed him that he did not know. Maybe they showed him at a later date? When he was more ready for the trauma. Can't be a pretty sight knowing even a fraction of what grandpa did.

Anakin's reaction is really powerful here.
No words can describe the pain he is feeling.

Chapter 14
This chapter is starting on a lighter tone, and all I'm thinking is what is going through Anakin's mind.
Once again Tahiri has a way of cutting straight to the chase.
And describing events in the most absurd ways possible.
I still can't be sure whether she really 100% believes him or not but she is taking him seriously, at least as much as she can, and her asking the question Ben has been tormented by for a long time now highlights how worried she is by Anakin's presence.

Admittedly the impact Krayt's identity has on Allana only hit me halfway through the last chapter (Up until then I was primarily concerned with Anakin), but the going to Hapes really highlights the reality that the poor girl is likely in for a very rude awakening someday.

Anakin is having nightmares again, because of course. Precognition really is more of a curse than a blessing. It's oddly refreshing that Ben is so quick to believe him.

1/31 Edit
Chapter 15
Anakin's tinkering again, a good coping mechanism, at least better than his other options.
The prospect of the Tuskin's causing this mess has to bring back some terrible memories for poor Anni, this really is a cursed planet.
Anakin realizing his lightsaber was lost hits oddly hard here, maybe it's just the fact that it is such a powerful symbol of the franchise but it's hard for me to imagine him using any other (Paying mind to the fact that he had at least a few before it).

Anakin getting physically sick from what Vader did seems rather appropriate here. It's like his hold world has flipped upside down and whatever happens from here I doubt he will ever feel at ease with what happened, or rather what might have been.
Him thinking that he was always a monster actually hurts my heart, I understand his mindset, but I hope he gains the wisdom needed from this to realize that he is, was and can be good.

It's a pleasant Surprise to see Anakin actively fighting his instincts, not so pleasant of a context but him realizing his passions are what led him into darkness is a good start.
I very much feel Anakin's pain however, to know you could make a difference but to choose not to must be unbearable. All the memories flooding back! I'm surprised his mother's death wasn't at the tip of his consciousness here, though I presume it was one of the other unnamed memories he mentions.

It's clear Ben's been hurt, betrayed, shocked and worse. Something terrible must have happened to make him so cynical, and I sympathize with his point of view just as I sympathize with Anakin's. There is no right answer here, but despite his brashness compassion and self-sacrifice is the way of the Jedi, and that seems to be something the "modern" order has forgotten, even if his arguments are right, they come off as callous.

Ouch, Ben really hit the nail on the head, and I have to wonder to what extent he even realizes how much he is reading Anakin like a book. The comment about killing the woman and children may not exactly be prophetic, but it definitely should give Anakin pause. He's made this mistake before, and it's a steep fall.
Ben's maturity here is impressive.

Him acknowledging Anakin's mother makes me wonder if Leia told him what she discovered in Tatooine Ghost, I love that book so I kind of hope it is true.

Anakin is lashing out now, not a good look.

Tahiri addressing these two like children is worth a nervous chuckle from me.

Seems like Anakin is gearing up to confess to Ben, this is a bittersweet moment but desperately needed. He needs to talk to a Jedi, to realize his mistake and grow past it. What happened cannot be undone, but what he did to the Tuskens can be a chance for growth and realization on his part.

The fact that Ben does not condemn it but understands makes the moment all the more powerful. His reaction really reveals the intrinsic link between them, I hope he wouldn't have done the same, but the fact that he thinks he might says a lot.

Anakin's reflection of it all, the recontextualization of Palpatine's role, it should make the truth so clear, but his pain is still oozes from every word. So many regrets.

“Even at your darkest, your son believed in you. If he could see the good in someone as evil as Darth Vader, then I think you need to try to see the good in yourself. Not just see it, but embrace it. Because I think if you tell yourself you’re a monster, that’s what you’ll become.”


2/03 Edit
Chapter 16

Ohhh a proper Council chambers, interesting.
Anakin missing the order is a pleasant suprise, but I recognize the power of nostalgia. It can make the weirdest things feel like "the good old days."
Don't know why it took me as long as it did to put two and two together with the Noghri (Probably just because Anakin didn't recognize them), but the moment they referred to as Allana as the "Granddaughter of Lady Vader" my big wonder was how Great Grampa would respond to such a title.

Anakin and Allana's relationship is as sweet as ever.
Their little debate concerning the nature of the Dark side is powerful.
Allana saying her father is dead hurts all the more with the knowledge he is still around, and what became of him.
Anakin finding the idea of a Jedi Queen funny is an interesting direction, and his recognition that history seems to Rhyme, especially in the GFFA is quite powerful, considering his situation he is in no better place to see how it all fits together. His miscommunications relating to her grandmother is worth a chuckle.

Anakin's reflection on attachment is probably my favorite line so far.
He has grown so much in such a short period of time, his realization hits home and the fact that he at last recognizes the wisdom here makes me smile.
Allana building on that wisdom, and teaching Anakin from her own perspective really sets the mood wonderfully.

Anakin struggling to keep this secret is very believable. I honestly expect a deeper conversation with Ben down the line, Allana really deserves to know, and better she hear it from someone she trusts.

Reading the last line, I've got a really bad feeling about this.


Chapter 17
It feels weird that Anakin is the early bird and Ben's the night owl, but also oddly suiting.
The attack came sooner than I expected.
The fact that Tahiri has gone missing is giving me real "Mentor occupational hazard" red flags, but I hope I'm wrong. Given who else was killed off even before this story began, I get the feeling nobody is off the chopping block.
Ok, she was found, doesn't mean she's safe but I half expected to see her next at the wrong end of a lightsaber blade.

"There's too many of them."
That line hit harder than it should have.
This whole scene is a perfect mirror of the infamous one from ROTS.

Ha, that show's the Male Sith for underestimating Anakin Skywalker. A subversion of "Talking is a free action." is a rare sight.
The force is your ally Anakin!
And of course, the Sith fight dirty. Cowards!

Lightning? Did not expect that.
I have mixed feelings now.
The Dark Side is an addiction, and Anakin has a long way to go before he can overcome it.

Anakin and Ben are constantly on each other's nerves and I'm all here for it.
"It's way to big!" Yoda has some words for Elias.
A reference to the Killiks! A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
I'm sure it would be a truly remarkable sight to see so Many Jedi pulling a Star Destroyer with such force. Much better than The Force Unleashed IMO.

Chapter 18
A Sith focused start, Krayt referring to Allana as "Skywalker's" apprentice is something else entirely, knowing who's on the other side of that mask. I am left wondering to what extent poor Jacen even still cares for her, knowing how he died in the novel's I hope there is still that edge of love in him somewhere.

Ferrus really has no idea who he is dealing with.
Krayt badmouthing love does not bode well.

Back to the Jedi!
I'm oddly happy to see Tekli.
Kind of surprised Ben isn't much of a flier. It's the Skywalkers signature trait after all. I guess not all things run in the blood.

Ben's reaction to hearing Krayt's voice is understandable and also heart wrenching.
Tahiri can see right through Ben, and she better than most should realize the threat Krayt poses given this context.
This is the kind of moment that shakes the galaxy.
Tahiri at least seems to empathize with his situation.
Tekli's tears just makes me sad.
It's actually kind of heartwarming how quickly the questions and accusations turned into sympathy and understanding. Specifically, Karanya understanding that this has been a burden on Ben's heart the whole time makes it feel right.

The Council jumping into action without a second thought, that is a pleasant change of pace.
Anakin trying to make sense of all the hero's and celebrities of the era, not to mention his own family tree is a good moment. I have to wonder his thoughts if he realized his granddaughter married an Imperial. I get the feeling he'd give Han Solo a run for his money.

Chapter 19
Tahiri remembering Jacen here gives some seriously messed up feels.
It's like remembering a dead friend, but realizing that friend was made a monster of the undead or something like that. She trusted him, trusted him deeply, and he fell so far.
Her telling Jacen he's not all powerful has got to be a direct reference to Padme saying the same thing to Anakin, and his different response has to be done to highlight that which distinguishes him from his grandfather.

Seeing as I'm still not 100% on where the lines of Legends and your AU diverge, presuming he did even a fraction of the manipulations he did in the Legacy book, Tahiri has real reason to be upset, but she is controlling herself well.

Good to see Tahiri echoing my thoughts from an earlier chapter. Allana needs to know, and she needs to hear it from someone that doesn't want to twist the information to their own purpose.

I'm sensing attachment in Ben's tone, a very familiar attachment that Anakin knows all too well. Narratively I expect Grandpa to be the one to talk some sense into Ben but Tahiri is doing a good job of it on her own.
"The Jacen we knew might be dead, but every good part of him lives on in her."

Tahiri's restraint is really something to be admired, I'm not so sure I could be so controlled given Ben's tactic's here.

Crazy thought I just had, will Zonama Sekot remember Anakin?
Been age's since I've read the books, but I expect that to come up at some point since his previous visit was referenced.
Ah, familiar face's and recognition. At least Sekot Know's how to be discrete.
The planet seems to have all the answers, but then can there really be a greater wisdom in the galaxy than a sentient world?

Anakin observing the similarities between Jacen and Allana was another real feels moment, but one that is extremely bittersweet given the context.
Even more notable are the similarities between Anakin and Jacen. Skywalker recognizing his grandsons feeling of love, but distance and separation really shows how the galaxy can divide people, that playing such an important role in everything sets the Skywalkers apart from anyone else.

The dark side is in all, and few problems have easy solutions. I hope Anakin comes to realize that, both Luke and Jacen were good, that doesn't mean the evil they faced could be solved with mere philosophy. The guilt Anakin feels is real, and if I were in his place, I don't think I could ever forgive myself. Sometimes Judgment really is the easiest, most deserved answer when you know you have, or would have, committed such a heinous wrong.

Sekot's observation that the addition of a child into the equation radically transforms the logical dynamic of the question actually runs deep, it is a theme in this fic, the EU and films that children are precious and it's hard for me to deny sympathy to anyone wanting to protect them.
Anakin turned to protect his wife and unborn children. (The twisted nature of the dark side corrupted him into an abomination that would hurt younglings, and that is not something I can or will sympathize).
Luke was open to committing Genocide to protect his son.
Jacen turned in part to protect Allana (If the EU is to be believed).
Ben is bending over backwards and desperate to keep her protected from knowledge he fears may destroy her.
That is a pattern, and whatever the outcome in the end, the initial choice is made out of love and that is something I cannot condemn.

Allana took Ben's decision better than I expected, but it still stung.
And she discovers the spy, happy the kid was outed but I have to wonder what could be done with him. It's not like he knows any better?

Ok I feel embarrassed my first thought was on the spy and not Allana recognizing Jacen, that is a big ouch for her, and now I am confident there is no way in hell she is going to sit back and do nothing.

Awkward family reunion time! The best.
I pray she doesn't run off and do anything stupid.
At very least tell someone first and have them keep an eye on Roan. A child he may be, but something feels off, could he really not have gotten rid of the holoprojector at any time before this?

Surrender to the Sith, where does Allana come up with these hairbrained idea's?
This is the kind of thing only a Skywalker could come up with!

Chapter 20
Jacen just casually torturing Ben. Quite the flashback, with lots of feels relating to the Old and Lost characters we have been hearing about forever now! Seeing Luke force push Jacen brings to mind Yoda doing the same to Sidious in ROTS.

Ben's moody again, and Allana has no idea what she was getting into.
Just stop keeping secrets! Secret after Secret! It's your tight-lipped nature that is causing all the problems Ben! The Council deserved to Know! Allana deserved to Know! Anakin deserves to know now! You aren't thinking things through.

This conversation is weird because while logically Ben is in the right, emotionally and situationally it feels like Anakin is the wiser of the two right now. Yes he is acting brash and stupid, as Ben observes it is basically a Skywalker tradition to ignore the rules and do whatever you feel is right regardless of the cost, what he forgets is Skywalkers never give up. Anakin may not be thinking straight but he comes off as calmer and more Jedi like, more compassionate in this scenario, primarily because Ben's decision is motivated by fear. Fear is the pathway to the Dark Side! It is that little nuance that flips the scene on it's head for me, maybe Ben is right to risk so many for one is wrong, and Yoda would agree in that regard. But to act out of fear, to step back from helping because you don't want to risk it, that is just as dangerous.

This. Just This. The Emotional gut punch with these words conceptualizes twenty chapters of character growth on Anakin's part alone. Beautiful.

Ben's words in response just kill me.
But I supposed I can respect the self-awareness at least?
The introspect on Anakin's part is fascinating, in many ways he is a new person, but in just as many he is the same. I pray when the moment arrives he does the right thing this time around.

Of course, Anakin casually outs himself, and I very much doubt most will quickly believe him.
The trap isn't for Ben, it is for Anakin. Typically, Skyguy is playing into it.

As always, the Dark sides conception of love is creepy as heck.
Prediction Time: Anakin is going to regain his old lightsaber by the end, except it will be the one from this timeline. The one wielded by his son and daughter-in-law.

Tahiri showing sympathy for Ben is a sweet and tender moment.
Pointing out the root of his trauma as a way to justify his fear gives more understanding, and I definitely don't blame him all circumstances considered. But I contend the true mark of bravery isn't the absence of fear, but rather a willingness to face it. I hope he eventually manages to overcome this great challenge of his.
Tahiri is really a maternal figure here and I love it.

 

@ConservativeJedi321 - I don't have time right now to reply in full to your many amazing comments, but I just wanted to pop in to let you know that I've read them all and that they've made my day each time! I will be back with a more extensive response, but until then, thank you!

 

No problem, I'm enjoying the read even if I don't get to it every day, it's a curious AU that always brings more to explore, and as tired as it leaves me I always want more.
AUs in general are hard for me to get behind usually because the further we get from canon the more random and harder to follow things seem to get, but having Anakin as a POV character just as lost as I am, is going a long way to making it less of a struggle to get invested.
My big thing is avoiding double posting which is how my reviews get to such an absurd length even I have a hard time controlling them so it's nice to be able start fresh.
Chapter 21
The return of R2! Calling him the "most invaluable member of any fighting force" is one heck of an understatement! The series would have been over a hundred times if not for him saving the day.
The battle begins, and Tahiri is thinking of Jacen and all that he has done, a solemn moment.
There is no better time for sentiment than in the heat of battle seconds from death I guess.

Back to Allana! Jacen definitely has a certain sense of decor.
And a way with entrances.
Festus is standing defiant, spicey.
He really should have just turned and left like his brother,
"That was when she noticed a grotesque organism suspended from the ceiling, its many branchlike appendages spread wide as if awaiting an embrace."- If this means what I think it means I just may start feeling ill.
Festus really should have just turned and left.
Allana realizing how far Jacen has fallen tugs at the heart strings. "One more murder would scarcely mean a thing. It certainly wouldn’t save his soul if she stopped him from carrying it out." Man that is dark, I don't think I have ever seen someone in Star Wars go so far. It is usually though each action matters, each moment can mean the world, each choice the difference between being lost and found again. To think Jacen has moved so far beyond such a dynamic is devastating.
But that thought makes her decision to step in the way all the more radical, the epitome of a Jedi's restraint and self-sacrificing nature. Maybe it doesn't matter to him, but to her, to the force, to the very essence of life IT DOES.
"Daddy"

Something as simple has his eye color in the scene communicates a million words, and the fact that he is listening, dares to give me hope. I'm going to regret that won't I?
Not necessarily surprised that the twins were spared, but the scene was written perfectly.

The emotional resonance in Jacen's thoughts and actions is beautiful, as twisted as he may be there are just some things that need to be universal. Or at very least should be.
Seeing this father embrace his daughter, even all circumstance's considered makes me want to weep.
The sweetness of it all takes a somber turn as Allana realizes her father became evil because of this love, not in spite of it.

No Jacen, it doesn't change the past, you can't change the past, but you can fix the future, you could save untold lives by doing the right thing NOW.
Maybe you weren't strong enough, but you can be, not in raw power but in character. Be strong enough to admit you are wrong!
There is still so much humanity in him, and it hurts to see him be so willfully blind to it all.
Never say Never! Vader thought the same, but for Allana to be the one who comes to that realization makes it feel so much more definite, and more heartbreaking.

Please no, please no, please no.
WHYYYYY. How can this monster claim to love her? How can he rationalize all of this while so actively and intentionally hurting her.
BY NO STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION IS THIS "SAFE"!!!

I'm not sure I can bear to read the section from his POV but I have to try, wish me luck.
Anakin to the rescue! Not soon enough.

Well I'll be damned if I stop reading here! I need to find a happy point to end at before bed.
BTW I got the perfect mood music on in the background: Truth Be Told by Mathew West. Was a total accident but man did it fit the scene. Now the question is if I can continue reading through my tears, but I won't give up!

Chapter 22
Anakin's got brains! It's nice to see him use them
He learned at least one thing from his Master it seems.


Seeing Coruscant terraformed has always creeped me out BTW. Totally on Anakin's side here, it just ain't right.

Seems the Twin's still haven't learned from their near-death experience. If you're going to call Jacen a traitor, you best be ready to upend your own betrayal of the Jedi ideals as well! But sith do what sith do.
HA! You think you're in a bad mood? You're standing between Anakin Skywalker and his Great granddaughter.
What is it with Sith and death wishes? It's just weird.
Anakin is learning restraint, about time.
But a part of me kind of hopes he loses that when facing Jacen. Man does the dark lord deserve to hurt right now.
For some reason Anakin wondering about the embrace of pain and Ben failing to tell him brings to mind Luke being stunned my Sidious's lightning. There isn't time to reveal everything at once! Ok, coping with humor again.

Actually, I think Jacen has lost a lot more than his mind Anakin.
Jacen echoing Sidious, the Dark Side is so predictable. A lot less seductive when you see the end result in front of your own eye's IMO. I think Anakin will pull through.
Jacen do you not see? You made the same mistake as Anakin; you say you wanted to save your family, but you destroyed it. YOU! Luke, Mara, Jaina, everybody. They would be alive if not for you! If you don't want it, end it! That power is yours and yours alone.

Ok, Jacen channeling Kylo Ren now. “You were there, when I needed you. When the universe spun around me, and everything was suddenly within my power to choose, it was your voice I heard. In your own way," Not a good look.

There's a difference between being open minded and having your brain fall out. Crazy is as crazy does.

Anakin makes the right decision this time, and the ball is in Jacen's corner.
Cheap tricks, typical. Can't beat Gramps in a fair fight so Jacen uses razor bugs.

Sidetracked with Tahiri, and Dominius is cocky again, but I think she's in control here.

Jacen doesn't see even a hint of irony in killing his sister to "protect his family."
Anakin's choice's are his own, and he has made the right one's so far, he is NOT Vader, and that is the truth, now more than ever.
I don't know how the Chosen one will escape here, but I have faith he will!
We got callbacks to Sidious, and now Dooku, either Jacen has done his research well or the force has a sense of humor. Maybe both.

Anakin you are better than this! Giving Jacen what he wants is not the answer.
The fact that Jacen seems to be enjoying it actually offends me. This man is sick.
Yes, you need to save Allana Anakin, but would she want to be saved this way? Remember how this goes! You killed Padme, Jacen killed his family, the dark side does not save, it only destroys!

"The greatest teacher failure is" as Yoda has been known to say, Anakin is learning, slowly, but he is realizing his mistakes.
Jacen is using the same logic that trapped Anakin the first time, one mistake isn't the end of the world. But his argument fails in one respect, nobody died this time, there is no permanent damage from Anakin's lapse, and he has no reason to hide his regret and shame for that action. He can still find his way.
The dark lord is blinded by rage, but also regret, it is sunk cost fallacy. He has come so far, he just can't admit he is wrong. That makes it so much more devastating, he can't take a step back and consider how he is only making things worse.
Jacen adds insult to injury by using Anakin's own lightsaber against him. Of course. He continues to hold Anakin accountable for choice's he has yet to make, but I am convinced that will only make Grandpapy stronger! As he accepts what was once done, he can learn to correct it, grow past his shortcomings!
Anakin, you are not dying, you are being reborn! I just hope it is in a positive way.

BEN TO THE RESCUE!

And that's another chapter down, going to post this now because I don't want to lose it. (Have already suffered an accidental click out on one or two of my previous reviews and it's very frustrating when my words haven't been saved.). Still hoping to read the next chapter tonight, I will find that happy break point, or ending if I have to! I'm not going to sleep like this.

Chapter 23.
Ben feeling Allana's pain across their bond hurts me physically.
Not helped by the fact that I can still only imagine her as the little girl who befriended a Nexu. Yes, she is 15, but in the last couple chapters she very much reads as a small child still.

Ben has a mission, and he will succeed or die, and there has been more than enough death in this story already! It is that simple Jacen.

Sith love is not any kind of love I ever want in my own life, that's for sure.
There is a real bad habit in the Skywalker family of taking visions to their most literal and absurd extreme, and then causing them.

It's a false promise Ben, do not fall for it.
The fight is on, somehow, I doubt Anakin will be of much use without his arm.
I hope Ben is up to the fight.

Tahiri makes a stand, and her confidence is contagious.
Dominius seems to realize she's tougher than she looks, a tough spot for the Jedi Master but as she says, she has survived worse.
Starting to get some last stand vibes here, it's good she is trusting in the force, but I hope that doesn't mean her end is near.
The Kids are safe! That lone makes any other possible losses worth it. The children are after all, the future.

Wait, both Ben and Jacen are using Anakin's lightsaber?
And the space time continuum hasn't collapsed on itself? Man, time travel is weird.

This whole paragraph is pure poetry, and I love every second of it.

Jacen waxing nostalgia now, odd time for it but fairly appropriate all things considered.
The fact that he is actually complimenting Ben here somehow makes the Dun Moch all the more effective. Ben's anger here is so personal, so understandable. But he knows better, and as terrible as the pain may be now, as much as I myself want Jacen to suffer, Ben is better than that.

There is a reason for your survival Jacen, but it doesn't have to be this, you made mistakes yes, horrible, horrible, unimaginable mistakes. But do you think you are the first? Look to the other man in the room, the one you crippled. He slaughtered younglings, killed his wife, DESTROYED WORLDS, and he survived to do one last grand sacrifice to fix all the mistakes. There is no reason you cannot do the same! It. Is. Your. Choice.

I knew who Jacen was referring to the moment he said it, but still the pain he feels all these years after losing his brother is all consuming. He could have healed, he could have done better, followed Tahiri's path in this AU. But the all-consuming fear of losing his daughter, a justifiable fear in all respects, allows him to shove logic to the side.
It's for this reason I have always sympathized with the nonattachment policy personally. I think many fathers would do the same in his place, and while I sympathize with the sentiment the action is inexcusable. As a Jedi you have a higher calling.

Allana really is just about everyone's living emotional crutch and it might be adorable if she wasn't actively being tortured right now.
Just like that Ben proves himself better than Jacen, and Anakin to an extent.
To be the better person is probably the hardest thing imaginable, when faced with such hate and contempt it is so unbelievably easy to sink to their level. I know that feeling all too well.

He is giving the dark lord an olive branch, and maybe Jacen rejects now, but that little sliver of hope really gets me. It's what Allana came to do, the fact that she gave up doesn't bode well for his chances, but if even only hypothetically, yes, there is a chance he can be saved.
Naturally Jacen has an ace up his sleeve, and Ben's grace costs him dearly.

But now we have voices from the beyond....
Like Skywalker has returned.
An epic entrance and a perfect moment to reconnect with his son

Jacen, it was already for nothing, do you not understand?
A dark and sadistic end for this chapter.

Still looking for a happy moment for me to drift off to sleep on! So, I guess I'm on to the next.

Chapter 24
Starting from Anakin's POV huh?
Honestly when he brings to mind Naboo my first thought was "Well this is how Qui-gon died."
But it's actually a lot sweeter in his recollection of Padme, their time in the lake country, their falling in love.

He's at a crossroads.
Old Ben finally getting involved? I wondered if it was possible, but considered it likely that given he faded into the force in the Thrawn Trilogy it was rather unlikely he would be seen.
Wait, does this mean Anakin can get advice from the ghost of himself?
LOL, a trippy thought to be had.

The Skywalker family is having all kinds of fun today.

Well, this is the big moment, here Anakin Skywalker truly becomes a Jedi.
Actually, this moment brings to mind a wounded and battered Vader finding himself to the emperor's side before throwing him down a reactor shaft.

Bens POV now, and man are his thoughts depressing. I'm convinced he won't die, but the idea that joining with the force means separating permanently from his family just feels all wrong coming from a Jedi.

Yup, this scene is definitely modeled on ROTJ.

Jacen is at peace.
And I am conflicted.

At least Allana is freed, but this Dark Lord will not be redeemed, and wait a second did he take Anakin with him? I need to reread because I could of swore you said the lightsaber passed through both of them.
Ok I did not misread that.

More mirroring, and It's not the kind I'm happy about.

This is probably the most surprising bit of the whole story, not the least because I may have glimpsed your post where you list the expansions of this AU, including the one's with Anakin learning from his mistakes here and living to make the right one's in another timeline.

Anakin Skywalker is one with the Force.

Ok after a breath I kept reading, the Sith are shattered, Tahiri gets a kill,
What did they achieve? Nothing worth achieving.

The Jedi Master having just a casual chat with a dying Sith. Not something you see every day. Brings to mind Gnost Dural and Lana Beniko actually.

Ferrus and Festus.... never change.

It's over, but is it? As long as a single dark sider remains, I fear future generations will suffer.

The guilt Allana feels must be overwhelming, to lose her father, and Anakin.
Does the New Jedi Order have therapists? I hope they're better than the old orders.

Ok where do they need to go now?

Lots of Sabaac Talk.

It's good to see Ben still has a sense of humor.
Ok, a funeral for Jacen. Seems fitting, despite it all.
Kind of strange how it's happening in Anakin's clothes, but I understand the logic.
Allana is impressing me right now with the degree of maturity she is carrying in this discussion. She really has become a remarkable young woman.
So she figured out Anakin? Impressive, most impressive.

Honestly misread that line at first as being about Jacen but that didn't seem right considering all we knew about her failed attempt to redeem him, so I was very happy to see it upon reread that she was referring to gramps.

Allana's reflections are probably the most overwhelming and deep contemplations so far, she has so much to consider, to much to contemplate, so much to grow. Whether or not to forgive her father, how to respect her great grandfather's sacrifice. To be a good Jedi, and to find peace in it all.

I have a lot to contemplate as well, and ith that in mind I go to bed, and will read the final chapter tomorrow. Night.

 

@ConservativeJedi321 - Your play-by-play reaction and analysis was an absolute delight to read in real time, and again, I promise I'll be back to reply at length. I hope you had a restful night and that you enjoy the final chapter of this story!

 

Last Chapter
Here, we, go!

Trippy start, trippy start.
"The netherworld can't accept more than one Anakin Skywalker." An interesting loopehole to bring Anakin back into the narrative.
But then it's hardly the strangest thing to happen so far.
"Let go of your shame." Perhaps the hardest lesson for any human to learn, to recognize one's failings but not be consumed by them. It's your choice's that matter most.
I'm happy Anakin is still getting this chance.

Perhaps most importantly the chance to see his children, and ensure they get a better life.
He's home, and the question now is what happens next? It sounds like he still needs to face Palpatine, but to what end?
Clever use of phantom pain here, to feel the stabbing that never occurred but by all right felt real. That can't be a fun memory even now that he is whole.

"A world without shadow." Now that is a nice image, probably something that won't ever happen in canon, but something I'd love to entertain now.
The picture you draw of the Palpatine vs Mace duel is perfect, even if I hadn't seen the films, it would be so easily to picture with precise perfection.
But then this isn't that universe now, is it? The thought of Mace losing his footing in his desperate effort to push back the torrent of lightning, that perhaps Palpatine isn't holding back, is absolutely terrifying.

THIS, this is all the difference in the world, as dark and gloomy a realization it may be, he needs to learn to love while he has them, not cling so tightly he loses them.
"You won't be there to see it." This very many sounds like Anakin, a particularly dark version of Anakin (I'm pretty sure he says this exact line to Obi-Wan in their duel in the most recent LEGO game), but it is oddly satisfying hearing him say it to Palpatine.
The dark lord is afraid, a never-before-seen sight, and a well-earned one at that.

"No life will be beyond your control." To be taken maybe, but not to be saved, and that is Anakin's goal in the end.
Funny, the one time Sheev needed a backup plan more than any other he really doesn't.
Mace Windu doesn't impress easily, but this time nobody can deny Anakin deserves it.

Anakin and Padme really couldn't be more obious if they tried. Is there anybody in the galaxy who isn't aware of their fondness for each other?
By the way, Anakin casually forgetting Palps kind of outed him before perishing. Can be forgiven, he's had a VERY long day.
Ok, I buy this reaction from Mace. He may have gratitude for the situation, but I doubt he'd be too quick to throw away the rulebook in response. It makes sense he'd take an approach of "worry about that later."
Is it morbid I'm wondering who will replace Kit, Agen, and Saessee on the Council? I have a weird obsession with Council sucession.
I hope they get a funeral at least.

Palpatine laid a lot of groundwork for his Imperial Ascension, it makes sense it wouldn't be easy to tear that all apart. The senate is going to want answers, and how many of them will be easily believed is open to interpretation. Honestly, I'm not even sure many Conspiracy theorists could come up with a less credible story!
Mon Mothma as Chancellor may be able to offer them political cover, but Padme and Anakin needing to lay low makes a lot of sense.
I'm rather shocked they managed to stumble across Protocol 66, but loose ends definitely need to be tied up.

There really is no sight more adorable than Anakin Skywalker actually getting a chance to be a father. Perfect.
Though it admittedly must be a bit weird for him to know so much about his children's prospective futures. What they would look like as adults, their kids, their kids' kids! Granted the future isn't set in stone, but I'm not sure I'd want to know so much about my future kids Destiney's. Well, at least he averted the worst of their faits.

Anakin Skywalker thinking of the future? Never.
KEEENOOOBIIII!!!
The Council making changes? I'm listening.
Hmmm. Not sure how plausible such an about-face would be, but I'm sure the Council is grateful for Anakin's intersession, and for the purposes here I can buy them hearing him out at least. Maybe a certain little green gnome is ready to retire and pass on leadership to a new generation.
Living in the moment. Is there really anything more we could ask of Anakin?

Oh! Flashforward!
Ohohoho. Clever Anakin using the "story" of Ben to keep the timeline on track and ensure his grandson gets the same name.
So he told Padme and Obi-Wan? Not surprised, but I'd really like to see how they reacted upon first hearing it.
BTW there is no timeline where Anakin and Han are on the same team where they don't end up in a starship race of some kind at some point, am I right or what?
This has gotta be the bigest Skywalker+ family reunion EVER! Now I really, really, REALLY want fanart of this.

Another story worth seeing is this timeline's Anakin prepping for the Vong invasion. To what extent COULD he realistically prepare the galaxy without coming off slightly fruity? Especially given his age.
Sure the Jedi Order would have been at it's peak but what would have happened to the Republic millitary after TCW? Mon Mothma was never much of a militarist.
Ok, Ok, maybe I'm over thinking this, I just need to enjoy the moment with Ani's family.

Ohhhh, Jaina's got a boooyfrieeend. Are little brothers the same everywhere?
Ok, the implications I'm getting is Myrkr is coming up. The question then is how can Anakin (x2) dodge it?
Good old Obi-Wan is still around, nice to see. He's probably earned the Alec Guiness white hair this time around at least.
Anakin, you're what, fifteen years younger than Obi-Wan? Ok maybe that's a fair bit, but given how long both of you have been around you'll be lucky not to throw a hip either way!
Ok the Dooku comparison is fair, though he did lose a step in his old age, and we all know how that ended.
For the record, I would totally pay to read this version of the Vong war.
I know it's meant sweat, and its kind of is, but Obi basically admitting this is last mission and he knows it gives me the shivers.
Ok, so Jacen's here too. Kind of awkward, but I'm sure Ani loves him as much as any other of his descendants.

“Anakin. The fact that you’re here now changes everything.” Awwwee
Anakin is at peace, and I am content.

Epilogue time?
Oh back to the other timeline. Hope it doesn't disrupt my contentedness.
Hm, feeling Endor celebration festivities right now. Romance, hope, and reunions.
Ben meets Roan, and at least he has a good influence watching out for him.
Ok, the ghosts are back in town? The mirroring could be more obvious now but hey I'm all here for it.
Anakin Solo? That was a face I did not expect to see.
Hm, I don't recall reading how Tenel Ka died like the others, maybe I'll need to go back for a reread at some point. Granted I may have grown a little less attentive early on when dealing with characters I didn't recognize.

So many Ghosts! Who ya gonna call?
Awe, Ben gets a glimpse at the better timeline. It's kind of a bittersweet moment knowing it's a world he will never really get to know personally.
He can't undo what was done in his own timeline, but he can be happy he helped Anakin correct his mistakes in another.

A well done AU that kept me invested until the end, all the more impressive considering how long it took you to complete! A round of applause.