Luke, Mara, the Force, and Sex in the Expanded Universe (Spoilers Allowed)

I have a semi-serious question concerning sex and fanfiction.

When it comes to Luke Skywalker I would say that 95% of all the fics have him paired up with Mara. There are a few with other women such as Callista, but there are almost no ?slash? stories with him (I said almost).

Then compare him to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Young Obi-Wan is found coupling with just about everybody and everything in the universe. I have seen stories linking him with Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Padme, Shmi, Commander Ventress and Siri. I wouldn't be surprised if there are fics with him and Jar Jar or Yoda.

Why is that? Why are the readers turned off by the thought of Luke with anybody but Mara, but Obi-Wan and just about anybody in the Galaxy is OK?

 

It's the beard. The chicks just go weak at the knees at the sight of it!

 

Jedi_Lover:
Could the answer be as simple as Ewan MacGregor is sexier than Mark Hamill?

I still haven't gotten into the "fanfic scene" too much so's I don't knows if the Obi-Wan or Luke/Mara smut is written mostly by women or men.



so.....


All the ladies in the house say yeah, now all you m...er, sorry, I've been listening to the D too much.

Seriously though, who's sexier? Ewan in his prime or Mark in his, and does anyone think that this could be an answer to J_L's query?

 

Ha!

Does anyone want to know how I got to the thread to post this? I clicked on the link here:
www.theforce.net/books/

Ha!

 

It's the lightsaber. Chicks dig the lightsaber...



-TMcE

 

Diablos666: It's the beard. The chicks just go weak at the knees at the sight of it!

I have to admit MacGregor did look mighty fine with that beard. He looked older and more mature.

HSOK3: Could the answer be as simple as Ewan MacGregor is sexier than Mark Hamill?

It is hard to say. Mark in ANH did look cute?like a California surfer dude. Unfortunately, he lost some of his classic good looks to a disfiguring auto accident between ANH and ESB. Plus, it is hard to compare the two when Mark has the handicap of having a 1970?s haircut. His hair may have been charming in the late 70?s, but it looks terrible by today?s standards. I would have to say that I think MacGregor is sexier?mainly because I love his sexy Scottish accent.

HSOK3:I still haven't gotten into the "fanfic scene" too much so's I don't knows if the Obi-Wan or Luke/Mara smut is written mostly by women or men.

I have read articles stating a majority of the fanfics are written by women and men create most of the fanfilms.

McEwok: It's the lightsaber. Chicks dig the lightsaber...

Both Luke and Obi-Wan have lightsabers, so why would that make a difference? Unless one lightsaber is bigger than the other.

I can tell you that I know for a fact that Luke?s lightsaber is longer than Yoda?s. I bought my boys lightsabers this weekend. One son wanted the Luke Skywalker lightsaber and the other the Yoda saber. When they got home my younger son started crying ?My sword is smaller!? Sure enough, Yoda?s saber is a foot shorter.

What does that have to do with sex...why nothing...it is just a Christmas shopping tip. If you want a long lightsaber go with Luke instead of Yoda.

I was reading an interesting article about slash fanfics. It was an MSN online article entitled: Luke Skywalker Is Gay? Fan fiction is America's literature of obsession. It was written by David Plotz and Posted Friday, April 14, 2000, at 6:30 PM PT

According to the article, women write most male/male fics and they are not written for the same reason that men might write female/female fics.

But the porn generally isn't the point. Even at its filthiest, slash, too, is guided by Tannen, not Larry Flynt. According to Jenkins and to slash writers, slash is rooted in female fascination with deep male friendships. Slash writers seek to turn men inside out. "Theirs is one of the most intense friendships I have seen on television, and it seems quite plausible to me that the relationship could have a physical component," says Jane St. Clair, who writes Kirk/Spock slash.

Protagonists spend more time talking about their feelings than groping each other. "What could be more exciting than love between two grown men?the hiding, the secret meetings, the confessions of love?" asks Belynda, a slash archiver.

What matters is not the sex, says Chrysothemis, who writes Due South slash, but "the emotional relationship of the two characters." Her slash often mimics romance novels, with sex hinted at but not described. Slash's interest in how characters feel sometimes reaches parodic proportions. In some K/S slash, Kirk and Spock quit their jobs with Starfleet to work on their relationship.

Don?t you guys see? If I read Obi-Wan/Anakin Skywalker slash fiction it is because I am a sensitive woman who is fascinated with strong male relationships. I hope that totally dispels your erroneous belief that I am a lonely, suburban, desperate housewife!



AG88

 

Don?t you guys see? If I read Obi-Wan/Anakin Skywalker slash fiction it is because I am a sensitive woman who is fascinated with strong male relationships. I hope that totally dispels your erroneous belief that I am a lonely, suburban, desperate housewife! //quote//

But you are a lonely, desperate, suburban housewife.

I mean, yes, uh si-I mean ma'am!

 

Funny DB, don't you have some latrines to clean?

AG88

 

Actually, we're buffing floors today.

 

This thread hasn't been locked yet??!

The standards in Lit. have lowered, hey?

 

DeJade_Vu: This thread hasn't been locked yet??!

Come on DeJade, we're behaving. At least we aren't flaming, ridiculing and insulting each other in this thread.

AG88

 

The question was never fully answered as to why Luke seems to be exclusively paired with Mara (with a few exceptions), but Obi-Wan has been linked to multiple partners of various species and genders. I have a theory about this.

Let us put aside slash fics for a second and look at why Luke is primarily linked with Mara. Could it be that despite what the few very vocal Mara-haters say the fans actually like the Luke and Mara relationship? I would think if the fans were adamantly opposed to their union we would see a whole slew of Luke/Callista or Luke/Anybody-but-Mara stories being churned out. But this is not happening. I propose that the fans genuinely like the relationship between Mara and Luke. In fact, how long it took for Luke and Mara to hook up and the fact that there was little or no romance prior to the marriage proposal appears to be the only big problem the fans have with their union.

I have read dozens of M/L fics and I would say 95% of them are AU and involve a flirtatious courtship between the Mara and Luke. This relationship usually begins shortly after TTT and quickly results in their marriage. I have only read one fanfic where this did not happen. In that one Luke is a dark Jedi and lobs off Mara?s head with his lightsaber. Actually that was a pretty good story and that is saying a lot knowing how much I like Mara?s character.

Now, Obi-Wan is never really connected with anybody in the books or movies. So we do not have a predetermined relationship for the fan base to cling to. They are free to imagine Obi-Wan with anybody they want.

As to why Luke is not featured in many slash fics, I have a hypothesis on that also. If the article I quoted earlier is correct, then slash is rooted in female fascination with deep male friendships. I assume this means women want to imagine the macho men in these books experiencing deep loving emotions. Therefore, they write slash fanfics were Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn are confessing their mutual growing love for each other. I see this as an attempt to feminize the males of the EU world. They are not only Galactic heroes and Jedi warriors, but they are loving, feeling humans who desire to talk about their emotions, go shopping and maybe go see the newest Meryl Streep flick. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn are the epitome of manliness. Therefore, women want to explore their feminine side in fanficdom.

Luke, on the other hand, is portrayed in the books and movies as a sensitive, caring and loving man. He is a warrior, no doubt, but he does not shy from showing his sensitive side. To many female fans he will always remain the loveable adolescent from ANH. It does not matter that he has killed millions. Luke does not need to be feminized in fanfic literature. In fact, Luke?s gentle nature is magnified in comparison to his wife. She is a hardcore former assassin who is often stoic and aloof. Compared to Mara, Luke is the sensitive one of the family.

Anyway, that is my two cents.

AG88

 

I'm not a Luke/Mara 'shipper. I write them because generally, there's no alternative. But I don't like Callista, either.


Dana

 

88:

Well, here's the thing...

Compare Mara to Callista.....

Now that that's solved....

Anakin has Padme. Obi-Wan has......no one.

So who would you want to pair up with Luke? Mara. Who could you pair up with Anakin? Padme. Who could you link up with Obi-Wan? ANYBODY!

Maybe that explains it?

 

Compare Mara to Callista.....

Of course you are correct, there is no comparison. Mara is a sexy, seductive, trained killer with a heart of gold. Callista is a Force reanimated corpse.

You are right. That question is resolved.

Anakin has Padme. Obi-Wan has......no one.

True, but that does not explain why Anakin and Padme have both been paired up with Obi-Wan in fanfic stories. I just don't think the fans have the rabid fascination with Padme/Anakin as they do with Mara and Luke. Of course it could be because we all know the relationship turns out bad for P/A.

So who would you want to pair up with Luke? Mara.

Yes, Mara. But what I am saying is if the fans did not want this to be there would be many more fanfics depicting Luke with other women. When you talk about fan fiction we are not bound by any limits. Luke could be flying through space, bounce through a space anomaly, crash land on Earth, fall in love with Paris Hilton and end up on an episode of The Simple Life. These things can happen in AU fan fiction. But they are not! This tells me Luke and Mara are an accepted couple in the EU.

Who could you pair up with Anakin? Padme.

The trouble with this question is the P/A romance is lacking. It is so stiff and unbelievable in AOTC that it is embarrassing to watch. The second thing is we know Anakin turns to the darkside. So I would not have a problem writing a fanfic where Padme escapes the clumsy and puerile romantic advances of Anakin. Of course, I would not go as far as pair her up with Boss Nass?that fic was truly twisted.

Who could you link up with Obi-Wan? ANYBODY!

We all know Obi-Wan truly desires Asajj Ventress

AG88

 

88: there's a small L/C clique out there, and an even smaller L/W clique... there are even a few incorigible, old-school fans who still 'ship pairings from the Marvel comics - or even L/L...

Dana: I'm not a Luke/Mara 'shipper. I write them because generally, there's no alternative. But I don't like Callista, either.

Technically, that's not quite true, y'know...

Seriously, though - pax?



- The Imperial Ewok

 

Obi-Wan has......no one

He has Siri.

And Ventress.

And a few dozen Tatooinian women. Including Beru. (Why do you think Owen hated him so much?)

 

McEwok: there's a small L/C clique out there, and an even smaller L/W clique... there are even a few incorigible, old-school fans who still 'ship pairings from the Marvel comics - or even L/L...

Yes, I know. I did say "with few exceptions" when I gave my answer.

Let me get this straight. L/C is Luke and Callista. L/W is Luke and Winter? And L/L is Luke and Leia?!?

I do admit there are other pairings with Luke, but as I said the majority of them are L/M. The fics that do have Luke with another woman usually take place before TTT.

I am reading a pretty good fic now by SJade called Unfathomable Love. What I like about this fic is that Luke is the reluctant lover and Mara is the one pursuing him.

AG88

 

I'm gonig to regret saying this......

L/W= Luke and Wedge

 

AG88:
Anyway, that is my two cents.

As to be expected, your theory on fanfic emphasizing certain relationships was insightful and on target. Nicely done.

L/W is Luke and Winter?

I thought that he was talking about Luke and Wedge.

EDIT: Pilot, you beat me too it.

 

Oh yeah, Luke and Wedge. I actually read that fanfic. I did not like it. Nor did I like the fanfic where Han gets pregnant.

No, I guess I thought of Winter because I was reading another fanfic where Luke did have a crush on her at one time.

AG88

 

All the Leia he would want, none of incest charges, I guess

 

It seems natural to me that Luke would have had a crush on Winter, especially in the first few years that he knew her, but after all of the crazy jive that he ended up seeing in the universe, I think that she'd end up seeming boring to him.

Luke likes his ladies dangerous!

 

...think that she'd end up seeming boring to him.

Luke likes his ladies dangerous!

Are you kidding!? Living with a woman who has a holographic memory would be dangerous!

I have a lousy memory, but when arguing with my spouse it is amazing how I can immediately recall and remind him of some minor offense he committed 19 years ago. Can you imagine how life would be with a woman who NEVER forgets any of your transgressions! Not good!

AG88

 

This is our Quarterly update on what we have discussed so far in this thread:

1. The Force and sex.

2. Using the Force as a method of contraceptive.

3. Mara is a Force Vampire who sucks the Force from Luke.

4. Midicholorians and sex.

5. Palpatine and concubines.

6. Mara and her being a virgin bride.

7. Mara and her relationship with Lando.

8. Jacen and why he does not hook up with Danni.

9. Teneniel having sex with Luke.

10. Vergere?s tears impregnated Mara.

11. PDA rules.

12. Mara and her being the Emperor?s concubine.

13. Did the Emperor?s training involve sexual techniques.

14. Yoda having sex with Rell.

15. Luke and his conquests.

16. Mara is the clone of the Emperor.

17. The Emperor and his possible sex change operation.

18. Using the Force in sex fantasy roll playing.

19. It is the Will of the Force that all creatures procreate.

20. Homosexuality in the "Gay Army of the Republic".

21. Using the Force to make sure your teenagers are not having sex.

22. How to close off the Force so other Force users
don't know you are having sex.

23. Luke and Mara's Dominance and Submissive roll playing.

24. McEwok needing a girlfriend.

25. The paternity questions involving Ben Skywalker (meaning Anakin Solo is really the bio-Dad).

26. The possible Force signature of sperm.

27. Asajj Ventress kidnapping Obi-Wan and having her way with him sexually, resulting in a child named Mara Jade.

28. Can a Jedi?s passion for another subconsciously influence the object of his desire to reciprocate his love?

29. Jacen and Jaina are sexual Sith partners.

30. Luke Skywalker had the following sexual partners: Mara, Shira Brie, Jen Ysanna, Callista, Teneniel Djo, Akhana, Gaeriel, Ta?a Chume, Leia and C?baoth.

31. Mara had the following sexual partners: Lando, Luke, Karrde, Aves, Kyle Katarn, Soontir Fel, Ghent, Palpatine, Jabba, Bib Fortuna, Vice Baron Sakarian and anybody else that the Emperor told her to have sex with.

32. Jacen was Vergere?s lover.

33. Luke and Leia are actually only ½ siblings because Padme had sex with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan the same day and was impregnated by both men. Leia is Obi-Wan?s daughter and Luke is Anakin?s son.

34. Obi-Wan sexually abused Anakin Skywalker making the boy turn to the darkside.

35. Sexual abuse was rampant in the old Master/Padawan system. This corruption lead to the downfall and purge of the Jedi.

36. Winter and Ackbar were lovers.

37. Yoda sexually abused Count Dooku while he was Yoda?s padawan.

38. Ben Kenobi is the son of Palpatine and Ben fathered Anakin Skywalker.

39. Jedi sex was restricted by the old Jedi Order because Jedi sex is so fantastic it would make the Jedi sex addicts.

40. Shmi Skywalker was a sexual slave. Obi-Wan bought her services and fathered Anakin Skywalker.

41. Anakin Skywalker suffered from an Oedipus Complex. He loved his mother and hated his father. Since the Force was his father, this is the cause of the Jedi Purge. The Jedi represented the Force in Anakin?s mind.

42. Callista is Sith and stole Cray?s body.

43. Midichlorians are actually a sexually transmitted disease.

44. Pellaeon and Thrawn were gay lovers.

45. Thrawn also had sex with his Noghri body guard. When the Guard found out about Pellaeon he killed Thrawn.

46. Mara?s initial reluctance to pair up with Luke came from her fear of being controlled by another potential Palpatine.

47. Luke is actually the Emperor reborn. The spirit of the Emperor entered Luke?s body upon his death.

48. The Vong are sexual sadomasochists.

49. Anakin?s spirit took over Luke?s body so he could raise his son Ben (ties in with McEwok?s: Anakin is the father of Ben theory).

50. Mara is possessed by the spirit of Darth Vader.

51. Padme was the original Hand of the Emperor (Oh yeah, she had sex with Obi-Wan and they are the parents of Mara).

52. Can the Sith love?

53. What Mara and Luke would say if they ever read the Luke, Ma