Saga Tatooine Incident: Healing {The Lars' Story} THANK YOU!

_The Lars went home. _

And that says it all! Thanks for writing this. Oh dear, I hope you write something more soon!

 

You added some more details! I love it. Truly a beautiful story and powerfully written.

 

Thanks so much guys for reviewing and for sticking with me until the end of this rather bittersweet tale.

Knight-Ander: You should think of getting it archived. ~ Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Gina: The ending was so chilling. ~ That was what I was aiming for.

Reihla: it makes Anakin's slaughter of the Tuskens more an act of justice than an act of revenge. I mean, if the farmers could have they would've done exactly what Anakin did to the Raiders. It might not have been the right thing to do from a Jedi POV, but those folks on Tatooine will sleep easier. Who knows what the Tuskens would have done to them and their familes if they'd gone on living and attacking the farms. ~ Bingo! It's not that this story is meant to justify Anakin's actions - far from it. On the other hand, how you interpret those actions depends on the perspective from which you view them. To the farmer widows and children on Tatooine, whoever killed off that tribe was a saviour. Even in this Real World of ours, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter!

Jedi_Bant: And that says it all! ~ ~~~ Oh dear, I hope you write something more soon! ~ Don't worry about that.

Dally: You added some more details! ~ I did~ I'm so glad my beta approves. Thank you so much for your preserverance and patience and the million revisions of this story that you had to beta.

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I promise [i]all[/i] my readers special individual replies at the end of the week... and well, maybe even a missing scene. [face_wink] Maybe. Thanks once again!

 

I really loved how you dealt with these characters... they have but few lines in the movies, but their influence is real big (where would "our only hope" be without the Larses?

I see you've written more stories, so now I have reading to catch up with!

Way to go!

 

Great ending. I like how you tied the Lars family into the community that surrounds them, and the pain and loss dominating all their lives? It?s easy to understand why they react as they do to the slaughter. Great job.

?I don?t know. But whoever it was, I wish he had stuck around so I could thank him.?
Talk about chilling? Wow. What a simple statement, with so much significance for the character of Anakin Skywalker and the idea that the road to hell is paved with good intentions?

 

Got to say... I loved the ending.

I particularly liked its ambiguity as to whether the Lars' understood who had done this....

Great Job....

 

I'm sorry I'm late... Darth Exams gripped me...
Only one week to go...*sigh*

That was awesome... I especially loved the way Owen handled the loan shark... That was good to see him get a little payback...
And I liked the fact Beru trembled because she already knew...
The farmers' joy gave me the chills somehow. Because I understood it, yet knew it was a slaughter even if they don't see it that way. You always put conflicted emotions in there and that is good food for thought... BTW grat analogy with terrorism. Nothing is black and white.

Oh, and your sig cracked me up! I haven't read the book but know that it's Ron who siad the line... I love Hermione anyway, even with her Mary Sue side...

 

Delpo: I really loved how you dealt with these characters... they have but few lines in the movies, but their influence is real big (where would "our only hope" be without the Larses? ~ Bingo! I have this rather heretical theory that the lessons Luke learnt in Beru?s kitchen ? and not his training from Yoda and Ben ? are what made him such a wonderful human being and Jedi. ~~~ see you've written more stories, so now I have reading to catch up with! ~ Oh do please! I am absolutely thrilled to get a new reader?s comments.


Lex: I like how you tied the Lars family into the community that surrounds them, and the pain and loss dominating all their lives? ~ Yes, I had to ?take them back? into the world, after the more or less seclusion of the early chapters ? partly to tie it in with ?Raiding of the Raiders? and partly to, of course, show the farmers? opinion of the massacre. ~~~ ? the road to hell is paved with good intentions? ~ Alas!

GunraysLawyer: I particularly liked its ambiguity as to whether the Lars' understood who had done this.... ~ You spotted that! Yep, Beru is the only one actually is in the know, Owen has suspicions, Cliegg? well Cliegg?s keeping his thoughts to himself.

Padlei: Reading fanfiction in the middle of your exams! Bad Padlei! Bad Padlei! ~~~ I especially loved the way Owen handled the loan shark... That was good to see him get a little payback... ~ That was a hoot to write, for sure. ~~~ The farmers' joy gave me the chills somehow. Because I understood it, yet knew it was a slaughter even if they don't see it that way. You always put conflicted emotions in there and that is good food for thought... ~~~ BTW great analogy with terrorism. Nothing is black and white. ~ You took the words out of my mind. It all depends on which side of the fence you?re standing on. It?s warmer up North in Australia. ~~~ Oh, and your sig cracked me up! ~ I?m glad someone finds if funny! I nearly had a coronary when I saw the trailer? of all the *****, *****, *****, **** stunts Hollywood has pulled in the name of adaptation, this one really takes the cake! ~~~ I can?t believe you haven?t read Book 3!

 

I hardly ever leave comments on fan fiction but the ?infamousness? of the review of ?Healing? on the Newsletter thread pushed me into posting something.

This is one of the most lovingly, intelligently, accurately and painstakingly written stories I have ever read. Sure, the writer is not in my Top Four, but she?s definitely in my Top Ten and she?s climbing. Chin up, kid and keep writing.

 

I thought this entire story was very well done and very well written! It is nice to see characters that we don't see often enough in fiction, fan or Canon. Great job! I look forward to seeing what you come up with for your next project!

 

I really enjoyed this story and I liked the farmers perspective on the killing of the Tusken Raiders. After the blood the Tuskens had split of theirs I am sure they would be grateful for having this threat (and the entire village) eliminated.

I also liked the interaction between Padmé and Anakin and the family Anakin never knew. As it turned out Anakin's life wouldn't have been so bad if Qui-Gon hadn't been such a busybody.

 

So here I am! Late?but, well, (finally) here!

Beware: An extra long post to compensate for my tardiness. (Readers discretion advised, especially for those with a tendency toward eyestrain.)

I like how the POV never switches to Anakin?s perspective. I?ll admit, as an Anakin fan, I sometimes wished it would as I read. But reflecting on it now, I realize it?s best that you didn?t include his POV because ?Tatooine Incident? isn?t so much about Anakin as it is about the Lars, as the title of the thread indicates. And it?s high time they got the spotlight. I feel the Lars family has much richness and potential that fan fic writers rarely cultivate. Moreover, it?s fascinating to study Anakin not through introspection but through outside characters? eyes for a change.

The melodramatic words almost sounded incongruous in the bleak emotionless voice that said them, but the starkness of the words was more convincing than if they had been cried out with passion.

That?s a good line. It caught my eye not only because of its lyrical qualities, but because it stays true to Padme. (God knows, I?ve had a hard time writing her, so I am impressed when someone does it well.) She wouldn?t be one to delve into histrionics. On a similar note?

The candle was still burning long after she left the room.

A subtle way to end the scene?You say how much Anakin means to Padme without saying it. Nice touch.

When was the last time I said ?Good job? to Owen? Cliegg wondered suddenly. Have I ever said so to him since I got out of that bed? He did not think so. It was a dreadful mistake, one he intended to rectify as soon as possible. Life was too short. Life was too damn short. If he had never thought so before, the look on Anakin Skywalker?s face as he carried his mother?s body home was testament to the fact.

As I say frequently, fan fiction should be relatable on a human level. Ah?how most of us don?t fully appreciate those close to us until we have a frightening wake-up call?

Threepio was still talking.

Heh. Heh. Heh. Poor Cliegg. I?m sure he?s happy to finally get that droid off his hands.

?It?s for my Mother.? The corner of his lip went up a bit. It was so much his mother?s smile that Cliegg was actually startled. ?It?s one of the few things she ever told me about where we originally came from. We bury our dead with their faces masked and we keep copies for the family. Jedi are not allowed to own things but if you like, I could make a mask for you.?

Oh, a bit of cultural discussion! Imho, fan fiction should contain more cultural discussions, because, really, when one thinks about it, the GFFA must be a diverse place!

I could make a mask for you. ?What kind of wood do you need, son?? asked Cliegg at once.

Poor guy. I think he?s trying to connect with the Shmi he sees in Anakin. Losing two women in his life could only have hit him hard. He?s also drawn to Anakin because I think he and the Jedi are the ones who are hurt the most by Shmi?s passing.

?You?re not going to get away with this,? Owen managed and he walked out of the office. ?Always they say that,? muttered the creature. ?Can they not think something more original??

LOL! It?s true! (Brownie points in my book for cleverly poking fun at the cliché.)

?You don?t have to go. This is your home. You can stay here.?

Ooooooo! So we get to explore a salient part of the archetypal hero?s journey?the temptation to abandon duty for the simple life. The way you've developed this theme clarifies Owen?s ?damn fool crusade? (or however it goes) comment made in ANH. I?d be tempted, too, if I were Anakin. (In fact, considering the amount of studying I have to do, simplicity seems very desirable right now? )

?Threepio.?

?Yes, Master Owen??

?Shut up.?

?Of course, Master Owen.?

ROTFLMAO!

As a side note, I enjoy how you have balanced humor with angst. Because that's what life is--a bitterswe

 

Excellent job, leia_naberrie. The way you portrayed everyone's grief brought tears to my eyes.

I'm someone who likes to change her sig often, and you now have a place of honor in it.

 

Speaking of signatures, thanks to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone being on TV tonight, I finally got that Kloves comment.

 

Wow! [face_shocked] I don't even know where to start replying, I feel so overwhelmed...Thank you all for reviewing!

rogue_winter:

Yoohoo! Thanks for delurking!

This is one of the most lovingly, intelligently, accurately and painstakingly written stories I have ever read. ~ Em... em...

VaderLVR64:

I thought this entire story was very well done and very well written! ~ Thanks, I appreciate it.

It is nice to see characters that we don't see often enough in fiction, fan or Canon. ~ Fan fiction rules OK!

_JM:

I really enjoyed this story and I liked the farmers perspective on the killing of the Tusken Raiders. After the blood the Tuskens had split of theirs I am sure they would be grateful for having this threat (and the entire village) eliminated.
I also liked the interaction between Padmé and Anakin and the family Anakin never knew. ~ Thanks for delurking(?), I really appreciate it. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story, and that you read it convincingly i.e. it read true to you. That means a lot to me as a writer.

JediSenoj451:



<applies knuckle grease... >

Late?but, well, (finally) here! ~ I said it once and I will say it again: Late is the new Pink.

I like how the POV never switches to Anakin?s perspective... it?s fascinating to study Anakin not through introspection but through outside characters? eyes for a change. ~ Whoopie, you spotted that! And for precisely the reasons you gave: it's the Lars' story and I wanted Anakin to be at the other end of the telescope... Let's see what these relative strangers made of him during that surreal, nightmarish visit home.

That?s a good line. It caught my eye not only because of its lyrical qualities, but because it stays true to Padme. (God knows, I?ve had a hard time writing her, so I am impressed when someone does it well.) ~ It's always a thrill to get a compliment on the way I write my all-time favourite character!

You say how much Anakin means to Padme without saying it. Nice touch. ~

As I say frequently, fan fiction should be relatable on a human level. Ah?how most of us don?t fully appreciate those close to us until we have a frightening wake-up call? ~ That is so true. About fan fiction - my favourites are always the ones that are the most real to me - and about 'too late's in real life.

Oh, a bit of cultural discussion! Imho, fan fiction should contain more cultural discussions, because, really, when one thinks about it, the GFFA must be a diverse place! ~ Precisely! Wow, I love your reviews!

Poor guy. I think he?s trying to connect with the Shmi he sees in Anakin. Losing two women in his life could only have hit him hard. He?s also drawn to Anakin because I think he and the Jedi are the ones who are hurt the most by Shmi?s passing. ~ Yes. Yes. and Yes.

LOL! It?s true! (Brownie points in my book for cleverly poking fun at the cliché.) ~ ROTLMAO!

So we get to explore a salient part of the archetypal hero?s journey?the temptation to abandon duty for the simple life. ~ I didn't even think about that when writing this... I just wondered how profound it would have been if the offer had been made... I love reviews that make me see things in my writing that write themselves...

As a side note, I enjoy how you have balanced humor with angst. Because that's what life is--a bittersweet mixture of pain and joy. I thin

 

Yes, bad me! But believe me I'm glad I was reading your fic, or I'd have gotten crazy...

No, I didn't read the 3rd book. Believe me or not, I'm waiting for the movie to be able to read the book! [face_shocked] [face_shocked]
For me, the book is some kind of spoilers... [face_shocked]

Oh and BTW remember: hate is the path to the dark side... Besides save your hate for the 4th movie. It seems to be even worse...

 

Giving this wonderful story a well-deserved up for new eyes!

 

I promised special individual replies to all my readers at the end of this thread and here they are. Once again, thank you all for sticking with me to the bitter end. And here they are in order of appearance:

VaderLVR64 - It was a pleasant surprise to find one of my favourite new writers on this thread. Thanks for dropping by.

Knight-Ander - My first reader, one of my favourite wrtiers and one of my best friends. Thank you so much for your steadfast support throughout the months.

Padlei - You are an absolute sweetheart. You know that don't you? But I think it is utter blasphemy to think that the Harry Potter books spoil the movies. Ugh.

Reihla - You are one of the best character writers that I've come across and one of the shrewdest betas to the bargain. Your approving comments meant a lot to me. Thank you.

Lordban - Thank you for dropping by and for all the supportive, enthusiastic comments you made about this story. I selfishly hope that you return to the boards one day and complete The Maiden in the Snow and Put Me Out of My Misery! {Oops, sorry, got a little carried away there.}

geo3 - You had the uncanny ability to show me things about my writing that I didn't even know were there. And I got knuckle cramp from replying your reviews! But I treasured each and everyone of those aches. Thanks for the long, detailed and insightful comments.

BrownEyes_Blue - You have such a lovely username. Thank you for dropping by.

Darth_Lex - You get the prize for most steadfast reader/reviewer. Sadly, no kissy emoticons. But if you kill a Skywalker in POF, I could make it worth your while! Thank you so much for keeping up with this series, and for all the support and encouragement, both private and personal you've given me since its existence in the old boards.

Chenin - I'm glad to have had you on board and thrilled that this story inspired an interest in my other works. Thank you.

Calen2kk - Your clairvoyance was unnerving. Thanks for dropping by!

RebelScum77 - Hello, stranger! Thanks for the holler. Who knows when next we'll bump into each other again, huh?

Gina - One of the joys of interactive writing is that it helps us find new people and some wonderful writers amongst them and I found one such great writer in you. A special thank you to you because I followed your signature to some wonderful stories.

Laine_Snowtrekker - Owen asked me to let you know how much he appreciated your concern. Perhaps if not for Beru and George Lucas, you two might have worked out an arrangement.

Senoj - I am still puffed up with pride at being the 2nd writer that you delurked for after your hiatus. And that cramp inducing review didn't hurt any.

GunraysLawyer - You get 3 Roses for delurking.
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Jedi_Bant - I was and still am delighted to have such an enthusiastic new reader. Thank you so much for your comments here and elsewhere.

Delpo - We seem to have a mutual regard for the Lars. I am glad you enjoyed this story and I hope to see you around.

rogue_winter - I am still blushing at your review. I know you are no longer on these boards anymore but I hope you read this someday and know how thankful I am.
A Lily for delurking.
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_JM_ - Thank you for dropping by.

anakin_girl - @ your sig. And I made you cry!


And

 

A big THANK YOU to everyone who nominated me!

What a pleasant and unexpected surprise to return to. Things in my life have changed recently ? I?ve moved house and started a new job? Internet time in general and TFN time specifically have been drastically reduced for me? Logging in and seeing all those noms was such a delightful homecoming!

Once again thanks guys! The Awards have always been just fun to me - whether or not I win is no big deal but it means so much to me that you think so much of this labour of love.

 

I nominated your story because it is one of the best I have seen so far and I think that you are an incredible writer. I hope you have come back to stay for good...

 

I read your excerpt in the SFFA thread and really loved this, leia_n. It fits in perfectly, and really had me blinking away a tear. Terrific work.

 

Thanks for the bouquet of flowers! It's a pleasure to beta for a terrific writer like you. You deserve all the nominations and awards you get. Keep writing, girl!

 

Such a pleasant surprise to see this one on page one!

Jedi_bant: I nominated your story because it is one of the best I have seen so far and I think that you are an incredible writer. I hope you have come back to stay for good...

Thanks! That means a lot to me.

Tahi: I read your excerpt in the SFFA thread and really loved this, leia_n. It fits in perfectly, and really had me blinking away a tear. Terrific work.

I really appreciate that. Especially that the story made you cry. Thank you for letting me know.

Dally: You were a wonderful beta, friend and supporter and I will always be grateful to you. Thank you so much, my dear!

 

Congratulations! Very well deserved wins in the Saga Era awards for Best Drama and Best Non-Jedi Character (Owen)! I'm not surprised at all. This was a very original and well written story. Woohoo!

 

Congratulations on your well-deserved wins, leia_naberrie!