Characters The Skywalker-Jade Revival Society Discussion Thread

LOL, Liz, I think both Luke and Mara would know if Ben had a twin. Especially Mara...poor woman...

 

*slips into thread* Hey, all. Been awhile, huh? Sorry I disappeared on you, but another fandom decided to invade my brain for the past several months, and while I'm definitely (definitely!) not done with that one yet, I'm not done with SW yet either. *g* I think I need people poking me--it's been at least six months since I've written any fic! *winces* Stupid school...

Anyway. As to Luke and Mara's parenting styles, I agree with the majority, and especially agree with the dislike of how their relationship with Ben was treated in the EU. Mind, the only books I've reread were Zahn's, Stackpole's, and Allston's, so I might be misremembering, but I don't like how distant they seemed. The importance of family is a HUGE theme in all six movies, and even in RotJ, Luke places his relationship with, and the well-being of, his father above the responsibilities that Yoda and Ben Kenobi urge on him. (Yes, I do believe that Ben wanted Luke to kill his father; I know people argue that Ben only meant Luke to face his father, not necessarily kill him, but for various off-topic reasons, I don't buy that.) And while I don't think that the issue of duty vs family should always have family winning out, the importance of family is an overarching theme in the movies, and I do think that the novels should at least try to incorporate it. I'm not a parent, but I do think that if I were in Luke and Mara's place, I wouldn't let my duty to the galaxy stop me from at least thinking about my child more than the post-NJO books lead me to think that L/M do, nor do I think even being a Jedi would let me be so complacent with my child spending so much time away from me at such a young age, even if L/M don't want to infringe on Ben's apprenticeship to Jacen. The master/apprentice relationship is important, especially in a family of Jedi, but it shouldn't come at the cost of the parent/child relationship.

Then again, I haven't read any Legacy beyond Betrayal yet, and I haven't read Betrayal since not long after it came out. I could be remembering wrong, but I don't suppose things have improved?

 

I hate their relashionship with Ben in the EU as well... I'm still reading Betrayal and I just can't understand how Ben can be "affraid" of Luke. Hello! It's Lukie we're talking about! He's the sweetest thing the Galaxy has ever seen! He wanted desperately to have children with Mara and now he screws up his relashionship with his only son? Novel writers make no sense at all... And I also hate Mara-the-Jacen-lover. Stars! She can't be that blind! It's Mara we're talking about - she was trained by a Sith Master! She should be able to detect a Sith presence miles away! But no, she stands by the grandfather-wannabe-to-save-the-Galaxy. I really think Luke should send Mara to hell and train Ben himself no matter what.


Wow, sorry for all that guys, but yesterday night I read a couple more chapters of Betrayal and it's disgusting.


...I should read the Thrawn trilogy again to remember what the real Mara is like...

 

I'm SO glad I haven't read those books. I have a feeling I'd be writing angry letters if I had.

 

Rynne! It?s great to see you again. Welcome back!

The importance of family is a HUGE theme in all six movies, and even in RotJ, Luke places his relationship with, and the well-being of, his father above the responsibilities that Yoda and Ben Kenobi urge on him.

Exactly!! Y?know, I wonder sometimes if these writers and editors have ever even seen a SW movie.


The master/apprentice relationship is important, especially in a family of Jedi, but it shouldn't come at the cost of the parent/child relationship.

Can I get an Amen to that?!



Wow, sorry for all that guys, but yesterday night I read a couple more chapters of Betrayal and it's disgusting.

It gets better, Jadie! I promise.

Brace yourself for Bloodlines ? hopefully, that was the nadir of L/M?s daftness ? but they finally get the Death Star-sized CLUE in Tempest.

*Tempest spoilers*

L/M discover that Lumiya is involved with Jacen?s organization and spend over half the book trying to find Ben to get him away from Jacen. Mara realizes that Jacen has played her for a fool and tells Luke that she?ll kill him herself if she has to. But Luke, in typical Luke fashion, is holding out hope for redemption. And they do get Ben away from him in the end.

 

...I should read the Thrawn trilogy again to remember what the real Mara is like...

That's why I read fan fiction!

 

Yeah, it's so much better than profic...


THANK YOU FOR THE NEWS, Trace!!!
I'm really repulsed by Betrayal... Jacen+acting+like+Anakin=Yuck

Yeah, Mara! Go get Jacen and slash him into 100.000.000.000.000.000 tiny pieces for dragging your son into danger. May I ask how Ben reacts to protective Mara and Luke? Is there any trace of M/L mush (or at least something near mush)?

 

Hang in there...Tempest makes it all worth while!

 

Oh, yes, I loved Luke and Mara and their stand in Tempest. I'd been wanting to smack them upside the head for the first two books of this series and I finally wanted to hug them instead.

 

I don't think it'll be a spoiler if I say that Ben proves his Skywalker heritage and throws a whiny tantrum about it, but L/M stand firm. There's not much in the way of L/M mush, but they are written as a very strong, happily married couple, and they have some way cool scenes together.

 

That's cool...that's pretty much how they were portrayed in Survivor's Quest, which is now among one of my favorite books ever. Of course, Zahn had an excuse...he's just bad at writing mush.

 

I KNEW the L/M in Tempest reminded me of a previous novel! *thwacks head* Of course...it was Survivor's Quest!

 

Well, considering they never even kissed in Survivor's Quest...

Yeah, IMO Zahn is one of the best SW writers ever, but he really needs to learn something about romance... I also like that other guy who wrote By the Emperor's Hand with T.Z., though I can't remember his name...


Thanks for answering my questions, Traci! Even though Ben didn't really like the idea,is Luke going to teach him? I wanted to see some more family stuff! Luke and Mara fought really hard for a child and they deserve their time with him.


Who wrote Tempest, by the way?

 

Hmmm. Great that Tempest is like SQ--M/L are a great team.
But, I need my mush--and the more I get, the more I need!
That's why I get it from fanfiction.
There are so many writers who specialize in it, and many who can incorporate it into drama or action or funny situations.
Denning was the one to write Tempest.
And... hello to the first drabble queen, Rynne!

 

I hope the index is moved here soon.

I really should get 'Tempest' so I can join in these discussions re: the books. I never even read the one and only Dark Nest Book I got..

 

I'm with the rest of you. Teh Zahn is great for characterizations, but when I'm looking for wonderfully written mush, I come here first!

J_Ro

 

Personally, I think Zahn did a terrific job of balancing out the fact that SW is really very action/adventure, not so much on the romance - while still really showing the reader that these two people were in love and really cared for each other. It's more subtle in his writing, I think, and sublety is always difficult (at least for me ). I loved Survivor's Quest.

 

Re: Obaon's reply:

I also loved Survivor's Quest, a whole lot. I love subtlety too, it takes a greatly talented author to be able to be symbolic and implying deep things with the turn of phrase or what they have the character do or think, not just say.
Fanfic writers seem to be able to be subtle and mushy by turns. Or the ones I follow are.
But... when I say I need mush, HEE! , it's because (not just in SW), it's hard to find married couple mush, and also--the whole we're more apart than together even after this much time--that came across in SQ was stretching it for me, but that was more the editors' fault than the author's. Lastly, they really should have novelized the wedding of L/M.

 

Aye, oba...Survivor's Quest is probably my favorite EU book outside the Thrawn trilogy. Oh, and by the way--*tackles* I've missed you!

Liz, Trace will have the index moved as soon as she's able.

 

Thanks, Emmi! We?re working on it, Liz.


In the former thread, several folks expressed an interest in re-vamping the Index to list the fics per the New Stories indexing info as follows:

Title:
Author(s):
Timeframe:
Characters:
Genre:
Keywords:
Summary:
Notes:

And I think that?s a great idea! However, the current format is as follows:

Title/Author link:
Genre:
Summary:


There are approximately 326 stories currently listed in the L/M Index. Unless someone has a WHOLE LOT of free time and patience on their hands, I don?t see a feasible way to gather the necessary info on 326 fics to convert the current format to the New Stories format, but I/we are open for suggestions.

Personally, I think we should grandfather the current Index in as is, and then add all new fics as per the New Stories format. It may not be aesthetically pleasing, but we have an Index that has been around for a looooong time, and there?s something to be said for the historical portion. IMHO. Or maybe I?m just lazy.

What do y?all think? About the Index. Not about me being lazy. That?s a given.


All that aside, the Index is currently broken into three sections, but needs to be split further. Unfortunately, I lost Photoshop when my PC crashed last month and hubby can?t find the disk to re-install it so that I can make new buttons for the Index. I can go to rhonderoo?s house and use her PC/Photoshop, but it will be after the holidays.

In the meantime, keep sending in stories. I promise it?ll come together soon!

Merry Christmas, SJRS!!

 

I think I speak for all of us, Trace, when I say thank you so much for all your hard work! If you need any help at all, let me know...I return to school around January 6th, but I am going to remain active here at the JC now that my schedule has been rearranged. (Thank goodness for the semester system. I've got pretty easy classes so I should be able to keep up with stories and the like.)

I'd also like to put together a team of people after the holidays who might help me re-vamp our private message boards--about five or six active members. If you'd like to help me with that, send me a PM, please.

Merry Christmas to all!

Emmi

 

Emmi:

I'll take all the help I can get with the Index. Basically, it involves gathering links/info for stories, alphabetizing and arranging them within the existing Index, and coding for links and mark-ups. If anyone would like to be involved, just PM me.

 

Have the thread PTB decided on a team format? Because changing around the Index info could be one of the tasks. You'd have more than one person doing it.

Or what Trace said, one person with a lot of time on their hands. Personally, all of that info seems a bit much for me, but if it's helpful to others it shouldn't be a big deal in the long run.

*hug thread*

 

There's a BIG something to be said for an index done by one person for two years, silly woman. Let's face it, it's a job that can get old fast and takes quite a bit of time and dedication. So you go on with your bad self!

And I agree with Bri, that sounds like a lot of stuff to add, when simple and short sometimes works best. But I'm just a lurker...so don't mind me.

 

Roo: LOL!! I haven't been working completely solo. Gabri and JadeLotus have sent me zillions of links that I would never have had time to go out and find myself. And you posted....so you're not "lurking" anymore...

I meant to comment on this earlier. My husband and I are on the threshold of having "The Talk" with our eldest and it's nerve-wracking. I would love to see the subject breached in profic. I know it won't happen, but how funny would that be?? There's a plot bunny for someone.


[edits] I can't spell today.