Why is Aayla . . . semi-naked?

Yes, I'm acutely aware you Americans will read that as sem-eye rather than the rightful semi way, but lets focus on the key issue here. Um . . . why is Aayla half naked?

Actually, why is she out of uniform?

To be honest, why is she walking around all those years---I mean, apart from wearing the exact same thing almost every day for years---without the formal Jedi robes but in a dark two piece bikini setup?

Don't laugh, I'm actually quite serious. People see this Jedi, defender of the innocents, and she walks past them pretty naked. Legacy's crimson Sith Twi'lek was worse---that was just a bra and underwear.

I know from an artist's pov it's a matter of convenience---drawing the same clothes is easier, but from a hypothetical viewpoint, my point is quite valid. She's from a respected order. What do her fellows think at seeing this underclothed female, the everyday citizen?

 

Maybe it's a cultural thing.

EDIT: Or, maybe it's about body temperature needs. Those Jedi robes look awfully hot. Maybe Twi'leks can't wear such heavy material.

 

You mean in universe reasons right?

 

It's all hypothetical, all speculatory, yes.

 

It's a defensive tactic. When dealing with males of humanoid species, it serves much the same purpose as a Mind Trick, but without expending the Force power.

 

If she had a backstory as a slave-girl or something, this might explain she sticks to her outfit... but IIRC, she wasn't old enough to become a slave-girl when the Jedi took her.

 

Not originally, but she was a slave for a while when her memory got wiped right? Or was she a slave when Quin and Tholme discovered her? It's been a while since I read the early arcs like Twilight and Darkness.

 

In some of the earlier Republic comics, Aayla had the average, run-of-the-mill Jedi robes (Twilight and Stark Hyperspace War are two instances). In one of the newer Clone Wars comics, she had a white tank-top and what may have been jeans, IIRC.


Maybe when she got older she became senile and forgot to change her wardrobe...

 

I figured that it was like in Reno 911! when Dangel wears the super short shorts. It helps him run like a cheetah, so it must help Aayla move better.

And, of course, both have more underlying issues for why they really wear them.

 

Arrogance.

 

Because its more modest than being fully-naked.

 

Well, why don't we go ahead and call John and Jan....

John? Jan? Care to field Ex's question?

 

I wouldn't complain if the jedi males ran around half naked too...

Though I have to say that Durseema was rather good at drawing the men sexy too, I remember Quinlan Vos running around in torn oufits showing off his body in many of those comics , so the comics didn't feel quite as sexist (is that the right word??) as they could have.
/shoujo

 

It's because it can distract male humanoids in battle, with no extra effort. I'm pretty sure that was covered in Elusion Illusion.


On the note of her acting like a slave, she showed in Jedi: Aayla that even though she was taken at an early age, she can fall into the normal mindset of a Twi'lek female all to easily. Those being a slavegirl or a spoiled brat.




And for the record, I'm American and I read it semi, not sem-eye.

 

The real question is: why does Jan seem to enjoy drawing half-nekkid Twi'leks?

 

...even the Jedi Order needs a poster girl?

 

Well, given that the outfit isn't particularly "extravagant" or whatnot, it's probably not too much of a concern for the Jedi. In truth, it provides better freedom of movement than the Jedi robes would, and less easy for a close-in foe to grab onto. Besides, it's already shown that there's a certain latitude in the Jedi "dress code", or at least that it can be ignored/defied without any consequences (Luminara/Bariss, Anakin, Aayla et al...).

Also, given that she's almost always wearing long pants and boots and a halter top with considerably more material than a bikini, the "semi-naked" descriptor is pretty silly. (Are you sure you're not thinking of Darth Talon?) Technically anyone with any skin at all showing could be considered "semi-naked". All she's really showing off is her midriff, arms, and a little bit of cleavage (or a lot depending on the artist). For someone that's portrayed as very physically active, her outfit is probably -more- practical than the standard Jedi robes.

And last but not least: She's probably wearing a good deal -more- than the average Twi'lek "slavegirl" or "dancer" (or at least less blatantly sexualized). So when most people in-universe see her, their thought probably isn't "damn that Twi'lek chick needs to put some clothes on" but rather "why isn't that Twi'lek chick wearing less?"

 

Heh, good point.

 

Ok, had to post--this thread is making me laugh way too much not to. I actually don't quite understand this semi-naked bit--there actually not a lot of skin exposed on Aayla--a bit of midriff, one arm without a sleeve and a modest (at least from what I've seen of modern fashion.) bit of cleavage. Leia was wearing far less back in the day--an still managed to take out Jabba. Padme is wearing an outfit with a bare midriff in AOTC--and another shirt she has is artistically torn in the arena... So I guess Aayla is just trying to keep up with current fashion?

I just came across some old drawings of Aayla the other day and in them, she was dressed in the more traditional Jedi robes. They looked fine--but as the story was told, she was never in those clothes as the first time we see her (in Quin's memory of her), she is undercover on Ryloth--wearing a Jedi robe over a net-suit looking outfit.

Her current look evolved out of other stories I'd read about Twi'leks inlcuding one in Tales from Jabba's Palace. Twi'leks did not look on being naked as a bad or embarrassing thing and had no cultural shame about nudity. That makes their culture different from others--and interesting. Why would aliens have a puritanical view of their bodies? Wookiees don't even wear pants... I think what a character wears--or doesn't wear-- gives us a shorthand insight into their character. In real life, few bad guys dress like Ming the Merciless or Dr Evil--but it works for stories and film.

While I don't think that wearing Aayla's outfit while fighting with a 3 foot long blade of light that can melt steel would be a great idea, it becomes a 'why not?' situation for me. Let's face it, the flowing fabric of most Jedi robes, layered or not, is still not going to offer better protection against a lightsaber. As Bly noted in 'Armor'--a Jedi's armor is not something they wear, but is something less tangible--the Force.

 

Maybe human room temperature is too hot for Twi'leks and they wear less to cope

 

I think this is a case of something in the GFFA that we, as fans, shouldn't question. It's that way, so let it be.

<turns lecherous>Besides, why question this anyway? It would spoil our appreciation of the character. And a whole lot of people in the GFFA don't seem to object. To quote Villie, "Yum, yum!" Also, for those of you who have girlfriends, I bet at times you imagine her wearing Aayla's costume.

 

But then, why wouldn't they? They might very well go completely in the opposite direction, as the Tuskens do.

Not to seem rude, but it seems a little foolish to rely on the Force alone for protection.

 

Can we not go into this again? Or at least relegate it to one of the other topics where it was heavily debated?

 

Eh, sorry. Mention of the underlying theme in "Armor" just brought up a number of contradictory mental images.

 

Actually, seeing a lightsaber weilding female, no matter what she was wearing, would probably provoke a reaction more along these lines; "Oh no, she has a lightsaber!" then these; "gaah, belly shirt. *drool*"