Blue

One, Bode wants to get to Tanalorr as soon as possible, and finding out if it's plausible helps him make his future plans.

First of all, no question is stupid if you want to know the answer. Second of all, asking when you're worried about looking stupid is a very brave thing to do. Third of all, you won't be alone in wondering this, and I'll thank you on behalf of the other folks who wanted to know the same thing but didn't know who or how to ask 💗

From my perspective, there is no time limit on joy. There are no chronological bounds on love or appreciation. If you feel it and want to share it, that option is always open to you. The odds are very much in favour of you making that author's day no matter what.

I've had this type of comment on the very same day I published a chapter. I've had this type of comment years after posting. I've had this type of comment multiple times on the same fic from the same person over the span of years as they come back to reread it again and again.

Every. Single. Time. I'm awed and honoured and overjoyed and amazed and grateful. I'm simultaneously built up and humbled. When I talk about that feeling of connection and community that can come when people reach out to each other sincerely, this is an example of the type of thing I mean.

I was already getting some heavy "manifest destiny" vibes from what I'd been hearing about the High Republic, so I considered for a moment that the game go all in on the colonialism theme, and reveal that there was already a civilization on Tanalorr when Bode and Cal arrived.

This wouldn't have come up in any of Dagan's memories or dialog because he simply wouldn't care, the wishes of the locals are of lesser consideration that the needs of the galaxy, the Jedi Order, and most ot all himself.

Bode would have felt cheated, that the isolated sanctuary he wanted for Kata turned out to be populated with "strangers", who are justifiably wary of outsiders.

Cal and his crew would have initially tried to communicate with the locals, to explain that their intentions are peaceful. But the last time that strangers came to settle on their world, a force of invaders came right behind them...

...And to get there, Cal activated a series of arrays that created a clear path through the Abyss, that anyone could theoretically take. In the game as it is, the arrays failed during the trip, but given the Imperial presence on the planet, they would still know how the Mantis got through, and would likely make an effort to repair the arrays.

This wouldn't necessarily be hopeless, if Cal and the crew returned to Koboh to destroy the arrays completely enough to ensure the Tanalorrians' safety, but it'd still sting for Cal that he'd endangered innocent people, and repeated one of Dagan Gara's mistakes.

It’s fun to joke about Cal not realizing that he can cut through doors with his lightsaber, but in all seriousness, I think Cal knows that he can do that. I think Cere knows that she can do this too, and yet, for example, we still see her rely on Cal to open blast doors for her in Fallen Order’s Fortress Inquisitorious. I haven’t fully revisited FO or Survivor in a while, but I’m pretty sure the only characters in the games that we see use their lightsabers to cut through doors are Sith or fallen Jedi like Darth Vader (I’m specifically thinking of Vader trying to slice open the lift doors when Cal’s escaping FI). Cal knows that he can use his lightsaber to cut through doors. In fact, he doesn’t even have to do that. He can just telekinetically rip doors open if he really wants. Cal and other Jedi like him don’t need to be gentle or accept the help of others. They choose to. I think—especially now that Cal’s seen what he’s capable of using the Dark Side—it’s even more of a choice for him, to be patient and merciful and rely on friends instead.

And remember in Jedi: Survivor, on Nova Garon, when Cal is fighting hordes of Imperial troops and droids, and the only way to survive is with his new, super-strong attack?

Only on Ilum, it is a triumph, a victory for the Light Side and for Cal. On Nova Garon, it is a defeat, a victory for the Dark Side and a failure for Cal.

I love that when Bode gave you that blaster, Cal pointed out that it was not a Jedi weapon and that his Jedi master would have disapproved of it.

I love that when Denvik makes assumptions about Cal based on him being a Jedi, Cal pulls that blaster on him.

I love that Cal didn't kill Bode with his Jedi weapon.

I also love that Cal's Jedi weapon, his lightsaber, was his master's lightsaber, because his own was lost at the same time Cal's master was killed.

(And I love that when Saw Guerrera asks Cal which Jedi he took this lightsaber from, we do not know yet the circumstances under which it was given.)

I love this even more because this lightsaber was still broken at the start of the first game.

I love that Cal didn't fix his Jedi weapon until he was well on his quest to (presumably) restore the Jedi order.

I love that when the saber broke a second time, Cere gave Cal her (empty) lightsaber hilt to fix it.

(And I love that the weapon of Cere's original apprentice was so imbued with pain that Cal couldn't even hold it without a strong physical reaction.)

I love that Bode didn't have his own lightsaber with him when he revealed his true nature.

I love that he picked up the lightsaber of a Fallen Jedi instead.

In short: I love the weapons in this series and the journeys they go on. I love the statements they make. I love their breaking and fixing and the ways in which they are given.

I love their symmetry.

I love their poetry.