AND ANOTHER THING (sorry to blow you up but I love this fic sososodo much) I’m always amazed at how well you balance Cal’s righteous fury with his depthless empathy. He has every reason and right to hate Anakin. No one could possibly blame him for it knowing what he lived through. And yet time and time again he shows an almost compulsive tendency towards empathy.
One of my favorite Star Wars quotes is from Kenobi. “Jedi cannot help what they are. Their compassion leaves a trail. The Jedi code is like an itch. He cannot help it.” has always really highlighted characters like Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. But you’ve also really shown how it defines Cal too. He can’t help his compassion and desire to do what’s right. He’s so full of love, far more so than he is full of rage, which is what makes Cal extraordinary.
dear reader you have no way of knowing this but i have a section at the end of my word doc which is just my paste bin for anything i think is relevant or might become relevant to TIND and that exact quote is in there. sometimes i would scroll down to stare at it while brainstorming because i loved it that much, at htis point is a load bearing quote upon which my jedi characterisations hinge.
'compulsive tendency towards emapthy' is such a good phrase that i'm probably going to steal it at some point, and you've hit the nail completely on the head with it. Cal will forever be my favourite jedi character specifically because he is so complicated, but his personally philosphy remains so simple depsite it all.
