While I have stated that i enjoy vaderdala, i need to clear up something and state my least favourite vaderdala (and by extension anidala) tropes that in my opinion are way too popular
- vaderkin older than padmé. This is a symptom of patriarchy and edgy "dark romance" stories that are anything but patriarchy propaganda but yall ain't ready for that convo. Same age or smaller age gap I can roll with. But reverse age gap? What's the fun in changing the power dynamics?? Anakin admires and worships Padmé. She's always been someone he looks up to. If anything, I think younger vaderkin and older padmé adds to the tragedy and juxtaposition of the two lovers. I feel like out of everything from the canon, the one thing you can't justifiably change for the sake of plot is the age gap/padmé being older.
- emotionally (and physically) abusive vaderkin i.e. r@p!ng padmé
AGHHH. I do have an exception to this and is that, if its well written, I think it's very in character for fresh off the dark side high vader but I hate when there's just no growth in his character, especially if it's a long story. If it's like a post canon, dark vader who found padmé again and is holding her prisoner then yeah I bet he'd be very scary and emotionally manipulative. There are definitely some great oneshots I read but they all draw the line saying "this is not anakin. This is VADER. This is not the anakin padmé loves." and I think thats a very important distinction. Only when he's high off the dark side would he ever consider being physically abusive to padmé but i feel like thats truly the point of no return for vader and i just do not want to see a happy ending if this is the case. But if it's a sith raised anakin, the entire premise of this au is thar he learns to love and that includes letting go of his hateful, abusive ways. And if it's just Anakin, this stuff is just absolutely OOC. Also padmé would never fall in love with someone like that. She loves the quirky awkward anakin, and she loves the quirky awkward anakin WITHIN vader, not vader himself. If he isn't sweet or kind to padmé by the end of the story, then that ain't a lovy story. That's patriarchy convincing you that abuse is love.
- sexually/romantically active vaderkin
So you're telling me that the passionate, virgin, only has eyes for his one love anakin skywalker is now a walking romance expert and sex god when he's a sith or when he's in the modern world? Now I can see the sexual part being argued as a way to fuel the passion and desires of a sith, but I feel like these are simply things vader doesn't really desire UNTIL he meets padmé. He just does it because he has to.
Say it with me: Darth vader or anakin skywalker, this man is a loser in love for padmé. Vader 1000% yearns for padmé's attention and love, regardless of what au we're in. Oh post canon? He just leanred his presumed dead wife is in fact alive and he'll literally make his life a living hell bevause he's tormented between finding her and rekindling their love versus punishing himself for hurting her and never seeking her and letting her go (how jedi of him). Sith raised anakin? He sees her once on a holographic that palpatine shows him as he speaks ill of his former protegée, meanwhile vader's not even listening bevause he's captivated by padmé's beauty, her unwavering faith in the republic, her leadership.
When i say i like vaderdala, i mean i like the angst of an even more tragic anidala. I like the idea that even in a sith raised anakin au, padme sees the good in him and loves the anakin WITHIN vader, not exactly vader himself. I like that love IS enough for vader to change his ways and yea he won't be perfect
