Perfectly cropped.

Tom Hiddleston arrives for Men’s Singles Final Day at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2022 

Ummmmm no words

LOKI | S2E2 Breaking Brad

The best scene so far. We want more villain Loki. Please!

Chapter Summary: You do not take the little tiff you had with your dad well, causing you to spiral and reveal some information you've been keeping secret for a while.

Chapter 42

Walking back into the large banquet hall, you stop near the entrance, staring blankly out into the crowd of people conversing and dining around the room. Your tears have dried by now, and you were in sort of a trance. An emotionless state. That’s the only way you could be for now to keep yourself together after your father had just ruthlessly admonished you not even five minutes ago.

Your gaze travels over to the bar and you find yourself making a beeline for it. The alcohol buzzing through your veins was helping, but it was starting to wear off. You needed more. Maybe something a little stronger than just wine. You quickly order your drink and gulp it down without much hesitance, cringing at the burn. You spin around to place the glass back on the bartop and bump into a hard body. Stumbling back, you almost fall on your ass until two large hands grab onto your shoulders to steady you. 

Looking forward to seeing what’s happens next!!

The rise of ... “Skywalker”

No, the title does not refer to Rey only, adopting the name Skywalker and rising as a Jedi while taking on their legacy. 

 It’s also about Ben Solo rising as the Last Skywalker, a fact that Palpatine reminds us of, just before throwing him down the pit. This  is done as an act of revenge towards all Skywalkers, and without any second thoughts over his eventual return.

The last Skywalker is also a parallel to episode 8 when Kylo threatened Luke to kill the last Jedi.

But Kylo did not kill Luke, as Ben was not killed by Palpatine, and this  takes us back to the hero’s journey.

Indeed Luke was not the Last Jedi, thanks to his sacrifice, Rey was… and TROS follows exactly the same structure.

Ben Solo, the last Skywalker,  finds himself in a place of complete darkness, and alone, but rises, clawing his way out and finding his way back to his soulmate. Even after his turn, following the vision (a memory) of the father whose message of unconditional love he finally understood, Ben’s journey is not over. He has to seek the light when it is the hardest, when hope is gone.

 And he does, reaching for Rey, lifeless under a singular ray of light, like a beacon surrounded by the shadows of the fallen Sith world. 

Ben has to make all the righteous choices in spite of the absolute terror of  being alone again without her,  he has to transcend human failures and fears, and detach himself, let go of his own needs and desires, for Rey, because he will give everything to her and keep nothing. 

I am finding peace in the absolute certitude that Ben Solo, made all the right choices once he forgave himself for his father’s death, which was necessary in  his redemptive arc. (see my meta : Forgiveness is the path to redemption : sw-daydreamer.tumblr.com/post/169956822594/forgiveness-is-the-path-to-redemption)  

When he chose to breathe life back into Rey. You can hear him breathe in and out and it is so peaceful, and there is a meditative quality to it. There is no torment, once he has made the choice. The anguish of her passing  and his fears are gone. 

Ben follows the journey accomplished by Luke in The Last Jedi, when first he had to face the consequences of his actions against his nephew, and forgave himself, letting go of the resentment and pain, which held him back alone on the island. He  made room for love, but a selfless love, displayed in an act of sacrifice. (see my meta :  Ben understood Luke’s sacrifice : sw-daydreamer.tumblr.com/post/169818190479/ben-understood-lukes-sacrifice) 

It is uncertain whether Ben knew  he would die too, like his uncle, but I think he sensed it, and remained unafraid. How could one save a life so easily, healing is one thing, but it is very likely that all his life Force  was required and that he understood that himself.

Later as we see him fade away, as Luke did, there is a shot of Rey looking over him with the sky above,  symbolising the ascension of the spirit. I don’t know where is soul has gone, but the angle creates a sense of elevation that is undeniable.

We went from the depth of the earth to the limitless openness of the sky. Freedom at last. 

This is also, where Rey looked at and search for a connection to all  the Jedi, calling them to be with her. Where she found help. They were not helping Rey only, they were also helping Ben, because  they are one, forever connected across space and time as a Dyad, soulmates within the Force.  Do not forget. 

Death is not the end.

 When Ben finds the way to bring back, from death, the one he loves, he accomplishes what his grand father had not been able to do. 

Where Padme died, he is the one who dies, and where the Sith Lord Vader rose, it is Rey, the Jedi who does. 

The mirror image closes the circle of the journey, and redeems not only the protagonists who stumbled and fell along the way, but also the name Skywalker.

Rey honours that name. It is the flame of her love for Ben Solo and his family.

Skywalker, in the title,  is not a person, it is not Rey or Ben, it’s not even their name. It’s the spirits of the Jedi they carry with them and the connections they make. it’s an ideal, a way of life. 

TROS means to say we can all be a part of the legacy, if we follow the right path. It is an invitation to journey along.

@sw-daydreamer Did palpatine destroy the Dyad connection do you think?

@catalina-infanta 

From my understanding no, absolutely not.  

When they both align themselves together, side by side in perfect synchronicity, Palpatine says: 

As he brings them both to their knees,   it looks like the power of  the “two that are one” is reacting to the aggression, there is a flow of energy coming from both of them,  that flows to  Palpatine’s hands. At that moment his fingers half melt away, he then looks in wonder at his hands that are suddenly regaining a human like shape, fingers growing back, like a rebirth.

If you remove true emperor after the pause, it is foreshadowing the fact that  it is the power of the Dyad that allows Ben to resurrect Rey. It is only because of their connection that this ability can be mastered. So no Palpatine did not break anything. 

For me the Dyad is unbreakable, because it is a connection across time and space, it is limitless, I find it extremely romantic, It’s eternal love. 

That’s very interesting (and kind of comforting too), so thank you very much for that @sw-daydreamer.

I still need an explanation for Ben Solo’s complete “disappearance”, not physically, but as a hero that is remembered and mourned. I DON’T understand Rey’s reaction (or lack of reaction) a,d his absence at the end.

@luciefee I am really happy if this helps you feeling a little better, I know it helps me. 

Regarding Ben Solo not being mourned.

 From a technical perspective, I think the editing was rushed all over the movie, lacking intelligence and damaging emotional scenes. It’s clear they needed more time to work on it. That’s why I am, against all odds, hoping for an extended cut, where they will make changes and let some scenes play out, giving time to the characters and audience to feel the emotions at play.

From a story telling point of view. The Dyad is unbreakable, (die together says Palpatine), but Rey is not dead, she is alive, well that means that Ben must be too, in some way. I don’t know where he is, and  there are several theories, and it is highly possible that even JJ does not know. But  I think Rey feels him in the Force, and she knows they are one ( the power of two restores the one), even though I know many fans hate the idea, or that he is elsewhere, some have suggested the world beyond the worlds for instance, but their connection is forever and if the power of the Dyad could rebuild the body of Palpatine, why not Ben’s body.

From a directing point of view, JJ wanted to bring all the focus back on his Jedi, the heroine, it was clear from the start of the movie, she was at the center of the story. So instead of letting us see a grieving Rey, looking to the past  he choses to show the hopeful Rey, looking to the future with the, ironically, binary sunset shot, because after breaking our hearts he quickly had to finish on a happy and positive note.

Taking on the name Skywalker is also an acknowledgment of Ben, the hero, the last Skywalker. She took his hand, they stood side by side, they exchanged silent vows : to be there for each other, so you could say that they also formed a marital union and the taking of his legacy name is a confirmation of this.

Just💔

One of my favorite moments of the movie.

There is silence

Held stares that say more than words.

And just...a simple declaration of love.

Bringer of the Chaos by *LindaMarieAnson

Sorry for another Loki painting, but I don’t want to leave old ideas for the new year, so I’m kind of rapidly painting things. Wanted to try something more illustration-type, because realism has started tiring me. But man, isn’t Loki’s outfit a bitch to paint anyway.

Ben Solo’s Resurrection

Resurrection themes have always surrounded Kylo/Ben’s journey, and I think that his journey is not at an end. The resurrection theme is still in play and is implied in multiple ways throughout the trilogy.  

The Cross-guard Saber 

There has certainly been heavy symbolism in the design of Kylo’s saber. Cross-guard swords were designed in the Medieval times to protect the wielder’s hand. With Kylo this was inverted. The cross-guard saber, unlike the blade, offers no protection and only increases the danger of self-harm, and the self-harm and self-destruction has been an ongoing motif for Kylo. In some ways, the cross-guard was a sign of knights/chivalry. In this case, it was an indication of his chivalry and protection, particularly towards the lady (Rey). Now, for the purpose of this meta, the final theme of the cross-guard carries the most weight: the religious themes of the fall of Lucifer and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Initially Kylo represents the fallen angel who was cast out of heaven (The Jedi Temple) by God the father (Luke) and the padawans (fellow angels). At the end of the trilogy, Kylo transforms back into Ben to serve as a Christ-like figure. Palpatine throws him into the pit (the descent to hell and the harrowing of hell) and he ascends again, this time as Ben Solo again to save Rey (sacrificing himself for the sins of his predecessors). Now that he has ascended from the Earth plane and entered purgatory (world between worlds) we start to see Dante’s Inferno themes. The final resurrection of Ben Solo would be a remerge of the soul, and half of it lives in Rey. The sins are being resolved/absolved in purgatory (world between worlds) and will be reunited with its other half in the land of the living and then finally depart the earthly plane together, as a whole, and ascend back to heaven. 

The Dyad, the Cosmic Force, and the Living Force

The word “Dyad,” which is derived from the Greek dyás (δυάς) meaning “pair,” is the most basic human social group. The dyad is the most foundational human relationship, whether it’s husband and wife, parent and child, or teacher and student. No social group could come to exist without this foundational connection. 

The Dyad also represents the duality of nature. Light and dark, black and white, night and day, masculine and feminine. One may not exist without the other, for one only exists at the contrasting juxtaposition of the other, and vice versa. There would be no light if the darkness didn’t exist as the contrast. There would be no masculine were there no feminine to provide the contrast, etc. A dyad in the force carries the same principle; there is no balance or even the existence of the duality of the light and the dark if the two parts of the whole aren’t in coexistence. And currently, the force isn’t in balance due to half of the dyad not existing with the living force. Unless the dyad is made complete again, the force will once again be imbalanced, this time in the light. 

Artwork source

If half of the dyad is remaining with the living force, the other half cannot become one with the cosmic force.  It will remain tethered in limbo/purgatory until reunited with its other half. Ben cannot truly pass on to become one with the force without his counterpart Rey. 

A Dyad is one being split into two corporal forms. Ben and Rey are together are “the original Dyad” or otherwise known as “The Prime Jedi.” Several pieces of imagery in the movies & artwork as well as references in written cannon materials have indicated that the Prime Jedi is reincarnated once more (as Ben . and Rey) and that it has chosen to bring balance to the force once more not by coming to the living world as one being but as two halves, whose coming together will achieve the balance. 

A blatant reference to this ancient soul being reincarnated once more is made by Han Solo in The Last Shot:  “Little Ben looked up groggily, those dark eyes settling on Han, studying him. Han had no idea how a two-year-old could have such ancient eyes. It was as if Ben had been waiting around for a millennium to show up at just this moment in history.”

The directors have also alluded to this duality in Rey and Ben:  

Two sides of the same coin 

Two halves of the protagonist 

It isn’t until Ben Solo is ten years old and begins his Jedi training that the other half of The Prime Jedi is reincarnated in Rey. That Rey’s birth coincided with Ben Solo’s Jedi training is a form of “activation” by the force. Now that the journey to finding balance has begun with Ben Solo’s training, the other half of the soul is born to complete the activation. The activation is however separate from the “awakening,” which doesn’t happen until “The Force Awakens.” 

The Awakening does not occur until the souls come into close proximity with one another, which happens when Ben/Kylo lands on Jakku (for the first time in his life). This “Awakening” is preplanned by the soul to happen at a particular point in time before it chooses to be reincarnated once more. As soon as Kylo landed on Jakku, the fate & destiny are set in motion by Rey meeting BB-8, which subsequently leads to meeting Finn. Due to being affiliated with these two Rey has to board the millennium falcon, leading to a meeting with Han Solo, which brings her closer to her other half, Han Solo’s son Ben Solo. From following Han to Takodana, Rey finally meets her other half, a meeting that was destined to occur at that point in time. And also experiences her “call to serve” with the liightsaber vision. 

From the very beginning, cannon materials heavily imply that these two recognize each other and that they are drawn to each other. 

She had seen this man before…in a daydream. Or a nightmare.

She found herself inexplicably drawn to…to….“YOU”

The girl I’ve heard so much about 

Don’t be afraid, I feel it too 

These aren’t actual memories or recognition of each other in this incarnated lifetime. It is from cellular memory on the spiritual plane. Half of the soul recognizes the other half and has memories of the other half that transcend this life cycle. 

Since the activation occurred on Jakku, the two halves of the soul have been subconsciously and through the cosmic force seeking to be united with each other. Like magnets drawn to each other, they seek completion. The merge of the halves officially occurs when Rey and Ben enter each other’s minds. Once the merge occurs it can no longer be undone. Once the merge begins, it keeps strengthening to bring the halves to each other, which we see in their ever-strengthening bond. The merge transcends space time, eventually strengthening to the point that the halves can enter each other’s physical surroundings. 

In TLJ, we see the soul beginning to “know” the other half once more. We see Rey being drawn to the darkness and being drawn to the light. 

This dynamic is drawn from Taosim, Buddhism, and Gnosticism. And the imagery littered throughout the sequel trilogy is drawn heavily from those belief systems. We see continuous parallel shots with Rey and Ben to represent this duality. Both are presented in contrasting surroundings that represent the duality of the masculine and the feminine. In many shots half of their figure is bathed in light and the other half is bathed in the darkness. This is the process of coming to “know” the memory of the other half of the soul following the merge. 

At the end of TLJ we see the halves creating an unnatural separation between themselves, but this is folly because the separation is not sustainable and is not one that can be created through the living force, for the soul is merged through the cosmic force. Naturally, when “the bond” reopens at the beginning of TROS, it is stronger than ever. Objects can be transferred through the bond and can be activated on purpose by each other, which we see Ben doing several times in the beginning to try to reach Rey. 

This connection is as spiritual as it is romantic. As Jason Fry explained, romance is merely the analog we have in the living force for this deep spiritual bond. In the living world, the halves of the soul finds unity through romantic coupling, which is the basis for the concept of “soulmates” or “twin flames.” This is a form of bond that cannot be broken and was destined to occur due to the soul being split in order to seek completion in the physical plane. One cannot live and be happy without the other, and we see this frustration/anger in Ben at the beginning of the movie. He has become increasingly angry and thrown-off balance into darkness once more due to being separated from his soulmate. We see that Rey is also thrown off balance and regressed completely into the darkness due to being separated from her souulmate. Both are incredibly frustrated at this outcome and are struggling to connect with the cosmic force due to this separation. We see this struggle in Rey from the beginning when she’s meditating and try to become one with the other Jedi but cannot achieve this until she is completely merged once more with the other half of the soul (which we see at the end of the film). We see Ben struggling to reach his grandfather and other predecessors on several occasions throughout the trilogy, and although we do not see it on screen, much like Rey, Ben could not have found the strength to climb out of the pit without assistance from the cosmic force. The living force between them had dwindled (equally) and the strength of the cosmic force was necessary for Ben to climb, reach the other half, and transfer the remaining living force to revive Rey. 

Now this transfer of the living force is NOT a transfer of the other half of the soul into one being. The living force is separate from the cosmic force. The soul exists in the cosmic force. Without enough living force to sustain the cosmic force of the soul in the physical plane, Ben’s soul is no longer existing in the physical plane. However, as long as the other half of the soul continues to exist in the physical plane, becoming one with the cosmic force is not a possibility for the soul that has been split in half. This is why we do not see a force ghost for Ben. He cannot become one with the cosmic force as half a soul. Only the two of them together can become one with the cosmic force. Therefore, Ben’s half of the soul is being tethered in the in-between world (the astral plane, limbo, purgatory, world between worlds, etc) by Rey’s half of the soul remaining in the physical plane, unable to become one with the cosmic force or the living force due to the living force being diminished for half of the soul. The living force must be replenished in the other half of the soul during its stay in the in-between world, remerge once more with the other half on the physical plane, and depart TOGETHER at the end of the soul’s life cycle in order to become one with the cosmic force. 

We even hear Palpatine allude to this: “Die together!” 

Halves cannot die separately. One cannot depart while the other is still alive. Additionally, the balance is once again thrown off in the living force by only half of this great cosmic force existing on the plane. Palpatine remarked that Ben and Rey’s bond is strong enough that it is a form of life in itself. By only Rey existing in the physical plane, the scale is once again tipped, this time to the light side. In order for balance to attained fully, Ben Solo must be resurrected and reunited with his other half, Rey. 

We only see Rey rising in TROS. We do not see Ben rising. “Darkness rises and light to meet it.” Conversely, if the light must rise, so should darkness to meet it in order to achieve balance. If one must rise, so should the other. Therefore, Ben must “rise” once more in the physical plane for the cycle to be complete. 

The World Between Worlds 

In Rebels, we are introduced to the concept of “The World Between Worlds.” Although not infinite like the cosmic force, the WBW is not constrained by the laws of space time. On this plane, anything that has ever happened or will ever happen exists simultaneously, not in a linear fashion such as the time experienced on the physical plane. 

In Rebels, Ezra sees Ashoka battling Darth Vader (which occurs in the past on the physical plane). In order to save Ashoka from her impending death at the finally blow by Darth Vader, he pulls her through a doorway which brings them both back to the physical plane. To clarify, the souls who have already become one with the cosmic force cannot be returned to the physical plane and the living force unless they choose to reincarnate. Only the souls who are trapped in the in-between world may be brought back to the living world. Those who are one with the cosmic force can return to influence the physical plane as “force ghosts” but those who are in the in between world cannot do this. They are essentially trapped in the world between worlds until they are either merged with the cosmic force or “resurrected” in the living force. We do not see a force ghost for Ben, which indicates that he is not one with the cosmic force and is currently trapped/tethered in the world between worlds. 

Another movie that explores this higher dimension in depth is Interstellar. Cooper is drawn into a “world between worlds” or a dimension higher than the physical plane through a black hole, in which time does not exist in a linear fashion. All of the moments that have happened or will ever happen in his daughter Murph’s bedroom are organized into a tesseract system by beings of higher dimensions so that cooper may influence these events and send Murph messages through manipulating gravity within her bedroom. 

Other hints or foreshadowing of Ben not being one with the cosmic force after he vanishes

“My son is alive.” -Han Solo in TFA and TROS This quote in particular is emphasized throughout the trilogy. While it means that Ben Solo can still be redeemed, like many statements in the sequel trilogy, it has a double meaning. This is also a foreshadow that Ben is still “alive.” 

“Skywalker lives! As long as he does, HOPE lives in the galaxy!” - Snoke in TLJ Many of us have noted how this “Snoke-ism” was referring to Ben, particularly because he pops into the frame as soon as the word “hope” is said. This is also a multi-meaning foreshadow. Hope cannot exist in the galaxy if Ben isn’t in the living world, reunited with his half. 

“The last Skywalker.” - Palpatine referring to Ben in The Rise of Skywalker  Although we are all rightfully disgruntled about Rey taking on the Skywalker name, I do not believe that the title was meant to refer to her. Particularly when paired with Palpatine’s description of Ben as the last Skywalker, the title of the movie is rather curious. Much like many other statements, it is likely a foreshadowing of Ben’s eventual rise to complete the “Skywalker” with Rey. 

“The Story Lives Forever.” - TROS trailer over a shot of Ben and Rey   Another foreshadowing that although the saga is ending, the characters that the trilogy is about does not end. This phrase was not put over a shot of Rey, but over both Ben AND Rey, which can only imply that their story won’t be over at the conclusion of the saga. 

“We’re not done yet.” - Kylo to Rey in TFA  A really early foreshadow that Ben and Rey aren’t “done yet.” The story is not “done yet.” 

“I’ll come back for you sweetheart, I promise.” - Rey’s dream in TFA novel  Many of us have picked up on the similarity to Han Solo in that term of endearment. It is believed in many cultures and belief systems that we enter higher dimensions in our dreams. Some claim of accessing the astral plane through their dreams. In this dream when Rey hears this, she goes looking for the person who said it and comes face to face with Ben. Ben only exists in her future so this was Rey being attuned to a dimension not limited by space time. And we know that even though Rey appears to be upset about Ben’s “passing,” she doesn’t seem distraught, which she absolutely would be if she started sobbing so strongly when she stabbed him on the death star. This statement was said by Ben to Rey after they kissed through their bond before he leaves her. This is why Rey is not distraught. She knows that this parting is not their end due to this assurance. 

The multiple instances of healing and resurrection we see in TROS  Many are healed and resurrected both physically and spiritually: The creature, Ben Solo, Palpatine, and Rey. All of this resurrection foreshadows that the last Skywalker can also be resurrected. 

In any case, “Hope is like the Sun. If you only believe in it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night.” -General Leia Organa 

GIF source 

I knew all those codes in my youth

when it’s november 1st

Songs with the same bpm but played over different than original video tracks give me life

Haha!

Intimacy: The Last Jedi Reylo BTS Video

Recommendation: Turn the volume as high as you safely can.

Side Effects: Immeasurable joy because The Ship is canon. Unquenchable thirst.

excerpt from “The Director and The Jedi”

Just reblogging because YES THE SHIP IS CANNON

How homophobes should be treated honestly.

I love how she knows as soooon as his earrings come off, it’s goin motha fuckin doooown!

“Tip your waitress”

LAWD HAMMERCY I NEED TO START LOOKING AT THIS LOL

Lafayette is perfect!

THIS DRAGGING WAS LEGENDARY

Rest in peace to this beautiful human being. Most of you will know him as this character. I LOVE THIS SCENE.

Tom Hiddleston On Wanting to Play Galactus and His Best Comic-Con Memory