I Write Meta Not Tragedies

I don't often think about how I would have wanted the Star Wars sequels to play out, because I am firmly a "lightsabers cool" level fan and happy about it.

But I wanted one specific thing from the third movie. Because I am easy and a sap, and it appeals so dearly to me. Simple setup: Kylo Ren has alienated every single being in the galaxy, removing all desire for anyone to help him by just sinking further and further into rage -- Rey was the last person left willing to try, and will 100% shoot him in the head if she sees him. It's a running gag, it never works, but she always hopes it will and gives her and Finn a moment to throw the lightsaber back and forth because they're multiclass heroes.

No Palpatine stuff, just Kylo Ren actively digging the hole deeper and taking the whole galaxy down with him while the heroes do Hero Stuff and look amazing doing it.

(Because this is a daydream, throw in Leia flashbacks of every moment she ever had in Darth Vader's presence, her revulsion at being his child and her joy at having a twin, and the complicated quagmire of emotion that is her brother choosing to find good in a monster, and wondering if her refusal to entertain the thought with Vader is why her son won't come back to her. No one person is worth another Alderaan. She loves him and loves him and loves him, but. She dreams of killing Vader and the face behind the mask is never Anakin Skywalker's.)

Explosions, battles, blaster fire making cool pew pew noises, epic dual-fighting moments with Finn and Rey vs. Kylo Ren -- whatever, take your backdrop and run with it, mostly.

All I wanted from Kylo Ren's plot was for his uncle to come back and haunt him with love until it took. No one has any patience for him anymore. Except this one ghost who sits with him after he's destroyed his fourth console that day and calls him Kid.

In the end, Luke brings his nephew back.

(What does this do for the rest of the movie's plot? idk idc, let Ben wander off to Naboo or something, all of the Hero Cast under the impression that he's dead and they're quite unconcerned about it. He stares out at it all in the spot where his grandparents wed, his uncle at his side. Breathes. Finishes recording a very awkward sign-off. There is a Windows 98 screen transition over to Leia, rolling her eyes and leaving one of the many restoration meetings she's had this week to figuratively slam the door of her quarters shut. She sits back in a chair, disables several security protocols, opens an unmarked case and plugs something into her comlink. "Greetings, Mother," a stilted voice begins. The camera angle changes, and Luke sits behind her, watching. She takes a moment to look back. She doesn't say it out loud, because everyone in the building practically through a party over Kylo Ren's death and she doesn't blame them, but she mouths, "Thank you," as Ben's apology gets stiffer and more rambly and worse in the background. She falls asleep in her chair and doesn't dream. Roll credits.)

Actually before I go on the inevitable reblog kick: I love Breath of the Wild, I love Tears of the Kingdom. But one thing keeps giving me pause, because I am who I am as a person.

Nintendo please let Link emote in cutscenes challenge.

I know we have a canon explanation for Link feeling obligated to play the stoic knight, but the character who hums and jumps around while cooking and the one who exists within the story-relevant cutscenes feel almost jarringly separate. Maybe that’s the entire point. Maybe we have the duty-driven knight and the boy, and reconciling them is difficult for Link. Maybe what he chooses to do is more substantial than his expressions and whatnot. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

As a player, it’s a bit weird to spend hours with this character who bounces on water beds, makes bad seal puns, goes all shy over the Great Fairies -- aaand we’re doing a plotty cutscene, throw the stoic switch. Especially when you look at Zelda, and how everything about her characterization exudes warmth -- it’s this weird imbalance that is clearly intentional, but also throws me a bit because, well. Why is this the chosen intent?

Inside the cartridge there are two Links, one--

I love these games, and generally love the characters, the story, all that jazz. But Link’s characterization and how it’s portrayed feels almost like a gameplay/story divide, and I never like ending up at Doylist answers for my Watsonian feels.

Naturally the story still ripped my heart out, but with both these games I just feel like I’m missing what they’re going for with Link.

Finished Tears of the Kingdom, and signs point to falling down the reblog hole with fanart. Probably just going to use the game name as a tag, plus the omnipresent #spoilers tag just to be safe.