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Complete Empire's Son by blank 101 - Star Wars - T

Discussion in 'Star Wars' started by Skeletaure, Feb 11, 2011.

  1. Quiddity

    Quiddity Squib ~ Prestige ~

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    Short update, and a very meh one, imo. I mean, the manipulations of the Emperor were obvious and expected, the character progression by the Hands was interesting but not revolutionary, and the actual political developments were entirely avoided - and right now, that's what I'm really looking forward to right now.

    Certainly, after a climax like the previous chapter there needs to be some downtime for reflection and to begin the build-up. But chapters like this, with small character progression surrounded by lots of slow reflection on long-established character themes are perhaps the weakest element to blank101's writing.
     
  2. chiefnewo

    chiefnewo Second Year DLP Supporter

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    Personally I'm hoping this doesn't lead to another dozen chapters of "Luke is on the spice again".
     
  3. Jarik

    Jarik Chief Warlock

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    I have to admit, the chapter felt a bit anticlimatic to me. Like, I understand there is a narrative effect of time skipping a bit after the climax of a scene, but I'd have loved to see how Luke felt during that very first interaction afterwards.

    It does seem like Mara is going to be playing Han's role in this story. I wonder whether it'll be HER that actually drags him away this time.
     
  4. Puzzled

    Puzzled High Inquisitor

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    I'd like to see Luke oppose the Emperor more, that was the best part of the Son of Suns. You'd expect the Emperor's commands to chafe especially since Luke's primary goal seems be to disappear into anonymity.
     
  5. Quiddity

    Quiddity Squib ~ Prestige ~

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    Blank responded to my review from the last chapter. I won't post it, but one thing I found encouraging was that he agreed that Luke had emerged from the previous book without any sort of closure in the Emperor's defeat, which I take as a strong indication we'll see more pushback from Luke in the Emperor's more vulnerable political position.

    The Mara situation is already laying the seeds for that, IMO, and will probably emerge as one of the big secrets that Luke must carefully manage from his Master's demand on attention and loyalty. Which is a bit too close to the dynamic of SoS for my taste, but we shall see.
     
  6. DerHesse

    DerHesse Unspeakable

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    That's what I don't get. Palpatine takes one look at Mara and knows what's up.

    I have to agree, that the story seems to fall back into old patterns with Luke reflexively bowing to the Emperor and taking his spice, which in a way fits the character, but I hope Luke begins to grow out of it very soon, given what he knows about his father and that is sister is now in even greater danger.
     
  7. DerHesse

    DerHesse Unspeakable

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  8. omnipotentatus

    omnipotentatus Second Year

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    It updated a couple of hours ago: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11540131/11/Empire-s-Son-II

    Decent chapter, a bit slow, not much happening other than Luke and Palpatine returning to old habits.
    I seriously hope Luke becomes more independent as the story progresses, ot atleast becomes more like Vader (colder, willing to use the force, more power hungry, you know acting like a Sith) instead of this boy who can't seem to function properly without Palpatine guiding him. Don't get me started on his spice addiction (though thankfully the focus on his addiction seems to be over) and his reluctance against using the force. Ugh, I do hope at some we get to see him acting like a proper Sith, instead of this 'slave' of palpatine.
     
  9. VanRopen

    VanRopen Headmaster

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    Vader was a "true" Sith, and guess what? He was a slave of Palpatine every damn day of his life, until the day he died and acted unlike a Sith.
     
  10. carvell

    carvell Professor DLP Supporter

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    All Sith are slaves to their masters until they either kill or be killed by said master, then they are either the master themselves or dead.
     
  11. omnipotentatus

    omnipotentatus Second Year

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    True, true, what I meant was that we haven't seen him even entertain the thought of killing his master, unlike Vader who was scheming a lot against Palpatine. Luke on the other hand has given no indication that he wants power, or that he wants to be more than just Palpatine's lapdog. For god sake he had an opportunity to take advantage of his masters death, and try to seize power for himself after the empire fractured. And what did he do? He went into hiding in the outer rims, to get high on spice. In my opinion that's a pretty pathetic way for a sith to behave. Combine this with the fact that he rarely uses the force, and he uses the spice to dull his senses so that he doesn't have to feel the force. I don't think he's actually a sith, nor is he a jedi, from my perspective he doesn't follow the Sith Code at all.
     
  12. Cxjenious

    Cxjenious Dark Lord

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    He's given a pretty big indication that he doesn't want to be Palpatine's lapdog. But he's never known anything else, never even fathomed anything else, and was so distressed about touching clone Palpatine's mind as a child that he blocked the memory. And you want him to suddenly, against years of conditioning, have murderous urges towards his master? Comparing him to Vader is pretty terrible for that sheer fact. Vader wasn't raised by Palpatine, only groomed. The difference is enormous.

    With that being said, it seems like a whole lot of nothing has been happening. Like, just chapters of conversations that haven't revealed much outside of forgettable moffs and flavorful technobabble, save that Palpatine probably can't discipline Luke like he used to, either for fear or weakness or both. Or maybe he's just waiting for the right time?
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2016
  13. omnipotentatus

    omnipotentatus Second Year

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    Alright, I'll give you that, there certainly is a big difference between Vader's and Luke's upbringing. Guess I failed to take into account the difference between being raised and groomed by Palpatine, and that he has known no other life than serving Palpatine.
     
  14. DerHesse

    DerHesse Unspeakable

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    It seems like the only thing that might turn Luke against Palpatine is threatening or harming Leia. I'm not even sure if threats to Mara would be enough of an initiative for Luke to drastically change his way.
     
  15. Six Paths of Pain

    Six Paths of Pain First Year

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  16. Raybomber

    Raybomber Squib

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    Palpatine is a smooth operator, yet it's funny how he refers to Luke as his Sith and I can't find it in myself to name Palpatine Sith since he considers himself above all perhaps with good reason. There can only be Palpatine!
     
  17. DerHesse

    DerHesse Unspeakable

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    The whole chapter I was almost at the edge of my seat, hoping that we are going somewhere with this confrontation and then "I'm sorry" we are back to square one.
     
  18. Cxjenious

    Cxjenious Dark Lord

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    It's not quite back to square one. Seems to me they've moved to a new playing board.
     
  19. Jarik

    Jarik Chief Warlock

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    I feel like the chapters need to be longer. As epic as this scene was, I wasn't feeling it as strongly as I should have. I feel as if the past few chapters were condensed into one chapter, it'd have had more impact and build up. I suppose the obviously answer is to let it get a few chapters ahead and read it like that...
     
  20. Erandil

    Erandil Minister of Magic

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    For me the funny thing with this story is that despite the fact that I personally really dislike the direction it has taken (I am not the biggest fan of Palpatine) I not only still love this story (more than the first one in fact) but that I agree and understand the actions and reasoning of its characters.
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2016
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