I’ve wanted to draw this since the start of the month but put it off as I had already drawn that other padawan Anakin art so anyway heres some de-aged anakin causing Obi-wan pain art
Not “I feel young Skywalker has maybe just committed an atrocious crime.” What moves Yoda almost to tears is how much Anakin is suffering. –
Talking about Anakin and Ahsoka – you can just see the hint of a mischievous smile on his face. Yoda loves trouble. This is very high praise. –
He’s actually sorry about the whole Rako Hardeen situation and openly admits to having made a mistake to Anakin. –
Look at his smile. He’s so wholesome.
(Meanwhile, Anakin is making the face you make when your grandpa butchers a meme, or when your dad asks if he can hang out with you and your friends. This is the face of the younger family member desperately trying not to let it show that they’re astral projecting out of embarrassment at the mere thought of being seen in public with their relatives.)
(Just a few moments earlier though:)
(Anakin having super worried puppy eyes and the most pleading, concerned tone.)
(Anakin kneeling next to Yoda with Obi-Wan because they’re fretting ducklings.)
“How dare you question our frog granpa?” –
Yoda is just delighted to get some family bonding time with Anakin, and even more delighted at the prospect of getting him into trouble. It’s just precious and heartwarming and I love every single thing about it. Yoda is an absolute troll, because he asks for help by telling Anakin that he’s “very worried about him” because Anakin is about to get blamed for stuff. What a wonderful gremlin grandfather.
Troll grandpa: the continuation.
But what makes this scene is this:
Look at this!! Yoda teases Anakin about being a troublemaker, but immediately follows it with a clarification on why it’s a good thing. He makes a point to tell Anakin that he’s special and creative – not a black sheep to be shunned. He’s giving Anakin validation and warm praise, which are basically Anakin’s crack. –
And now, continuing on Anakin’s journey of faces: that one look you get when you discover that your dad used to do demolition derbies, or when you find your grandad’s martial arts trophies or something. The one look of mixed pride and disbelief at the realization that the grown-ups in your life are actually so cool, and hanging out with them is actually incredibly fun. Look at him. He’s so impressed with Yoda’s shenanigans. –
Anakin is on the foreground of Yoda’s vision of a perfect world, happily mingling with his fellow Jedi. –
Yoda’s expression when Sidious shoots lightning at Anakin in the last vision of the arc.
The symbolism here! This is Yoda, trying to keep Anakin from falling – with Sidious taunting him, saying he can’t!
And Yoda’s response?
Yoda will not be tempted into giving up on Anakin. Into letting his fear of what Anakin might do dictate his actions. He is ready to sacrifice everything to stay a true Jedi, in the light – and that means not writing off one of his own as a lost cause.
And then he freaking turns off his lightsaber – which he’d been using to absorb Sidious’ lightning while holding Anakin up – and he turns his back to a freaking Sith Lord, to protect Anakin rather than fight.
And he makes sure Anakin lands on a safe platform even as he’s being shot full of lightning. Granted, all of that last scene happens in a vision, but??? The symbolism???? The fact that Yoda doesn’t really know it’s a vision anyway???? That entire arc being about Yoda’s innermost desires, temptations and motivations so we know this has incredible weight???? Yoda refusing to give up compassion for victory???? Protecting Anakin rather than trying to kill Sidious????? Yoda. Trying so hard. To keep Anakin. From. FALLING.
*sobs*
–
And finally, because trolling is Yoda’s love language:
Yeah Anakin, why would you know anything about Senator Amidala’s personal matters? It’s not like we specifically called you here because we need you to convince her to spy on her ex or anything. What connection could the two of you possibly have? I’m just an innocent old Jedi grandpa who wouldn’t understand anything about relationships 😀
(I like to think Yoda actually ships Anakin and Aayla really hard, because they’re chatting together in his vision of a perfect world. If he ever caught wind of Padmé and Anakin breaking up, he’d probably immediately starts dropping heavy hints and giving really unwanted dating advice.) –
That’s all I’ve got today! Not included here, all the times Anakin goes to him for advice, and Yoda trying really hard to help even though Anakin is closing himself off.
Anyway, Palps robbed us of more adorably awkward grandpa-grandkid interactions, and I’m mad about it.
I was making such 😀 😀 😀 faces through all of this and then I got to “Yoda will not be tempted into giving up on Anakin.“ and
how dare you make me feel these things with my very own emotions
“Nope,” I whisper as I exit out of a fic with no paragraph breaks.
No excuses, folks! Change paragraphs when:
– the “camera” moves – a new character shows up – someone speaks – someone else speaks – a new idea, subject, or topic is introduced – time passes or reverts to an earlier point – the setting changes – the mood shifts – you want to create dramatic effect
this is so so so more reader friendly, people, heed it!