![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mamuzzyOne other thing I liked about Etain's very un-majestic intro being covered in shit, and how actually she just waved away the fact that the farmer called her ugly, that she is actually WITTY.
It was said she didn't want to reveal herself to the weequay because it would have meant an inevitable combat situation where Etain would have to kill him (also later we know she has important data on herself. Also if I remember correctly she never killed people before.) But the Jedi are peacekeepers. Their sheer presence is supposed to make opposing opponents stop with the fights. Etain knows that she doesn't have to actually cut down the farmer to make her will come forward. He only needs to know that she is a Jedi. She basically has to show off her lightsaber a bit and it the farmer's mind fills the gap: YOU DON'T MESS WITH HER.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
“Oh-ah.” He shook his head, engaged in some internal conversation. “I’m Birhan, and this is my land. And I thought you lot were supposed to be able to use some sort of mind control tricks.”
“How do you know I haven’t?” Etain lied.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•She wasn’t going to volunteer the obvious if he hadn’t spotted it for himself. A disappointment to her Master, she was clearly not the best of the bunch. She struggled with the Force and she grappled with self-discipline,
(...)
Yes, Etain was a Padawan, technically speaking.
She just happened to be one who was a breath away from building permadomes in refugee camps. She reasoned that part of a Jedi’s skill was the simple use of psychology. And if Birhan wanted to think the Force was strong in her, and that there was a lot more behind the external shell of a gawky, plain girl covered in stinking dung, then that was fine by her.
It would keep her alive a little longer while she worked out what to do next.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
Etain, you are actually not far from the truth. Imagine when you send Jedi on diplomatic mission and all they have to do is using mind tricks on people here and there! They would never allow jedi into politics ever again! No, THEY ARE ACTUALLY TAUGHT how to deal with people. Culture, language, history, manners.
But also we see that Etain terribly looks down on herself and on her skills. Master Fulier. It's good you are dead otherwise I would kick you in the shin for neglecting her.
DOWN WITH FULIER
Date: 2025-10-14 12:25 am (UTC)Etain who is quick on her thinking skills and deescalation skills!! Etain who has self-worth issues!! Etain who is, as you said, UN-MAJESTIC ! INELEGANT ! ERROR-RIDDEN ! but she is also tenacious ! committed !! COMPETENT!!! love that about her
re: "Master Fulier. It's good you are dead" YES! HE WAS FEEDING HER SELF CONFIDENCE ISSUES!!
Re: DOWN WITH FULIER
Date: 2025-10-14 09:10 am (UTC)This scene alone was an insta-love for me when I first read the books, and revisiting it didn't change it. Leaves a little void in my heart that I wish I had read this in my teens, because I would have needed a woman protagonist like her.
Because yes, it shows that she is very competent when she is left alone, when she is allowed to make decisions for herself or about the situation. But as soon as she is put into both into leadership role or follower role, or honestly ANY ROLE, she just... losts herself completely due to expectations.
But just are you pointed it out, she is good at deescalating, but her first inner-instinct is: I'm not a good jedi, I'm just good at psychology, no big deal. When even acknowledging her own skills is also a degrade in her own eyes. :((( Poor girl.
I don't know if Fulier deliberately harmed her, but I don't think he was a good master to her. People don't act this "damaged" without reason. They don't want to make themselves so small without reason.
Maybe I will collect instances where the narrative talked about him as a person/master! It's wasn't too much, but I know that I wasn't fond of him.