Welcome one. Welcome all. I have brought all of you here today to say that YOU WERE LIED AND DECEIVED BY THE FORCES OF HOLLYWOOD AND UNCHECKED CAPITALISM. 'How?' You ask. And yes. I shall answer. It is simple:
The ending of the Rise of Skywalker was wrong
Wait. Excuse me. WHAT THE FUCK?
You read correctly, dear friends. Someone fucked with the editing of Rise of Skywalker and it changed the entire ending of the movie. It changed the characterization of three key characters and it's clear this was against the creator's wishes. I'll be breaking this down into a few key sections. What were the changes, Why I believe these changes were made (and made last minute), and do I consider this ending more or less canon then the theatrical ending. So. JOIN ME ON THIS ADVENTURE FRIEND
The plot changes/editing change
It's fairly simple. They changed Leia's role in the plot, this changed the entire direction of the last few minutes of the movie. Let me break the timeline down
โ Deathstar fight on the ocean still happens, Ben is distracted by Leia reaching out to him. She either still enters her "disappointment son" coma here, or perhaps simply just reaches out to him.
โ From here, the plot continues as normal. Ben and Rey both get to the sith rave separately.
โ Rey Dies
โ Ben Revives her and dies.
โ Leia chooses THIS MOMENT to die and give her life to her son
โ Ben is revived. He and Rey kiss.
โ Move to conclusion
WHAT EVIDENCE DO I HAVE THESE CHANGES WERE MADE (and at the last moment)
Take in note, my evidence is circumstantial, but circumstantial evidence still counts as proof
โ Leia's final role in the movie is insanely unclear. She also takes 12 hours to actually die or something. Again. Confusing
โ Ben's final words, as of this moment, are "OW". Adam Driver said he was nervous about his final dialogue in the movie to the point he stressed about it on the flight over. And. Man. IDK about you but OW seems a little unstressful to say
โ There was no Force Ghost Ben, a decision that is baffling story wise. It would take any competent VFX team hardly any effort to throw a ghostly adam driver next to Leia and Luke. And this would be advantageous to add to the plot if Ben was going to die, give that final bit of closure to the Skywalker fam.
โ Rey's near LACK of emotion over his death. Go watch her realize she has to leave Ben behind in TLJ and tell me that the difference isn't noticeable. It's completely against her character.
โ The weird beats of Leia going into her disappointment son coma and the other strange beats of Ben's death. Especially the fact that you only see him disappear in like. one shot.
โ None of the cast thought he was going to die
โ Wow I wonder why Adam Driver is adamant about never wanting to do star wars at this point?
โ Wow, why does disney keep resetting the character poll of who is the most anticipated character of this movie????
โ The prophecy about Ben's death is completely unnecessary at this point. If it was brought up during TFA, it's understandable to put that thread there. Instead it's in the last movie when his death seems to be a foregone conclusion???
โ So Rey's fine for Luke and Leia even tho she's palpatines kid, but Luke and Leia don't seem all that bothered by Ben's death??????
โ This was supposed to be Leia's film and complete her arc. And while I understand that there was a lack of footage to use for her, it's odd that she ended up not playing much of a role beyond "Distract Ben so he gets stabbed ig"
โ Every single hole in characterization for Luke, Leia, and Rey, every strange beat that didn't really make sense in Ben and Rey's fight on the ocean and during their ??? Mutual deaths???? and the some how rushed and dragged on ending can be solved by a simple solution. Occam's razor, Ben was never meant to die permanently.
โ The fact that there was no final dialogue for Ben after his talk with his father suggests he had something significant to say after his resurrection
โ The fact that they didn't have a cut of Rey absolutely LOSING HER MIND over losing to, what amounts to, the other half of her soul suggests that she was never supposed to lose him permanently
โ The fact that there is no Ben Ghost means that they didn't have the time to slip that in before pushing it out to theaters
โ The way the final scenes with Rey are shot and edited are, again, weird, off balance. It seems like it ends WAY TOO QUICKLY and far too on the nose.
โ no but really guys. His final words are "OW"
โ As for WHO changed it, because of the fact that this is clearly an edit job done at the last minute? I'm putting my money on a CEO that is above Kathleen Kennedy and JJ Abrhrams. I think their hands are tied ATM. This is the ending that had been planned for, this is the ending they wanted, otherwise there would not be such big holes that felt weird and dishonest to the characters. And, like, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was JJ's child, he wouldn't have done him dirty like this.\
THEATRICAL ENDING/TRUE ENDING
I'm sure opinions would be divided on which ending is canon depending on the person. The theatrical ending will be what's considered canon in the universe of star wars at large. For myself, I find it hard to deny the creators and filmmakers the right to present the story they wanted to tell. So, in that way, both endings are true for me. Though, I am biased-- both as someone who is an artist myself and someone who adores Kylo Ren's/Ben Solo's character-- I like the story the film team were trying to tell over the agenda that whoever pushed for these changes had. Personally, I believe it pushes Star Wars as a universe forward into new territory rather than keep it stagnant in the same old same old that it's always been. Plus. this maintains the integrity of Luke, Leia, and Rey's characters, Ben was never forgotten, far too gone, or unloved. Leia gave him one final gift, a second chance.
That said, I'm not pushing this ending on anyone. I won't be playing it by default. I would rather ask permission or have someone else bring it up.
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literaldumpsterfire2020-01-04 09:58 am
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But he gives her a curt nod. Eyes closed as he pushes away from her and has to take a minute before being able to push up into a standing position. Which is still wobbly like a new born baby giraffe ]
You got me here by yourself?
[ He, too, noticed Luke's X-wing and that it is WAY too small to carry the corpse of the supreme leader in it. ]
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I tried, but had to wait for the Falcon. I wasn't in the best shape after...well, you were there. You know what happened.
[That's hopefully answer enough.]
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....But shit wait-- ]
Who was piloting?
[ If it's poe dameron Ben is goin straight to his quarters to MURDER HIM. ]
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[And that's all she has to say about that. She hugs him tighter, but only long enough that she can press her face against his shoulder and give herself time to let her tears dry up. When she feels like she's good she pulls back just enough that they can start walking. She'll support him the rest of the way, so he can hobble along safely.]
Chewie was there too. He's probably looking for us now, actually.
[Which is great. Really. Given the eye Finn keeps on her, she's sure he's not far behind. This will be fun to explain.]
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But the name Chewie does make him a little nervous. Last time they saw one another the wookiee shot him. So. That he's not sure if Chewbacca even wants to see him. ]
I don't supposed you have a plan for all of this.
[ Like Cool. Chewie and Rey know about him. But that doesn't account for the Resistance as a whole. Some may even want to see him executed.
Okay a lot of people want that.
But, most importantly, they needed to figure out the next steps from here. What do you do with a former supreme leader? His mother can't be a shield any longer and they were just left to their own devices.
A terrible idea in retrospect. ]
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[Which means no, there is no plan. She just knows she has to hide him, and fast.]
We have to get to a ship, and leave.
[She's firm on that, her voice clipped and not leaving room for argument. The last thing they need is for Finn to go looking for her, and see her with him.]
Unless you're willing to risk staying in my quarters here?
[She feels like she's talking a lot. It's definitely out of anxiety.]
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He stumbles over a root and grips onto her a bit more tightly. He's trying not to lean too heavily on her, but his body is still rebooting and he needs a drink of water. And then maybe something alcoholic because this is a lot to handle in one day. ]
What ever you think is best.
[ He's not in the right state of mind to decide anything right now. He hadn't even known about the location of the rebels or what their base may look like. He hadn't had time to pour over recon reports or intel to try and pinpoint their location. He'd been too laser-locked on finding Rey.
Another step before there's a distinct rustling in the foliage ahead. They'll hardly have a moment to react before Chewbacca bursts through the green with-- a bowcaster? What the heck did he think happened with Ben????
A beat of silence follows. It seems to stretch on for infinity before Chewbacca howls and rushes forward, dropping his weapon, to grab the both of them in his arms.
Rey, Ben is so confused right now. Help him. ]
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But the worst never happens, and soon she's wrapped up in a furry hug and she's staring at Ben helplessly because this sure isn't the reaction she was expecting. She honestly thought Chewie might shoot him down. But here he is, clearly celebrating.
Her free arm slowly moves up to embrace her friend in return, and she chuckles at how surreal this all is.]
It's Leia's doing. He's going to be fine.
[She explains to Chewie before glancing back at Ben. He looks so overwhelmed and lost. That look probably isn't going to get better, as Chewie's hollering and carrying on has woken up others. Rey's body stiffens and she goes on full alert as she spots Poe and Finn rushing over.
There's absolutely no way she'll be able to hide Ben from them. It takes every ounce of restraint not to use the force to shove them away for everyone's safety. She feels like a cornered animal as they approach, wary and ready for a fight if necessary. She doesn't mind arguing with Poe all the time, but an actual fight feels like an opportunity for her to lose control again.]
We need to get him on the Falcon. Now.
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Oh.
Oh no
Look, Ben doesn't even need to do shit except nearly fall on his ass like a sack of potatoes when Chewbacca drops them at the first sound of two (2) very hot headed Resistance Boys who both have Good Reason To Hate Kylo Ren.
Back off, you two. ONLY CHEWBACCA IS ALLOWED THIS KILLIt's easy to forget how agile and capable he is when push comes to shove. But he did manage to land a blow on Kylo Ren that wouldn't kill him immediately, but did slow him down. So.Yeah. He's grabbed up his bowcaster and is nOW AIMING IT AT POE AND FINN.
Poe and Finn who are SCREAMING worried about where the hell the fire is and NOW CHEWBACCA????
'Whoa! Buddy!! What the hell is going on?' Poe stop acting like you have any deescalation skills. Especially with Finn, your hypeman, causing a fucking RIOT right next to you.
Like damn. I need someone like Finn to cheer me on as I face down a loaded laser cannon. I mean, we'd both die, but that is some serious bromance right there. The most serious until--
He notices the dark lump of emotion that's attempting to push himself back up off of the ground. ]
--Ow.
[ Poe hasn't noticed. Finn has. Chewbacca is Screeching. This is a terrible stand off and Ben just wants to drink some water and go to bed. Or just kill him again. Either way he'd be well-rested. ]
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She can handle anything.
But she's tired and overwhelmed, and none of this is helping. She ignores Ben's crumpled in a heap body for a minute to shout and yell at both Poe and Finn about minding their own business. Finn is too worked up, screeching at her about Kylo Ren. That gets Poe to start screaming about her putting everyone in danger, and how he thought she was better than this. Finn seems more occupied about how close she and Ben are than anything, and she doesn't have it in her to have this conversation with him now. She reaches her limit quickly, and reaches up to put her hand in front of Chewbacca's weapon. It's her intent to force him to lower it without having to use the force. But she's about two seconds away from just exploding in anger and sending everyone flying.
She glares in Poe's direction, and hopes for Finn's forgiveness. He's her dear friend, but she's willing to make a stand if it means ensuring Ben's safety.]
Would you all just shut up!
[That includes you, Ben. No more saying ow.
She crouches to help him to his feet, and offers no explanation whatsoever as she basically drags Ben on his feet toward the Falcon. They can have actual privacy there. She doesn't say a word to anyone, and if either Finn or Poe try to shout and follow them on board the ship she uses the force to gently shove them away just long enough to close the hatch to the Falcon.
Rey is done with everything and is two seconds away from shutting down completely.]
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Oh and. Hey! It's Lando. He looks ready to run off the ship and probably reconnect with Chewbacca in Operation: HOW THE FUCK DID I MISPLACE MY BEST FRIENDS SON'S CORPSE... Until he sees Rey carrying the very much not dead walking
but not talkingbody of his best friend's son's corpse. He opens his mouth to say something, but the look alone on Rey's face is enough to make him back off of the Falcon slowly and that's when he spots Chewbacca. And Poe. Aaand Finn.Ah. He sees what happened. Maybe he should go find something to drink.
Don't worry tho. Ben is quiet. He is quiet and letting Rey do whatever she's doing right now, because this is firmly her territory and he isn't going to make anything better by talking to anyone. Guide him to somewhere to sit or lay down and he'll go down easy.
Just bring him some water.
And a blanket. It was cold being dead okay???? ]
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She winds up drinking half the water herself and having to go find more before going back to him. ]
Here, drink.
[She gruffly insists, handing the canteen over to him to drink from. Her head is swimming with thoughts, many of which are anxious and angry. This is the worst possible way for Ben to come back to her. She's half expecting Poe to come barging in at any second, and feels the tension in her body mount to a point where she slides down the wall to sit near the makeshift bed. ]
That could've gone better.
[She admits as she hangs her head. She's so tired that she could fall asleep sitting like this.]
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But he's trying to fit his Large body into the space, one knee up while the other leg has to dangle off to the side, and then arrange the blanket and. Water. He tips it to his mouth and nearly chokes on it. A single loud cough to clear his throat and he's just. A little too greedy with the H2O.
Oh.
It occurs to him now, her sitting on the floor and him crammed up into a bunk that seems to be designed for average size humans at the most that-- this. This is kind of weird. Not the "coming back to life" thing, that's a whole different beast. But... Just talking with Rey and it isn't the end of the galaxy stakes? ]
I'm not sure there's a "right way" that could have gone.
[ While not entirely a helpful response... it is true. He actually cannot picture a scenario with him walking into a Resistance base that could have gone well. Even if he was chained up and marched in.
He is now taking much more careful drinks of water. Please don't judge him too harshly, Rey. He's had a rough day. ]
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We can't stay here for long.
[If they do, she's liable to punch Poe right in the face and no one needs that to happen. Her head falls back against the wall and she sighs, shifting uncomfortably. Ben's doing better, at least. He's talking. And isn't dead, so they have that going for them.]
You should rest while you still can.
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And then there's the sudden realization in his mind that while his bond with Rey is strong and bright... his mother's isn't there anymore. Right in the heart of a Resistance base and he can't sense a thing. Rey had explained in brief terms and he'd accepted it. But it was an entirely different thing to actually solidify it.
He hesitates for a moment as he sets down the canteen, then all at once decides that he can't afford to be shy right now. Rey can feel what he's feeling and she'll understand. ]
Are any of -- [ He has to swallow his anxiousness and push through ]-- my mother's things here?
[ Jewelry, clothes, her growing sense of her disappointment with her son. ]
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Rey lightly nods before looking over to make eye contact.]
She had [she's very careful to use the past tense there] things in her quarters. I can go get them for you.
[She half hopes he suggests they go together later. The idea of having to go gather Leia's things alone is deeply distressing. But the past year of her life has been nothing but trauma, so she guesses this is just another day in the life of Rey.
Her arm flops his way, hand seeking out his. She needs the physical contact, and thinks he might benefit from it too.]
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I can come.
[ Even if he has to dress up like chewbacca or a droid or something to avoid being shot.
And an easy silence falls over them as he can feel the vertigo and nausea fade away. He'd been running at break neck speed for a while and right now? He just wants to enjoy a bit of peace. ]
Thank you.
[ It's murmured and quiet. His eyes flick down to their hands briefly before he turns to make eye contact with Rey. He is well aware how much she has just put her own ass on the line. ]
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You would do the same for me.
[Now he would. A few days ago he might've destroyed a few planets just because she died. It's hard to tell what could've ended up happening if he hadn't turned against the dark side.
Without saying anything else, she moves to crawl into the best next to him. He's taking up all the space, but she easily sits at his side. She's potentially getting into position to try and kiss him again, but it feels awkward to try now that they're not caught up in a dramatic embrace in the middle of a battlefield.]
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She comes climbing up in to his bunk, there really is no space here. All the scooting and shifting in the world doesn't help the fact that she's half hanging out of the space. So when she clambers in, he urges her to just lay on top of him. He's got plenty of chest area for this very thing.
Is he catching on to the 'kissing' undertone? YOU BET HE ISN'T.
For now he's limited to getting his arm under her and lifting her up on to himself. He'll just not remove his hand from the contact it has with her. Because he's ~tired~.
It's a nice moment.
One which is interrupted by a muffled commotion outside of the Falcon. It doesn't sound too awful at this point, but it doesn't sound like Poe's satisfied with whatever answer Chewie and Lando are giving. ]
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This is...really close. Intimate in a way she's never experienced and isn't sure what to do with. Any thought of kissing or closeness is wiped away and she just tries to keep her heart from racing. Maybe he's so out of it that he doesn't notice.
It doesn't really matter, because she thinks she can fall asleep like this. And she almost does, up until she hears Poe outside the Falcon. She makes a sound of disapproval and buries her face against the curve of his neck.]
Hitting him would be wrong. But it's tempting.
[It really sounds like Poe's going to force his way inside, with Finn right on his tail. She should...do something about that. Really she should. But she's so tired.]
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Chewie may do it for you.
[ His voice is growing softer as his body comes down from the adrenaline rush of being reborn. The surreal nature of this all isn't helping him get level, but at the very least he may get some space to relax. Being this close to Rey does make it somewhat easier for him. He isn't noticing her anxiety or her want, he's noticing her acceptance and warmth. He doesn't feel like he could ask for much more right now.
--Uh and Poe appears to be getting angrier. Lando and Chewbacca are gonna have to drag Finn and Poe until they are a safe distance from the base at this point. Lord have mercy he is LOUD when he's mad.
Ben just doesn't have the energy to be annoyed. He will after he gets a few hours of shut eye and a proper meal, but everything is almost this dreamlike blur. Comparable to when he's running on zero hours of sleep and is getting by using stims. Well... closer to when he's about to crash after using stims. We won't get into how he would just take more generally because that is the type of self-destructive person he is (Never mind poe does the same shit because he and poe are nearly brothers. wtf leia). But he's not gonna be doing that trick right now.
Rey's tension and stress rolls through his body. As much as he likes laying in this space with her, he also doesn't want a whole battalion of Resistance fighters marching in to try and tie him up and burn him while he's alive. Seems like it would ruin the mood. ]
You should delegate. [ Since she seems to be taking this entire thing on herself. He is well aware that Rey is prone to tackling huge issues on her own without informing anyone else. Like. This whole thing between them is prime evidence. ] Chewie and Lando understand what's going on.
[ Enough to drag his sorry ass from a sith rave all the way to the rebel base which is the worst place to smuggle any sort of Supreme Leader. Even if it was just his corpse. So. They can explain so she doesn't accidentally fry them with some signature Force Lightning. ]
Then compromise and tell your friends when you will explain.
[ .......... okay this is shockingly good advice. Like, he wasn't a very focused Supreme Leader. But at the very least he understood some key tenants of leadership and not completely overwhelming yourself.
Ones which he broke all the time because, like rey, he has zero chill.But the principle still stands. Let Lando and Chewbacca explain the very basics "Yes that's Kylo Ren. Yes we brought him here. Look this is Leia's last act so please be fUCKING RESPECTFUL." and buy herself some time to rest and get more level-headed. ]
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It wouldn't be honoring Leia at all.
With a soft huff of protest, Rey dislodges herself from the tiny bunk and shuffles her way toward the hatch to lower it. She's barely able to stand she's so tired, but she's doing this. It's going to be fine.
Over the next thirty minutes, Rey discovers it in fact is not fine. She and Poe get into a shouting match that ends with Finn begging her not to be near Ben. Chewie and Lando help her explain the basics of who he is and the man he is now, and she understands that it's not possible for others to want to accept that Ben Solo doesn't have to pay for Kylo Ren's crimes. Ben can earn redemption, but it's decided that he can't stay there for more than one night. It's only Rey's final, desperate attempt to explain Leia's final act and gift that gets Finn to finally cave in. He can hear the emotion in her voice and see the exhaustion in her eyes. He ignores his own hurt and upset in order to drag Poe away, and Rey insists that Lando accompany them and get something to drink. She doubts he'll mind that.
When she finally stumbles her way back inside, she collapses on the bench surrounding the holochess table. Rey puts her elbows on the table, and leans forward to bury her face in the palm of her hands. It's not complete privacy, but she tells herself that Ben is likely asleep by now. Despite the screaming match and feeling her distress through the force. Surely he's asleep. But just in case -]
We can have one night here.
[It's called out, a way to quickly summarize the conversation.]
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But his head is so blissfully quiet.
There may be a soft grunt in response, but not much more.
But don't worry.
Chewbacca is still up.
He'll come rumbling in a minute or two after Rey does, carrying what appears to be a huge cushioned pad and blankets. He'll lay it on the ground (The crew's quarters may be better, but the Falcon's been full to the brim with supplies for the Resistance. They'd have to DIG them out at this point) and move over to "shush" Rey out of her spot. He's making his way over to Ben and is remarkably quiet as he hefts the man up in his arms and lays him out on the padding.
Rey may note it looks like something Chewbacca had done a thousand times before.
A soft trill as he brushes at the man's hair... there's a lot of feelings right now. And of course Chewbacca is still angry with Ben, but things are never that simple with this family. This is the choice Leia made, this would be the choice Han would have made... Did make in so many ways. He would respect that.
He finishes just... what can only be described as "tucking" Ben in and turns to Rey.
REY COME HERE. HE WANTS TO HUG YOU. You cannot resist you are getting big furry Not Dad hugs. It's not super easy to translate, but he's essentially thanking her and also apologizing and also saying GOOD JOB. Just a lot of feelings and gratefulness. Once he pulls away, he'll inform her he's going to be keeping watch outside the Falcon with his bowcaster so get the sleep she needs. With all that said, he'll lumber off.
He and Lando are going to somehow have to handle this if news gets out, but they will BOOK IT IF THEY HAVE TO.
Oh and yeah of course there's enough room on the padding for her to lay as well. He's not a dumb ass. He had to share space with Leia and Han. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT. ]
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She doesn't resist the hugs much. There's a slight protest, more out of exhaustion than anything. But she relents easily, and curls in against him. She still has lingering guilt from thinking she killed him, and getting to have him here like this makes her feel so grateful. She thanks him for his help and tells him to come get her if he needs anything. He can handle any situation that arises, she knows. But she wants him to know she's there for him the same way he's been there for her.
And just like that, the night finally calms and quiets to the point where Rey feels safe trying to rest. She takes a moment to remove her boots before collapsing on the padding next to Ben. It's obvious that Chewie made room for her too, and she's grateful as she gracelessly flops into the empty space. It's a matter of seconds before she gives in to the exhaustion and passes out. If she winds up curling up against him in her sleep, it's not her fault. He's warm and comforting and right there beside her.]
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But this time he's not in his quarters, things hit him at different points and he nearly just rolls back over to sleep because of the familiarity of the Falcon itself.
--Then he realizes it's the Falcon.
Oh. Right. Right.
There's no need to feel alarm or panic, but he can't help the sheer disorientation of his entire life being tossed upside down within a matter of like... 48 hours? Hard to tell. And then he had died? Right? One of his hands presses against his chest as if to check his own heart beat.
Well, if last night was a fever dream of a dying man-- this is a strange extension of it.
Especially when his hand moving to his chest jostles Rey. Who is nearly laying wholly on top of him.
This is a lot. His mind is catching up to things and-- oh look. There's a canteen of water (Left by Chewie), he's gonna make a reach for it because DYING IS DEHYDRATING. He'll take a few more drinks before setting it aside and... Laying down with Rey. He guesses???
That seems fine.
Don't mind him as he, in a completely platonic manner, definitely just friends, brushes hair out of her face. And gives her a gentle look of awe at someone he has certainly friend-zoned. He's stuck between waking her or not, but-- his energy is up. Hers may respond in kind. ]
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fun fact. currently drawing half naked mans back so this tag is perf