The Watcher
The Jedi Temple, a center of peace and justice for the galaxy. It was sheer irony that on this selfsame world lay a place of injustice and rancor, mere miles apart. The Senate chambers for the Old Republic, a den of infamy perhaps worse than Mos Eisley spaceport. Yet on this same planet, the Jedi had held their councils for thousands of generations. Here the lives of many children were placed in careful hands to be taught and trained the Jedi arts.
Obi Wan had often considered the Jedi Temple in his elder years, after the Clone Wars, after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire. When he had been a Padawan, he had often dreaded entering its doors when he and Qui Gon had returned from missions, if only because he knew criticisms from the other Jedi lay ahead. The Council did not always approve of Qui Gon's handling of issues. To Obi Wan, it seemed that they had been missing the vital point: the issues were resolved. He knew individually that the Jedi Masters on the Council respected and liked Qui Gon and his connection to the living Force was a greatly admired skill. But that did not mean he didn't have to listen to Master Windu or Yoda expound on the risks Qui Gon had taken.
He wondered, if Qui Gon had survived to train Anakin Skywalker, would they have berated his training of the boy?
Anakin had been like a son to Obi Wan. At first, the little boy was an exasperating annoyance, another 'pathetic life form' Qui Gon had picked up because that was Qui Gon's ways. Before Qui Gon had died, Obi Wan hadn't the chance to get to know Anakin.
He felt it in his bones that Qui Gon would've been proud of the attachment they had formed, bonded by that mutual grief.
Obi Wan had been terrified to teach Anakin, though he would never, never have admitted it, not even to Yoda. He had been confident outwardly, but teaching a Padawan when he was so recently made a Jedi had caused him to stay up nights. Anakin had stumped him quite a few times in the early days.
Those memories caused him to smile. The unwanted student had become a beloved son and brother, a comrade. The boy had shared his eagerness to learn and his impatience.
Then his smile faltered. Impatience had been Anakin's downfall. Impatience, overconfidence, arrogance, pride. Fear of losing the mother he lost to a new family.
Padmé and Obi Wan had not been enough to keep him from the Dark Side.
Padmé. She had been heartbroken when Anakin had deserted her and their marriage, the child she bore within her womb a secret she had not gotten to tell him that fateful day when Anakin Skywalker had disappeared and Darth Vader had taken his place.
History had been waiting for Anakin Skywalker to make his mark. It was Obi Wan's fault that mark was one of death, pain, and suffering. Under the Emperor's stern hand, Vader lead a crusade against the members of the former order he'd belonged to. He had slain so many, many fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, daughters, and sons.
It was ironic the Force had given all that Light Side strength Anakin had been missing to his children.
Obi Wan looked at the child once again. A boy, small for his age, with shaggy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, happily scampering after his friends.
This boy was the hope of a galaxy. He could not be weak where Anakin was weak. He had to grow strong, and for that strength, Obi Wan had chosen Anakin's long-forgotten home planet. Anakin had chosen to forget it, chosen to forget the humble beginnings of a slave in his new glory as Dark Lord of the Sith. Obi Wan remembered. He remembered Owen Lars all too well.
Anakin had been furious when his mother had married. He hadn't wanted his home, the only one he had ever known, to change. And it had with the introduction of Cliegg and Owen Lars.
More irony, that the stepbrother he'd hated was the one caring for his son.
Granted, Owen was gruffer than Obi Wan had preferred; but that gruffness hid a good heart. When Obi Wan had pleaded out the tale, Owen and his new wife Beru had taken the child.
Obi Wan had retired, safe in the Jundland Wastes, only when he learned that the boy's twin had made it safely to Bail Organa of Alderaan.
At last, at long, long last, he knew he could say goodbye to Padmé, content that her children were safe and his promise was kept.
Now he would watch.
The Jedi Temple, a center of peace and justice for the galaxy. It was sheer irony that on this selfsame world lay a place of injustice and rancor, mere miles apart. The Senate chambers for the Old Republic, a den of infamy perhaps worse than Mos Eisley spaceport. Yet on this same planet, the Jedi had held their councils for thousands of generations. Here the lives of many children were placed in careful hands to be taught and trained the Jedi arts.
Obi Wan had often considered the Jedi Temple in his elder years, after the Clone Wars, after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire. When he had been a Padawan, he had often dreaded entering its doors when he and Qui Gon had returned from missions, if only because he knew criticisms from the other Jedi lay ahead. The Council did not always approve of Qui Gon's handling of issues. To Obi Wan, it seemed that they had been missing the vital point: the issues were resolved. He knew individually that the Jedi Masters on the Council respected and liked Qui Gon and his connection to the living Force was a greatly admired skill. But that did not mean he didn't have to listen to Master Windu or Yoda expound on the risks Qui Gon had taken.
He wondered, if Qui Gon had survived to train Anakin Skywalker, would they have berated his training of the boy?
Anakin had been like a son to Obi Wan. At first, the little boy was an exasperating annoyance, another 'pathetic life form' Qui Gon had picked up because that was Qui Gon's ways. Before Qui Gon had died, Obi Wan hadn't the chance to get to know Anakin.
He felt it in his bones that Qui Gon would've been proud of the attachment they had formed, bonded by that mutual grief.
Obi Wan had been terrified to teach Anakin, though he would never, never have admitted it, not even to Yoda. He had been confident outwardly, but teaching a Padawan when he was so recently made a Jedi had caused him to stay up nights. Anakin had stumped him quite a few times in the early days.
Those memories caused him to smile. The unwanted student had become a beloved son and brother, a comrade. The boy had shared his eagerness to learn and his impatience.
Then his smile faltered. Impatience had been Anakin's downfall. Impatience, overconfidence, arrogance, pride. Fear of losing the mother he lost to a new family.
Padmé and Obi Wan had not been enough to keep him from the Dark Side.
Padmé. She had been heartbroken when Anakin had deserted her and their marriage, the child she bore within her womb a secret she had not gotten to tell him that fateful day when Anakin Skywalker had disappeared and Darth Vader had taken his place.
History had been waiting for Anakin Skywalker to make his mark. It was Obi Wan's fault that mark was one of death, pain, and suffering. Under the Emperor's stern hand, Vader lead a crusade against the members of the former order he'd belonged to. He had slain so many, many fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, daughters, and sons.
It was ironic the Force had given all that Light Side strength Anakin had been missing to his children.
Obi Wan looked at the child once again. A boy, small for his age, with shaggy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, happily scampering after his friends.
This boy was the hope of a galaxy. He could not be weak where Anakin was weak. He had to grow strong, and for that strength, Obi Wan had chosen Anakin's long-forgotten home planet. Anakin had chosen to forget it, chosen to forget the humble beginnings of a slave in his new glory as Dark Lord of the Sith. Obi Wan remembered. He remembered Owen Lars all too well.
Anakin had been furious when his mother had married. He hadn't wanted his home, the only one he had ever known, to change. And it had with the introduction of Cliegg and Owen Lars.
More irony, that the stepbrother he'd hated was the one caring for his son.
Granted, Owen was gruffer than Obi Wan had preferred; but that gruffness hid a good heart. When Obi Wan had pleaded out the tale, Owen and his new wife Beru had taken the child.
Obi Wan had retired, safe in the Jundland Wastes, only when he learned that the boy's twin had made it safely to Bail Organa of Alderaan.
At last, at long, long last, he knew he could say goodbye to Padmé, content that her children were safe and his promise was kept.
Now he would watch.