May the 4th sounds like ‘May the Force be with you,’ which means that this day on the calendar is historically dedicated to celebrating all things Star Wars.
Usually, that would mean fans congregating to watch the movies or visit the Galaxy's Edge theme park. But with coronavirus quarantine, fans need to celebrate in isolation...which makes now the perfect time to read some Star Wars fanfic.
Regardless of the genre, fanfiction allows authors and readers to explore their own desires, envision the representation they’re not getting yet in the media they love, and find a community with like-minded fans. That’s particularly true with Star Wars, given there are many couples that are beloved by fans, but not canon in the galaxy far, far away.
In fan fic lingo, beloved couples are called one true pairing, or OTPs — and if you like a couple (or a throuple!) together, that means you ship them.
Don’t know what Star Wars ship you’re devoted to yet? We offer some recommendations below, along with links to fics that range from clean to NSFW. Happy reading...and always with you, may the Force be.
Finn and Poe, or 'Stormpilot'
Photo Credit: LucasfilmFrom the moment stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) and Rebel hotshot pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) had their meet-cute in Force Awakens, they've had undeniable chemistry.
Their relationship isn't canon, and Isaac has said that although he pushed for confirmation in the script, "the Disney overlords were not ready to do that."
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Thankfully, fanfiction provides. We've highlighted a super-sweet, clean fic below, in which Poe can't stop dreaming about Finn...and starts to consider what the nightly visions mean.
Rey and Kylo, or 'Reylo'
Photo Credit: LucasfilmRey (Daisy Ridely) and Kylo's (Adam Driver) love is technically canon — but Reylo shippers only got one, pre-death-rattle-kiss between these two in the final Skywalker trilogy.
In other words, Rey and Kylo (aka Ben Solo) never got the romance envisioned by their devotees, except in fanfiction—of which there is a lot.
On the iconic fanfic site Archives of Our Own, or AO3, there are over 13,500 entries dedicated to this Force-sensitive pairing. We've linked to one below that's both NSFW and sweet, in which Kylo gives some advice on romance to his younger self.
Obi-Wan and Anakin, or 'Obikin'
Photo Credit: LucasfilmThe dynamic between stern Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan Mcgregor) and his volatile Padawan Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) has long fascinated fans.
The pair don't have a textual romantic relationship, but there's certainly a lot of passion between the two, as evidenced by their sweaty, shout-y lightsaber duel on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith.
In many of the scenes between these two, it certainly seems like there's something unspoken between them—then again, Ewan McGregor could have chemistry with a trash compactor.
Obikin fic usually takes full advantage of the taboo, teacher-and-student trope. In the slow-burn, NSFW fic below, Anakin and Obi-Wan get a second chance at making things right with the Force—and each other.
[via Pink News]
Featured still from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" via Lucasfilm
