Today’s discussion is about classic British literature references found in the Rey and Kylo Ren dynamic in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
This episode centers on analysis of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.
In our Jane Eyre and Reylo analysis we discuss:
Similarities between Jane Eyre and Rey, including their lonely, deprived upbringing and first friendships that become as family.
Jane and Rey’s longing for a profoundly spiritual and passionate connection.
The remarkable bond that allowed Jane to hear Rochester’s voice from miles away after they had separated, and that connects Rey and Kylo Ren across the stars. 😉
Jane’s kinship and superficial contentment among the Rivers, which she eventually understands will never fulfill her on the level of her passionate bond with Rochester. We argue that in the same way, Rey will never find true fulfillment among The Resistance and her connections there, and will eventually seek out Ben as Jane sought Rochester – and it will be romantic AF.
We look at Kylo Ren as a Byronic hero, and discuss character similarities between him and Edward Rochester.
We find parallels in the Jane/Rochester romance and the story of Rey and Kylo so far.
Lastly, a quick pit-stop by the horrendous possibilities offered by Ben Solo’s potential “atonement”. Some haters who be hatin’ would like to see him bald and disfigured, whereas others make a case for his eventual death or loss of Force abilities as penance for his sins. We conclude that maiming, Force castration and death are not necessary for Ben Solo to have a meaningful and complete redemption arc.
In our discussion of Reylo and North and South we overview the fiery Margaret Hale/John Thornton romance, including their enemies-to-lovers dynamic
His failed first proposal and their painful separation
Their journey towards each other and eventual reconciliation – and how it all relates to the story of Rey and Kylo Ren.
Stay tuned for part 2 of our discussion, which centers on Pride and Prejudice and other literary works.
Today’s episode features awesome analysis by new Star Wars Connection member Chandra.
We apologize for some trouble with parts of our audio – we are improving our sound for the next part of our discussion, which is coming soon to a galaxy near you. ^^
Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in looks, she can perhaps make up for in courage.
When her father comes home with the tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the terrible promise he had to make to the Beast who lives there, Beauty knows she must go to the castle, a prisoner of her own free will. Her father protests that he will not let her go, but she answers, “Cannot a Beast be tamed?”
Robin McKinley’s beloved telling illuminates the unusual love story of a most unlikely couple, Beauty and the Beast.
Check out this book on Goodreads: Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41424.Beauty
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One of the best retellings of BatB. Slow, cosy, the perfect winter read.
Do you have a REYLO VIBE recommendation? Submit or contact me!💙💙💙
Y’all, this cute animation is giving me serious TLJ/ Reylo vibes
3:04 had me screaming into my pillow. I still can’t believe Reylo lives!
This is lovely! The characters don’t talk and yet they convey the idea of “balance” so perfectly. It’s funny how that dude also looks so much like a young Ben Solo.
Sooo cute! Watch it! Big REYLO VIBES!
A huge thank you to my constant supplier of REYLO VIBE RECOMMENDATIONS @ewa-jednak-chce-spac for pointing this out to me!
Do you have a REYLO VIBE RECOMMENDATION? Please contact me or submit! Let’s help each other out…
The beautiful Russian movie “On Drakon” (He’s a Dragon) is a perfect monster love story.
In the midst of her wedding a princess is kidnapped by a dragon, taking her away to his castle on a far away island. Everything that is left is a stony imprisonment shared with a mystic creature and a mysterious young man. Who is he and how did he get to the island? The princess will uncover the secret, but it will be too late. Her love for him – the man who is a dragon – will turn into torture for both of them…
The Beast sat on his stone throne, his arms lashed to the corners of the room. His bones jutted out from his shoulders and lacerations tore through him, soaking his entire body in blood. Something had sliced open his chest, his ribs gone, showing the still beating heart that lay underneath.
Eris froze. This had to be a dream. The old man of the castle appeared behind the Beast, his moth-eaten black robes shaking with dust as he dragged his feet to the throne. He sank to his knees.
This is the future that I see, the old man said, his words more lucid than Eris had ever heard him speak. A king so blinded by vengeance that he does not see his inevitable failure.
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Art from The Tempest and the Fire, my Beauty and the Beast retelling. This painting fought me every step of the way, and I’m so glad that I’ve managed to finish it.
Hope you all had a good December and have a happy new year!
Get ready to DEFY THE STARS on April 4th! Check out an excerpt of Claudia’s new interstellar adventure series over on Entertainment Weekly.
DEFY THE STARS by Claudia Gray
Noemi Vidal is seventeen years old and sworn to protect her planet, Genesis. She’s willing to risk anything—including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she’s a rebel.
He’s a machine.
Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel has advanced programming that’s begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he’s an abomination.
Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they’re not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they’re forced to question everything they’d been taught was true.
Naomi is capable and strong willed but has almost no sense of self worth. Orphaned at an early age she never had the feeling of truly belonging somewhere. After losing the only person she truly connected with she’s ready to sacrifice herself to change the outcome of a battle to buy her people more time in an ongoing war.
Abel is an android, constructed and groomed to fulfil one specific purpose for his creator. Abandoned for decades on a space ship he knows the meaning of loneliness. Yet when Naomi frees him and his programming demands that he accepts her as his new master his main objective stays the same. Find his true master and seek his approval.
Both Naomi and Abel travel together on a risky mission to turn the outcome of the war. Slowly they find out that they are more than the sum of their parts, more than their upbringing or programming.
Monsters and Villains 