[Ezra has always done best when allowed to figure things out for himself (with some gentle nudging) rather than just being told 'why' and 'how'. It's the kind of earned knowledge that is far more valuable than the kind that's spoon fed.]
And it's those unique experiences that add to the richness of life.
[Ezra answers with a small smile of his own, fleeting as it might be. They are still talking about Qui-Gon's death, after all. It's hard to smile about that.]
Why did you do it? I mean, why did you learn it? I thought... I thought Jedi were supposed to accept death as part of life. Isn't this fighting against that?
[Qui-Gon smiles. It’s a fair question—Ezra asks plenty of those. He’s also always tried to answer them to the best of his ability, and as honestly as possible. Sure, those answers weren’t always what Ezra wanted to hear, but they were always something that he needed to hear.]
[Hopefully, this will be a rare combination of two positives.]
It was the Force’s will. I heard it speak to me, and I obeyed its command.
[Whenever Qui-Gon spoke about the Force in such a way, as someone who acts instinctually on its call, he’d been met with sidelong glances from his Jedi contemporaries. He loved philosophy, and he loved to debate such things, but many others just saw his words as an excuse for his actions or a perceived need to argue and prove his superiority above others.]
Over the years, I’ve come to realize that there are rules in place for a good reason, and that we should do our best to follow those rules.
But that there are also times where those rules can and should be bent for the sake of the greater good. My training does not eschew the Jedi ideologies that we are to accept death. I met my own without trying to fight it. However, to retain one’s consciousness after death isn’t to avoid it, but to provide an avenue for it to be used to do good.
[The best thing about making such claims to impressionable teenagers raised outside of the Temple and away from the teachings of skeptical Masters is that they don't know enough to call Qui-Gon on any shit. Ezra's a lot more inclined to just believe him.
Besides, Qui-Gon is speaking to his soul here, telling him that there's a time when a-okay to break the rules. (Careful, Qui-Gon. Might want to tread cautiously with that one.)
At least Ezra mulls it over for a moment, honestly thinking about all the implications of what Qui-Gon's just said and not just jumping on the part that looks appealing.]
So, it's like... you still died, but you let yourself be here - or, well, in the living world - in case the Force had something else for you to do. Could you still choose to make contact with someone who was alive? Or was it only when the Force wanted you to?
[Qui-Gon trusts Ezra to have grown enough in maturity to know when and where to break the rules. There’s no way for that to possibly backfire at any given moment, right?]
[He’s quiet while Ezra works through his thoughts silently, and only nods as Ezra produces the summarization of said thoughts aloud.]
It is a combination of the two.
At the time of my death, because my training was incomplete, there is much that I cannot do. That said, should I continue my training through the Force, I will be capable of appearing at will—but also provided the Force itself wishes for it, as well.
It isn’t my intention to go against it. If, collectively, it is decided that I should not intervene on an issue, then I will not.
Others who seek this sort of power wish to bend the Force to their own will, not allow the Force to shape it.
[Don't worry, nothing ever backfires that monumentally in this universe. You can rest in peace easy, Qui-Gon.
Ezra's quiet again for another long moment. This is something that's big, so much bigger than him, that he feels so small even thinking about it and what it means. Life and death and will of the Force and giving yourself up so completely. He's pretty sure that doing something like this would mean giving up the peace that death should bring. Maybe he doesn't know what death is really like, but if nothing else, it means all your work is done, you can rest from responsibility and just be with all the life that has gone before. This... Qui-Gon could be giving all of this up for the rest of eternity.]
It... sounds like you'd still have your hands pretty full. [He starts this thought off hesitantly, because he's not just feeling out Qui-Gon's reaction, but his own. He has to be sure he's not asking for the wrong reasons.] Doing what the Force needs you to do when there's a whole galaxy. It's... Would you... want help?
[There isn't any denying Ezra's observations: Qui-Gon Jinn has resigned himself to continuing his work even after his demise. He feels no regret on the matter. He couldn't. Not when he was positive about the Force's will and intent for his life (and afterlife).]
[Will it be a lot to deal with? Yes. He holds no pretenses about that sobering fact. As such, Ezra's tentative offer is immensely appreciated in its scope.]
That is a difficult question to answer.
[And there aren't many that Qui-Gon finds difficult.]
I won't lie and say that it would not be a less lonely experience, but I'm not in any rush to receive that companionship.
Mostly due to how said companionship would have to manifest.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2020-04-08 03:52 am (UTC)[Qui-Gon gives Ezra's observation more thought, meditating on the idea for a few moments before he continues.]
Although I can't help but wonder the degree of separation one would have when it comes to the rest of the Force.
And then, of course, there's interacting with the world of the living.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-17 12:07 am (UTC)[He pauses as something occurs to him.]
But then, I guess that's kind of what it's already like. Even when we're together, we're separate, and we all have our own experiences.
[His mood lightens a little when he thinks of it like that.]
no subject
Date: 2020-07-06 01:20 am (UTC)[Ezra has always done best when allowed to figure things out for himself (with some gentle nudging) rather than just being told 'why' and 'how'. It's the kind of earned knowledge that is far more valuable than the kind that's spoon fed.]
And it's those unique experiences that add to the richness of life.
[He allows a smile.]
And the afterlife, so to speak.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-19 05:39 pm (UTC)Why did you do it? I mean, why did you learn it? I thought... I thought Jedi were supposed to accept death as part of life. Isn't this fighting against that?
no subject
Date: 2020-07-21 03:46 am (UTC)[Hopefully, this will be a rare combination of two positives.]
It was the Force’s will. I heard it speak to me, and I obeyed its command.
[Whenever Qui-Gon spoke about the Force in such a way, as someone who acts instinctually on its call, he’d been met with sidelong glances from his Jedi contemporaries. He loved philosophy, and he loved to debate such things, but many others just saw his words as an excuse for his actions or a perceived need to argue and prove his superiority above others.]
Over the years, I’ve come to realize that there are rules in place for a good reason, and that we should do our best to follow those rules.
But that there are also times where those rules can and should be bent for the sake of the greater good. My training does not eschew the Jedi ideologies that we are to accept death. I met my own without trying to fight it. However, to retain one’s consciousness after death isn’t to avoid it, but to provide an avenue for it to be used to do good.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-05 12:17 am (UTC)Besides, Qui-Gon is speaking to his soul here, telling him that there's a time when a-okay to break the rules. (Careful, Qui-Gon. Might want to tread cautiously with that one.)
At least Ezra mulls it over for a moment, honestly thinking about all the implications of what Qui-Gon's just said and not just jumping on the part that looks appealing.]
So, it's like... you still died, but you let yourself be here - or, well, in the living world - in case the Force had something else for you to do. Could you still choose to make contact with someone who was alive? Or was it only when the Force wanted you to?
no subject
Date: 2020-08-06 05:36 am (UTC)[He’s quiet while Ezra works through his thoughts silently, and only nods as Ezra produces the summarization of said thoughts aloud.]
It is a combination of the two.
At the time of my death, because my training was incomplete, there is much that I cannot do. That said, should I continue my training through the Force, I will be capable of appearing at will—but also provided the Force itself wishes for it, as well.
It isn’t my intention to go against it. If, collectively, it is decided that I should not intervene on an issue, then I will not.
Others who seek this sort of power wish to bend the Force to their own will, not allow the Force to shape it.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-06 04:01 pm (UTC)in peaceeasy, Qui-Gon.Ezra's quiet again for another long moment. This is something that's big, so much bigger than him, that he feels so small even thinking about it and what it means. Life and death and will of the Force and giving yourself up so completely. He's pretty sure that doing something like this would mean giving up the peace that death should bring. Maybe he doesn't know what death is really like, but if nothing else, it means all your work is done, you can rest from responsibility and just be with all the life that has gone before. This... Qui-Gon could be giving all of this up for the rest of eternity.]
It... sounds like you'd still have your hands pretty full. [He starts this thought off hesitantly, because he's not just feeling out Qui-Gon's reaction, but his own. He has to be sure he's not asking for the wrong reasons.] Doing what the Force needs you to do when there's a whole galaxy. It's... Would you... want help?
no subject
Date: 2020-08-10 01:52 am (UTC)[Will it be a lot to deal with? Yes. He holds no pretenses about that sobering fact. As such, Ezra's tentative offer is immensely appreciated in its scope.]
That is a difficult question to answer.
[And there aren't many that Qui-Gon finds difficult.]
I won't lie and say that it would not be a less lonely experience, but I'm not in any rush to receive that companionship.
Mostly due to how said companionship would have to manifest.