Arcann romance appreciation thread! Haters keep out please!❤

[witchglove]

1 hour ago, Siita said:

@witchglovebrought up an AMAZING detail that she noticed in the picture released from the livestream yesterday of Arcann on Voss.

It appears he's sitting down in that room and in a conversation with the outlander/commander.  It definitely seems like way more informal setting for a 'mission briefing', especially when you couple it with any perceived body language cues.

Let's analyse it together! I hope other people want to join in. And yes, we are absolutely over-analysing a very minor detail, but that is what fans do, so let's just have fun with it 🙂

I think there's a lot there to suggest an informal and intimate conversation.

• They are sitting! I'm stupidly excited over that discovery 😄If this was a short debriefing about his mission, surely they would be standing. You would only sit down for a longer, more serious or more intimate conversation. Arcann must be telling the Commander something important here.
• Sitting side by side rather than face-to-face is probably the most common way to signal friendship/being on the same side. I've read somewhere that it's especially common for men to use this position to establish a sense of companionship as opposed to competition (women supposedly use a face-to-face orientation more often than men in friendly conversations). I have no idea if that's true, but I do think it's true that sitting opposite each other is much more common in formal settings like interviews, exams, briefings - all situations where there is a work relationship, an unequal power dynamic or where someone has to perform.
• The Commander is turning to Arcann in a way that indicates to me that Arcann is speaking in this scene, maybe revealing something significant he has discovered on his mission or maybe saying something personal? Looking over at someone you sit side-by-side with like that strikes me as something you would do if you're very engaged in the conversation, maybe taken aback by something the other person said, or if you were trying to make eye contact/read their facial expression.
• Their hands appear to be resting on their legs. That could just be a relaxed posture or maybe they are meditating?
• Are they sitting on the floor or are they sitting on something? I can't really tell. If it's the former, then that would also make me think of meditation.

 

33 minutes ago, cosmicchar said:

Hello, I just found this thread. I’m not active on forums, but if this is for giving Arcann some love then I’m tempted to do so.

Looks like they could be meditating. Meditating over a Nul relic? Or a not main story related scene where Arcann says that he wants to try meditation, which he has never been able to achieve before but being here again on Voss makes him want to try.

Agreed! Yeah the story says the Voss healing ritual “healed his broken spirit”, but I find it much more impactful if it only heals his physical injuries, because then Arcann has a slow, day-by-day struggle in figuring out how to be at peace with himself and the past. 

I think that when he wakes up and discovers Senya seemingly dead, this brings him back to Thexan’s death. So his grief and shock at losing another family member who unconditionally cared for him momentarily snaps him out of his rage. Since Senya sacrificed her lifeforce for him, he blames himself for her death, adding onto his guilt over Thexan’s.

And this heightened guilt makes Arcann realize the magnitude of ALL the deaths he’s caused for his own goals. Sacrifice? Necessary collateral damage?

No. The death of millions. And the destruction of everything he loved. He feels completely lost, so his eyes turn blue again. 

Then the Outlander shows up and, despite every reason to kill him, instead helps him, tells him his mother actually isn’t dead, and says they can ally together to stop all this destruction. Then during his absence in KOTET, now by himself, Arcann does a lot of reflection. I really like what his companion description says: “initially sought revenge but the mercy shown to him and his mother profoundly changed him.” He realizes that not all is lost—revenge is not all he has left or the only way forward. He can atone by joining the Alliance and go down a new path of ending conflicts not starting them. And this is when his redemption and mental healing starts.

Hi and welcome to the thread! It's wonderful to see another Arcann fan in here 🙂

About the picture: I think they could be meditating! I would think however that Arcann is more than familiar with meditation techniques. He had no problem using the holocron to join us within our mind in the final chapter of KOTET. We also know that he trained with both Knights and Scions, and I assume that since both Sith, Jedi and Voss meditate as a way of connecting with the Force, Zakuul Force sensitives would as well. They could very well be examining/meditating on something he brought back from his mission in this scene, I think!

About the healing: We know that the Voss healing ritual is said to cure the wounds of both the body and the mind. I don't think Arcann's redemption is less impactful if his mind was (at least partially) healed in the ritual. He carries severe trauma and guilt over so many things. In real life, people with such issues might use medication to help them get to a place where they can do the emotional labour to get better. I think something similar applies here. There has to be a certain level of physical and mental health before you can really put in the work. I think Arcann works very hard to be at peace with himself afterwards, for a long time (and probably will for the rest of his life, to be honest), but I also think the healing helped enable him to begin that journey. To me, the fact that his eyes turn blue shows that the healing ritual really did "cleanse" him of the corrupting influence of the Dark Side. I find it significant that he still isn't ready to join us though. He needs to reflect and work on himself alone first, like you said. When he joins us, it is 100% his own decision.

I also really like that he makes a distinction between redemption and atonement. "I am beyond redemption. I can't change the past, but I can atone for it." He knows he can never balance the scales, no matter what he does. He knows the guilt will always be there. But he is still willing to do everything he can to be a better person. I have so much respect and admiration for him because of that. What an amazing character! ❤️

Edited May 5, 2023 by witchglove

[Siita]

14 minutes ago, witchglove said:

About the healing: We know that the Voss healing ritual is said to cure the wounds of both the body and the mind. I don't think Arcann's redemption is less impactful if his mind was (at least partially) healed in the ritual. He carries severe trauma and guilt over so many things. In real life, people with such issues might use medication to help them get to a place where they can do the emotional labour to get better. I think something similar applies here. There has to be a certain level of physical and mental health before you can really put in the work. I think Arcann works very hard to be at peace with himself afterwards, for a long time (and probably will for the rest of his life, to be honest), but I also think the healing helped enable him to begin that journey. To me, the fact that his eyes turn blue shows that the healing ritual really did "cleanse" him of the corrupting influence of the Dark Side. I find it significant that he still isn't ready to join us though. He needs to reflect and work on himself alone first, like you said. When he joins us, it is 100% his own decision.

I also really like that he makes a distinction between redemption and atonement. "I am beyond redemption. I can't change the past, but I can atone for it." He knows he can never balance the scales, no matter what he does. He knows the guilt will always be there. But he is still willing to do everything he can to be a better person. I have so much respect and admiration for him because of that. What an amazing character! ❤️

Absolutely agree!

I have spoken about this topic at length with Witchglove before and we are convinced that Arcann has, and always has, possessed an innate 'goodness'.  Even during his 'dark times', we do firmly believe that that goodness was still there, buried deep down.  

The amount of strength and sheer will it took for him to break through the darkness that had overcome him over the years when he came to Senya's aid on his flagship was monumental.  I do stand by what I said previously, however, in that the ceremony on Voss not only healed his broken body, but also essentially cleansed an aspect of the proverbial dark cloud that he had been burdened with for quite some time.  It was a rebirth of sorts, not a full restoration, nor did all of his problems and hang-ups magically "disappear".  Quite the contrary, his journey was just beginning:  a journey to rediscover who he was, to come to grips with what terrible things he had done, to reestablish a relationship with his mother, to find a place in this new alliance.  What a burden to bear... and what a story!

 

I agree, @witchglove, he's one of the best, most complex characters around.   💖

[JakRoanin]

Obviously, Arcann has major Psychological trauma that does cause chemical imbalances within the brain. Naturally, the healing on Voss included the mind. I don't know how many Arcannites have played the Agent Story, but the agent also gets mind healed on Voss. I'm not trying to downplay the healing. What I am saying is that it doesn't make him want to be "good." Which the crazy DS'ers found out if they kill Senya. Which nobody should ever, ever, ever, do. 

[Siita]

8 minutes ago, JakRoanin said:

I'm not trying to downplay the healing. What I am saying is that it doesn't make him want to be "good." 

Right, because, in my opinion the 'good' has always been there in Arcann.  The cloud of darkness that was enshrouding or even enveloping him before was simply dissipated by the Voss ceremony.  He doesn't have to want to be good because he always had that goodness within.  Goodness that shone through when he saved Senya from Vaylin.

Does that mean that he can't make a decision to be irate with someone that just killed his mom (you even have the choice to blame it back on him instead of confessing)? Nope!

We aren't going to agree on everything... I think we should focus on the things we are excited for such as Arcann returning soon!

[JakRoanin]

I wouldn't say there was no "good" in Arcann Pre-Voss. However, and this is a huge however, he never viewed himself as evil during KotFE. Almost his entire upbringing he was taught that the only "good" in his life was being able to win. Yes, Arcann had good in him, he loved his brother, he resented his sister's captivity, he wanted his world to thrive, all those things are evidence of goodness. But his definition of what is good and right was based on the morality he was taught by Valkorian. 

It really bothers me that in these threads that alternate viewpoints are considered not loving the character. I love Arcann! I just see different things. If we all parrot each other how is that not boring?

[witchglove]

10 hours ago, JakRoanin said:

I wouldn't say there was no "good" in Arcann Pre-Voss. However, and this is a huge however, he never viewed himself as evil during KotFE. Almost his entire upbringing he was taught that the only "good" in his life was being able to win. Yes, Arcann had good in him, he loved his brother, he resented his sister's captivity, he wanted his world to thrive, all those things are evidence of goodness. But his definition of what is good and right was based on the morality he was taught by Valkorian.

Hmm, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think maybe we're just missing each other's points a little bit because we're talking about similar but slightly different things? I think maybe Siita and I mean something different than you when we talk about goodness. I get the impression that while you're talking about morality, Siita and I are talking about the innate essence of his character?

Because yes, the culture he grew up in and the lessons he was taught by it were obviously designed by Valkorion and much of it is clearly not healthy or morally sound. His morality as a Zakuulan Prince/Emperor is skewed, at best. Zakuul is a conquering, colonialist empire that exploits and subjugates other worlds (much like how Vitiate/Valkorion "devours" others). Empire unchecked is not something that most people would call "good". But I firmly believe that his true self (I don't know what else to call it without resorting to poetic terms like his soul, or his heart) was always good - it was just obscured by darkness for a while. And that, in my opinion, is what the Voss ritual cleansed in order for his own light to shine through. That doesn't mean that I don't think Arcann has character flaws that made him susceptible to Valkorion's manipulation. I think he is flawed and those flaws are part of what I love about him. As Senya puts in the letter we never got, "he always felt everything so strongly" ❤️

At the same time, I'm not sure I think that Arcann viewed himself as "good" in any sense of the word during his reign. While I don't think he would have called himself "evil", necessarily, I think he was well-aware that many of the things he did were cruel and tyrannical. I think he was just beyond caring at that point. He had the power he always wanted, yet nothing was the way he wanted it to be. He didn't have Thexan, he can't trust or rely upon Vaylin, he still isn't rid of Valkorion, etc. And he isn't kind to his own people. He lets Vaylin abuse the Knights and he exiles anyone who disagrees with him. I think he might have justified those things to himself as "necessary" or "inconsequential", but don't think he was delusional enough even then to truly believe those were "good" actions. There's a number of cutscenes in KOTFE where you see him brooding and sort of wallowing in grief and anger. To me, that indicates someone who is lost in their own darkness and unable to find their way out (Nahut-like), not someone who is on a mission that they misguidedly think is good.

10 hours ago, JakRoanin said:

It really bothers me that in these threads that alternate viewpoints are considered not loving the character. I love Arcann! I just see different things. If we all parrot each other how is that not boring?

To be fair, I don't think anyone implied that anyone loves the character less because of different viewpoints. That was certainly never my intention. Any disagreements we have in this thread are usually just a question of nuance, as far as I can tell. It's only because we all care so much that we're getting into these debates at all 🙂

Edited May 5, 2023 by witchglove

[JakRoanin]

First, I enjoy the replies here. I just think that saying the ritual works because he was innately "good" is oversimplifying the situation. That doesn't deny the existence of goodness, but choices are also at play here.

[witchglove]

Just now, JakRoanin said:

First, I enjoy the replies here. I just think that saying the ritual works because he was innately "good" is oversimplifying the situation. That doesn't deny the existence of goodness, but choices are also at play here.

But can't both things be true? Couldn't the ritual allow his innate goodness to shine through in order for him to make better choices down the road? I think maybe we're actually saying almost the same thing 🙂

I also enjoy these discussions! It's interesting to talk about how we even define goodness, too. It's not a simple thing to define what we mean by "good" or "evil" at all. And I'm just happy that people are posting in this thread and talking about Arcann 😊

[JakRoanin]

Yes of course both things are true. That said, I think it's important to note that even the worst people have something good about them. Historical figures such as Hitler and Stalin were capable of positive actions and did them. So, I guess what I mean is Arcann's innate goodness was there, and yes, it helps the Ritual work, but he made choices contrary to that goodness and also made choices based on a skewed concept of what was good. I'm an INFJ I want to wade into the mess of his life.

Now, as my JC my primary Arcann lens I'll go through her. One of the unique lines JC has in the Chapter with Valkorian "introducing" the current reality, JC says,... "They aren't like your other 'children' they have free will." And that is so important to me.

[Siita]

12 hours ago, witchglove said:

Let's analyse it together! I hope other people want to join in. And yes, we are absolutely over-analysing a very minor detail, but that is what fans do, so let's just have fun with it 🙂

I think there's a lot there to suggest an informal and intimate conversation.

• They are sitting! I'm stupidly excited over that discovery 😄If this was a short debriefing about his mission, surely they would be standing. You would only sit down for a longer, more serious or more intimate conversation. Arcann must be telling the Commander something important here.
• Sitting side by side rather than face-to-face is probably the most common way to signal friendship/being on the same side. I've read somewhere that it's especially common for men to use this position to establish a sense of companionship as opposed to competition (women supposedly use a face-to-face orientation more often than men in friendly conversations). I have no idea if that's true, but I do think it's true that sitting opposite each other is much more common in formal settings like interviews, exams, briefings - all situations where there is a work relationship, an unequal power dynamic or where someone has to perform.
• The Commander is turning to Arcann in a way that indicates to me that Arcann is speaking in this scene, maybe revealing something significant he has discovered on his mission or maybe saying something personal? Looking over at someone you sit side-by-side with like that strikes me as something you would do if you're very engaged in the conversation, maybe taken aback by something the other person said, or if you were trying to make eye contact/read their facial expression.
• Their hands appear to be resting on their legs. That could just be a relaxed posture or maybe they are meditating?
• Are they sitting on the floor or are they sitting on something? I can't really tell. If it's the former, then that would also make me think of meditation.

 

These are outstanding takes!

I don't believe we are reading too much into it.  It makes a big difference, IMHO, in regard to formality if you are sitting versus standing!  Great point about the fact that they're also sitting next to each other as that indicates a friendly, more intimate relationship than if you were standing, face-to-face.  

I'm immensely happy that Arcann is being not only featured in the ongoing storyline of this wonderful game, but also that the devs are making a point to bring it up that he's returning.  I know quite a few people that adore this character and find his story to be as captivating as we do.  Talk about a great redemption story. 💖

[Siita]

On a side note, I wonder where @Eshvara and the other thread founders are and what they've been up to.  If they haven't been around the game, I'm wondering if they had a chance to experience all of the wonderful Arcann scenes that have come out over the years now.  😭

[witchglove]

2 hours ago, Siita said:

On a side note, I wonder where @Eshvara and the other thread founders are and what they've been up to.  If they haven't been around the game, I'm wondering if they had a chance to experience all of the wonderful Arcann scenes that have come out over the years now.  😭

I've been wondering about that, too. I hope they'll return some day to experience everything they might have missed and then blow up this thread with joy 😄I also miss @Iheaca. She wrote awesome fanfic and posts 🙂

I don't really do Tumblr (I'm too old and I miss livejournal), but I sometimes have a feeling that the Arcann fandom (small as it probably is) has migrated over there?

3 hours ago, JakRoanin said:

Yes of course both things are true. That said, I think it's important to note that even the worst people have something good about them. Historical figures such as Hitler and Stalin were capable of positive actions and did them. So, I guess what I mean is Arcann's innate goodness was there, and yes, it helps the Ritual work, but he made choices contrary to that goodness and also made choices based on a skewed concept of what was good. I'm an INFJ I want to wade into the mess of his life.

Now, as my JC my primary Arcann lens I'll go through her. One of the unique lines JC has in the Chapter with Valkorian "introducing" the current reality, JC says,... "They aren't like your other 'children' they have free will." And that is so important to me.

I agree. I don't think anything you said here contradicts anything I said previously... Of course free will exists and of course no one is entirely composed of good or evil. Someone with a good heart can make bad choices, or be consumed by darkness due to the things that happen to them, and need help to find their way back to their true selves - I think that was the case for Arcann. I would never suggest that anyone, or anything, is entirely good or bad. I think everyone is capable of both (studies on the psychology of evil indicate the same) and that is expressed very well through Arcann's story. Duality is something that is inherent to his character (as symbolised by the mask, among other things). It's that complexity that interests me, personally.

I'm an INTJ. I also want to wade into the mess of his life - as well as scrutinise and analyse every single particle of it 😉 What Myers-Briggs type do you think Arcann is? I think we might actually have talked about it forever ago in this thread.

Edited May 5, 2023 by witchglove

[Siita]

Also, before I forget, I wanted to write a list down of things that I am going to campaign for so that they get included in the game!

• Zakuulan jukebox that plays the music from Vaylin's party in the Dragon's Maw chapter
• KOTFE/KOTET jukebox that plays the epic musical motifs from the two expansions... the iconic music
• Zakuulan stronghold that is NOT simply just Kaliyo's apartment
• Arcann's dark/light customizations on an accessible vendor, not locked behind a currency that you currently can't obtain
• More Zakuulan decorations (there are some really beautiful decos in the palace that I'd love to have!)
• Zakuulan skins for various droids (perhaps a skin for T7 that gives him the look of a Zakuul palace droid?)
• Skytrooper-themed droid armor set(s) - it is incredibly annoying to try to create a Skytrooper look for our player characters with the sets that we currently have

What are you all interested in seeing?

Edited May 5, 2023 by Siita

[Siita]

Oh, I almost forgot that I desperately want to see the devs update the loot table/upgrade the rewards gained from doing both Star Fortress missions and the Eternal Championship!! 

[JakRoanin]

I would guess (and I am by no means an expert) that Arcann falls into either an INFP or an ISFP. He strikes me as someone who jumps first and then worries about the landing. He's introverted, but not shy, he's way too impulsive, and he doesn't seem to rely on a set structure or routine. 

I always need more decos, so. China Hutch filled with goodies. Updated chandeliers with sparkly crystals, and vases full of exotic flora.

[cosmicchar]

I took the 16 personalities test a couple times, answering how I interpret Arcann and I got ISFJ and ISTJ.

Arcann seems extremely driven, earnest, and defined by his inner purpose. In KOTFE, he aims to kill his father and expand Zakuul. In LS KOTET, he's committed to atoning for his violent past. I'm extremely moved whenever he talks about doing whatever it takes (so moved that I've memorized many of his lines 😄)

Brothers short story:

"How much are you willing to give?" "Everything."

KOTFE:

"I struggled for years, sacrificed everything, even the life of my brother, trying to win such an invitation."

Whispers in the Force:

"I would appreciate any support that can be spared, but the decision is yours. And you know I will do whatever you ask of me."

So I think his emotions, especially anger, makes him impulsive, and in KOTFE it blinds him and pushes him to commit his most violent actions like bombing 5 planets. But the impulse is always driven towards what his goal is.

On 5/5/2023 at 12:17 PM, Siita said:

Also, before I forget, I wanted to write a list down of things that I am going to campaign for so that they get included in the game!

• Zakuulan jukebox that plays the music from Vaylin's party in the Dragon's Maw chapter
• KOTFE/KOTET jukebox that plays the epic musical motifs from the two expansions... the iconic music
• Zakuulan stronghold that is NOT simply just Kaliyo's apartment
• Arcann's dark/light customizations on an accessible vendor, not locked behind a currency that you currently can't obtain
• More Zakuulan decorations (there are some really beautiful decos in the palace that I'd love to have!)
• Zakuulan skins for various droids (perhaps a skin for T7 that gives him the look of a Zakuul palace droid?)
• Skytrooper-themed droid armor set(s) - it is incredibly annoying to try to create a Skytrooper look for our player characters with the sets that we currently have

What are you all interested in seeing?

More Arcann customizations. Not full outfit slots---a "Arcann customization 3" to put in the customization slot. This mission was a good opportunity to give him a more casual look, suitable for rugged terrain

Ever since PH4-LNX was introduced I wanted a GEMINI droid customization for her, since she was one. That sun crown thing they have on their heads is very cool.

More pike lightsabers. Love the look of the three current ones, especially when it extends when drawn. And Onderon Guardian's has an incredible metallic sound

[cosmicchar]

On 5/4/2023 at 8:53 PM, witchglove said:

About the picture: I think they could be meditating! I would think however that Arcann is more than familiar with meditation techniques. He had no problem using the holocron to join us within our mind in the final chapter of KOTET. We also know that he trained with both Knights and Scions, and I assume that since both Sith, Jedi and Voss meditate as a way of connecting with the Force, Zakuul Force sensitives would as well. They could very well be examining/meditating on something he brought back from his mission in this scene, I think!

Ah, I hadn't considered that. There's also entering Satele's mindscape in Echoes.

But I see those more as him just entering a Force mindscape, since he's powerful enough in the Force to do so.

I think meditation, definitely for Jedi, implies requiring a sense of inner peace. Also focusing on the present, but Arcann is very conflicted about the past, so he's not entirely there. Getting there though--his letter after Echoes says how he feels hope about the future for the first time.

Maybe meditation techniques are very different for Jedi, Sith, Voss, Knights? So Jedi and Voss are extremely difficult for him because those are focused on peace, but Sith and Knights are easier, because those are more focused on power and passion. 

Edited May 7, 2023 by cosmicchar

[JakRoanin]

I think it's important to remember that while the SW's galaxy has a lot of parallels to ours, things still work differently. Meditation is one of those things. Meditation in SW's has different types, different uses, different purposes. Even within certain Force traditions, ie. Jedi or Sith, Meditation can do different things. 

For Arcann, the best type of meditation in the beginning of his healing is just to thoroughly immerse himself in the energy of living things. Or to use Jedi terminology, The Living Force. It isn't even an exclusively Jedi technique. Sith do it too, mostly to bolster their own power, but the technique is the same, just the goal differs.

Personally, I want to see Arcann, Senya, and Scourge have some scenes together. He's a great character first, and second, he'll get it, and not coddle or patronize them.

[Siita]

22 hours ago, cosmicchar said:

I took the 16 personalities test a couple times, answering how I interpret Arcann and I got ISFJ and ISTJ.

Yes!! I recently went on a super long epic road trip with @witchglove and while we were on our adventure, we decided to do the personality test on Arcann as well.  I think that's also what we got for him!  @witchglovedo you remember?  That's awesome!

 

22 hours ago, cosmicchar said:

More Arcann customizations. Not full outfit slots---a "Arcann customization 3" to put in the customization slot. This mission was a good opportunity to give him a more casual look, suitable for rugged terrain

Ever since PH4-LNX was introduced I wanted a GEMINI droid customization for her, since she was one. That sun crown thing they have on their heads is very cool.

More pike lightsabers. Love the look of the three current ones, especially when it extends when drawn. And Onderon Guardian's has an incredible metallic sound

LOVE this!

I absolutely would love more Arcann customizations, especially a more casual look that is a bit better at blending in with the 'crowds' lol.  😬

The first thing that I thought of when I saw PH4-LNX and then read her back story was how much I would LOVE to get a GEMINI skin for her.  I still want it!!

I was just telling @witchglove the other day how much I wanted to get the Zakuul Knight version of the pike added into the game.  Although it is strikingly similar to Senya's pike, I still want it! 

We're so glad you're here in the thread talking with us, @cosmicchar ! 🙂

[JakRoanin]

My dad is an ISTJ and I don't think it fits our boy, but again I'm no expert. I really believe that he's far too emotional to be a T type. That's not to say he's not a thinker. He's exceptionally intelligent. But I definitely class him as an F type. 

[cosmicchar]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:10 PM, JakRoanin said:

I think it's important to remember that while the SW's galaxy has a lot of parallels to ours, things still work differently. Meditation is one of those things. Meditation in SW's has different types, different uses, different purposes. Even within certain Force traditions, ie. Jedi or Sith, Meditation can do different things. 

For Arcann, the best type of meditation in the beginning of his healing is just to thoroughly immerse himself in the energy of living things. Or to use Jedi terminology, The Living Force. It isn't even an exclusively Jedi technique. Sith do it too, mostly to bolster their own power, but the technique is the same, just the goal differs.

Personally, I want to see Arcann, Senya, and Scourge have some scenes together. He's a great character first, and second, he'll get it, and not coddle or patronize them.

I'm now imagining Arcann on Odessen, pacing around on the clifftop where Unmasked Regret happens. He went there on a whim once, because he felt that his presence was disturbing a lot of Alliance members. But then, he starts to go there often, whenever he's feeling conflicted, because he discovers that the view of the Alliance base in the distance and the feeling of the Living Force energy of everyone there brings him some inner peace.

4 hours ago, JakRoanin said:

My dad is an ISTJ and I don't think it fits our boy, but again I'm no expert. I really believe that he's far too emotional to be a T type. That's not to say he's not a thinker. He's exceptionally intelligent. But I definitely class him as an F type. 

I'm no expert either, so I'm going off what the personality test summary said. I'm conflicted on whether he's F or T. Arcann is intensely emotional, but he also broods over this thoughts a lot which seems to be more of a T type. 

Edited May 9, 2023 by cosmicchar

[cosmicchar]

6 hours ago, Siita said:

I absolutely would love more Arcann customizations, especially a more casual look that is a bit better at blending in with the 'crowds' lol.  😬

A more low-key outfit makes sense for his story now, but Arcann is too iconic to blend in completely with the crowd 😄

6 hours ago, Siita said:

We're so glad you're here in the thread talking with us, @cosmicchar ! 🙂

Glad to be here! I've been looking for a place to discuss my favorite character with some other people.

[JakRoanin]

As an INFJ I can confidently state that brooding is part of being introverted. Arcann definitely is an introvert. Now, Vaylin she's an ESFP through and through. As for Thexan because his defining trait is calm confidence, perhaps an ENTJ, possibly Taking after Senya.

[witchglove]

 

On 5/7/2023 at 11:18 PM, cosmicchar said:

I think meditation, definitely for Jedi, implies requiring a sense of inner peace. Also focusing on the present, but Arcann is very conflicted about the past, so he's not entirely there. Getting there though--his letter after Echoes says how he feels hope about the future for the first time.

Maybe meditation techniques are very different for Jedi, Sith, Voss, Knights? So Jedi and Voss are extremely difficult for him because those are focused on peace, but Sith and Knights are easier, because those are more focused on power and passion. 

Oh yes, I agree that he could absolutely learn something from Jedi techniques about achieving inner peace! I headcanon scenes like that myself for him and my JK, so I also agree that it would be very sweet to see something like it in game (if we had class-specific romance scenes) 🙂I also like to think that it would be a mutual learning experience, however, as in he would also have things to teach her, or be able to offer perspectives/techniques she wouldn't have considered before. I just love Force-users in Star Wars and find it really interesting to think about how they perceive the Force, so in general I would love to know more about Arcann's experiences and views on it. I remember watching Star Wars movies as a kid and desperately wanting to know what it meant when Luke was to told to 'reach out with his feelings', what it felt like to perceive things through the Force, etc. 😊

On 5/8/2023 at 2:10 AM, JakRoanin said:

For Arcann, the best type of meditation in the beginning of his healing is just to thoroughly immerse himself in the energy of living things. Or to use Jedi terminology, The Living Force. It isn't even an exclusively Jedi technique. Sith do it too, mostly to bolster their own power, but the technique is the same, just the goal differs.

This is what I had in mind when I said that I believe Arcann would already be fairly practiced at meditation. In order to be as proficient with the Force as he is, I figure he must find it fairly easy to immerse himself in that cosmic/universal energy.

[witchglove]

23 hours ago, Siita said:

Yes!! I recently went on a super long epic road trip with @witchglove and while we were on our adventure, we decided to do the personality test on Arcann as well.  I think that's also what we got for him!  @witchglovedo you remember?  That's awesome!

I'm loving this discussion on personality types! I'm by no means a professional or expert at this either, but I am huge C.G. Jung and Myers-briggs nerd, so I've read a couple of the books. For me, I think the most important take-away from reading the books as opposed to just taking the test is that the theory is much more complex than just 16 personality types. Each type has a set of cognitive functions that determine how information is absorbed, processed, and used to make decisions. So, if we're going to use the theory as Jung intended it, we should be looking at how Arcann makes decisions, for one thing. I think this is important, because it means that being 'introverted' vs. 'extroverted' isn't just about how social or outgoing someone is, but about whether their thinking, feeling, and sensing is focused inwards or outwards. For example, I think it's clear that Arcann uses introverted thinking. Introverted thinkers rely on inner logic whereas extroverted thinkers are all about gathering information/data. There are a number of cutscenes in KOTFE where we see Arcann quietly thinking while on the throne, sometimes to Vaylin's frustration (she tries several times to get him to jump into action). Introverted thinkers tend to be innovative and clever, less prone to doing things 'by the book'. That also fits Arcann, in my opinion.

Similarly, feeling can be introverted or extroverted. Introverted feeling is directed inwards towards an inner sense of identity, values, etc. while extroverted feeling is directed outwards towards other people. I'm less sure about this, but I think Arcann might use extroverted feeling (which doesn't mean he isn't an introvert as a person - I absolutely think he is. All FJ types are extroverted feelers). Introverted feelers base decisions on their own gut instinct. Extroverted feelers look outside themselves and consider how their decisions impact others and how others will respond to the decision. Both pre- and post-redemption, Arcann seems to me to focus feeling outwards, towards others. He wants Valky's approval at first, and later he wants to do his duty by the Alliance and is greatly concerned with not letting the Commander down.

The question is whether thinking or feeling is his dominant funciton. I'm not really sure myself. It's important to keep in mind, too, that no one is 100% one or the other. There are gradations. For example, I always test as an INTJ, but I'm only just a tiny bit more of a thinker than a feeler. Whereas another INTJ might be far more of a thinker than a feeler.

So, in answer to @Siita's question: I cannot remember what result we got, but I'm also pretty sure it was either ISTJ or ISFJ. In this thread, we all seem to agree on the I as the first letter. It would also be interesting to look at the differences between S and N (sensing vs. intuitive cognitive function) and how they apply to Arcann, but I'll stop for now.

I do want to say when it comes to Arcann being emotional that I definitely DON'T see him as impulsive in the sense that he just randomly explodes or makes decisions based on sudden whims of feeling. He's FAR from an 'emotion bomb', in my opinion. @Siita and I have talked about how we see his emotion as more a slow simmer coming gradually to a boil and THAT'S where it can erupt into something disastrous (like attacking Valky and ending up killing Thexan, or deciding to bomb 5 planets to dust). Oh, and of course we have to consider the fact that Arcann's MBTI type might change depending on whether we're talking Dark Side or Light Side. Jung made a point of saying that someone's personality is NOT set in stone and if the Shadow-self takes over (which is basically what happens in Star Wars when someone falls to the Dark Side), it can become the opposite of what it would otherwise be. LS Arcann strikes me as very stoic and someone with a very high degree of emotional control.

 Sorry for the massive nerdy rant 😄

Edited May 9, 2023 by witchglove