Arcann romance appreciation thread! Haters keep out please!❤

[Siita]

18 minutes ago, JakRoanin said:

Okay my thing right now is I'm having a Heraldic Crises! @witchglove You, my Arthurian lover will empathize with me. I have two "Heraldic" outfits for my JC. One is the Wicked Huntress set dyed white/light grey and the other is a mixed set including the romantically ugly Arcann-made chest piece @Siita (don't yell at me that chest piece is ugly) mixed with other Zakuul and Jedi pieces again dyed in Arcann's colors. The problem, Wicked Huntress does not look good in Arcann's colors.  It dulls the gold, and the textures. But I want the Heraldic look what-do? 

Ahhhh! Can you post pictures somehow?  Have any way to link it?  I have to see this!

[Goreshaga]

34 minutes ago, JakRoanin said:

Okay my thing right now is I'm having a Heraldic Crises! @witchglove You, my Arthurian lover will empathize with me. I have two "Heraldic" outfits for my JC. One is the Wicked Huntress set dyed white/light grey and the other is a mixed set including the romantically ugly Arcann-made chest piece @Siita (don't yell at me that chest piece is ugly) mixed with other Zakuul and Jedi pieces again dyed in Arcann's colors. The problem, Wicked Huntress does not look good in Arcann's colors.  It dulls the gold, and the textures. But I want the Heraldic look what-do? 

Maybe pieces from the Ruthless Scion or maybe Zakuulan Security could work ?

Wanted to suggest pieces from the Scion armor that you can buy on Odessen, but it seems the golden patterns do die, so it may not be what you're looking for if you want to keep them in gold color.

[JakRoanin]

I hesitate to use any Scion gear given Arcann's thorny past with them. I already use pieces from the Zakuulan Security set with the romantically ugly chest piece. Honestly it wouldn't be a problem if we could customize Arcann's gear! 😖

[Goreshaga]

8 minutes ago, JakRoanin said:

I hesitate to use any Scion gear given Arcann's thorny past with them. I already use pieces from the Zakuulan Security set with the romantically ugly chest piece. Honestly it wouldn't be a problem if we could customize Arcann's gear! 😖

I can understand. That being said, i can't recall ever meeting any actual Scion wearing anything remotedly similar to the Ruthless Scion armor, so other than the name of the outfit, which is of little influence, there's no real reason parts of that one could not work.

Yeah not fan of that armor either, especially since it's just a chestpiece. I personally use the Resilient Warden set with a Deck Officer dye on my SW who romances Arcann and HC that this is the armor he made for her (i just wish they didn't give that armor to Malora, as it kinda ruins the HC and it looks much better on my SW, what's worse is Malora doesn't even need an armor as she's not a fighter...)

[JakRoanin]

If I could just Dye Arcann's gear I wouldn't be miserable about this. I get the symbolism and it's great stuff, but I have a love/hate relationship with the color white.

[Siita]

You might not like this look, but it is one of my favorites as of late:

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1047290636103077899/1111128232872394813/image.png

 

Helmet:  Conquered Exarch Powered

Chest:  Apex Sovereign

Bracers:  Wicked Huntress

Gloves:  Conquered Exarch Powered

Belt:  Cartel Prospect

Pants:  Wicked Huntress

Boots:  Charged Hypercloth Aegis (craftable, pubside look)

 

Another option that I've been toying with for a more informal look replaces the chestpiece above for the Romex Aegis chest (or the Dreamsilk Aegis for more "robes" near the waist) (craftable):

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1047290636103077899/1116800656121024553/image.png

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1047290636103077899/1116800424536707102/image.png

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1047290636103077899/1116800809796116530/image.png

[Goreshaga]

24 minutes ago, JakRoanin said:

If I could just Dye Arcann's gear I wouldn't be miserable about this. I get the symbolism and it's great stuff, but I have a love/hate relationship with the color white.

Do you really want to be color coordinated ?

You could always dye your character's outfit in light/dark gray or gray/black, you'd still be in line with the usual Zakuulan colors and would be free from white.

It's too bad we can't have the color that Arcann's DS outfit has but on a non DS customization, so he'd look like the normal look, but with a dark gray outfit, which would also be nice as it would be an in-between of his own color and Thexan's.

 

Oh just thought about that the Shikaakwan Royalty set could work for what you're looking for, it looks great with the Force Trainee dye, but it also look quite nice with a pale gray/dark gray one (which look very close to white on that outfit), and the golden parts don't dye, and it looks great on a female toon.

Edited June 12, 2023 by Goreshaga

[JakRoanin]

Well, not all of my outfits are Heraldic. I love color too much for that!🥰 But until I can actually change Arcann's clothes, I think it's romantic to have coordinating outfits. My BH and Theron run around in black/red gear and it's sooo sexy! 🤩 

@Siita I haven't figured out how to upload screenshots from STEAM grrr. 

[Siita]

To quote Director Krennic:

"Oh, it's BEAUTIFUL"

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/909498707911786547/1117894737173692527/VossArcannTomorrow.gif

👏👏👏👏👏

[cosmicchar]

12 hours to goooo!!!

While I do love the symbolic meaning of Arcann's armor gift, the Knight armor design is the only Zakuulan-related thing I dislike. Looks too bulky in some places and not enough plating in others. Senya's armor is better.

My character does have a gold color scheme to complement Arcann's. Gloves and boots from Ossus Explorer, and both wield yellow lightsabers.

 

[Siita]

37 minutes ago, cosmicchar said:

12 hours to goooo!!!

I still can't believe this is happening 🙌

I should probably "try to sleep", but I'm not sure how well that's going to go 😂 How on earth are you going to focus at work tomorrow, @cosmicchar?!  😆

[Siita]

HYPE DAY!!!

We're streaming KOTFE/KOTET while we wait for servers to come up in case anyone wants to come hang out.

PlatformSixCantina - Twitch

THIS IS HAPPENING 🤯

[Siita]

Servers are LIVE!!  I can't believe we get to see Arcann again RIGHT NOW 🙌

7.3 HYPE!!!!

[JakRoanin]

11 hours ago, Siita said:

I still can't believe this is happening 🙌

I should probably "try to sleep", but I'm not sure how well that's going to go 😂 How on earth are you going to focus at work tomorrow, @cosmicchar?!  😆

Well, day-to-day life is important. I just woke up and still washed my face and brushed my teeth. Now I must wait for the Download.

[JakRoanin]

omg HAPPY TEARS, HAPPY TEARS, HAPPY TEARS!😂 

[witchglove]

I'm so unbelievably happy. The moments we had with Arcann gave me everything I hoped to see. I'm almost at a loss for words right now. But this thread needs to stay front page for awhile. We should do what we can to let the Devs know how grateful we are for this gift. They couldn't possibly have done Arcann more justice with these scenes. I'm not going to lie: I cried.

Also: thank you, thank you, thank you Devs, for also giving us so much wonderful Sana-Rae content. I love her.

Some slightly more coherent thoughts in the spoiler tags (PLEASE don't read if you haven't played 7.3 for yourselves yet!)

MASSIVE 7.3 SPOILERS:

Spoiler

 

1. His smile: The way he smiles only at a romanced character when he turns around - exactly like @Siita and I said we hoped it would be in our last Proclamation! I absolutely love that his smiles are so rare and so significant. And of course, the way they rushed towards each other in the moment of reunion, followed by that sweet kiss and gazing into each other's eyes...
2. The hug: I've begged the Devs for a chance to hug him for years and the one we just had was perfect. It was so much more profound than a second kiss would have been in that moment.
3. The quiet moment: That moment in the doorway where they step close to each other and close their eyes - that KILLED me. I interpreted that as them having a silent moment of communion through their bond. The connection between these two characters just runs so deep and transcends anything physical.
4. "You are so captivating". Nothing could have been more perfect than that line. It is so in character for Arcann not to comment on our character's beauty, but to say speak of his all-encompassing devotion and adoration instead.
5. His visions: I would never have dared to hope for this, but my wildest dream came true. I started writing a short story about Arcann's quest about a month ago with @Siita as my editor and betareader. Together, we came up with the idea that Arcann was going to have a vision of the Dark Planet and Nul's ruins. We wanted to explore how he would face up to the idea of prophecy and destiny, compared to his past hatred of the Scions. I wrote that he first had these visions after the healing ritual on Voss. My mind is BLOWN that the actual events of the game so closely mirrored what @Siita and I came up with. I don't even regret anymore that I failed to complete and publish this story before 7.3 landed. I'll be able to write the ending in a way that fits even better now.
6. The letter: the longest we've received yet! The thought of Sana-Rae introducing Arcann to her friends almost has me in tears again. He's making real connections with other people aside from Senya and our PC ❤️The growth of his character has just been so immense. I absolutely adored what he wrote about his growing empathy, even for strangers.

I missed all the discussion about outfits yesterday (but I appreciate you thinking of me regarding heraldry, @JakRoanin!). So what did you all end up wearing for our big moment?

Edited June 14, 2023 by witchglove

[Siita]

@witchgloveand I were supposed to be recording two Proclamations today regarding Old Wounds, however, we can barely get through reading Arcann's lines without choking up.

I couldn't even make it over here in one piece yesterday - Arcann's story just hits so hard and is SO immensely impacting.  I've been playing this game pretty much non-stop for the past (almost) 12 years now.  These characters mean very much to me and, seeing how perfectly the devs portrayed and continued Arcann's character growth and redemption arc in 7.3... well, it honestly makes me tear up just thinking about it.  

For me, personally, nothing else in Star Wars comes close to Arcann's journey from light - to darkness - to the light again.  This character truly brings me so much joy and pure happiness.

 

Arcann, you are so captivating... it is difficult to find the words to say how grateful I am for you.  👏

 

To the devs: THANK YOU, from the bottom of our hearts for this story.

[Goreshaga]

I want to thank you girls for posting the scenes with Arcann, and especially the romance related ones on YT as i'm so far away from being able to play it with my SW.

Can't wait to play that though, both from my JK's perspective who sees Arcann more and more like a brother (that and for the bit of Theron romance that i'll be able to get with her) and from my SW's perspective who romances him.

His scenes were great and the romance parts were perfect, i really enjoy his evolution and that they add variations in the romance scenes (like the hug here, which was great and i really enjoyed the kiss on the cheek from Theron at the beginning of EoO too). Quite like how often Arcann and the PC hold hands during their romance scenes, if i'm not mistaken that is only in his romance which is nice.

[JakRoanin]

3 hours ago, witchglove said:

I'm so unbelievably happy. The moments we had with Arcann gave me everything I hoped to see. I'm almost at a loss for words right now. But this thread needs to stay front page for awhile. We should do what we can to let the Devs know how grateful we are for this gift. They couldn't possibly have done Arcann more justice with these scenes. I'm not going to lie: I cried.

Also: thank you, thank you, thank you Devs, for also giving us so much wonderful Sana-Rae content. I love her.

Some slightly more coherent thoughts in the spoiler tags (PLEASE don't read if you haven't played 7.3 for yourselves yet!)

MASSIVE 7.3 SPOILERS:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

1. His smile: The way he smiles only at a romanced character when he turns around - exactly like @Siita and I said we hoped it would be in our last Proclamation! I absolutely love that his smiles are so rare and so significant. And of course, the way they rushed towards each other in the moment of reunion, followed by that sweet kiss and gazing into each other's eyes...
2. The hug: I've begged the Devs for a chance to hug him for years and the one we just had was perfect. It was so much more profound than a second kiss would have been in that moment.
3. The quiet moment: That moment in the doorway where they step close to each other and close their eyes - that KILLED me. I interpreted that as them having a silent moment of communion through their bond. The connection between these two characters just runs so deep and transcends anything physical.
4. "You are so captivating". Nothing could have been more perfect than that line. It is so in character for Arcann not to comment on our character's beauty, but to say speak of his all-encompassing devotion and adoration instead.
5. His visions: I would never have dared to hope for this, but my wildest dream came true. I started writing a short story about Arcann's quest about a month ago with @Siita as my editor and betareader. Together, we came up with the idea that Arcann was going to have a vision of the Dark Planet and Nul's ruins. We wanted to explore how he would face up to the idea of prophecy and destiny, compared to his past hatred of the Scions. I wrote that he first had these visions after the healing ritual on Voss. My mind is BLOWN that the actual events of the game so closely mirrored what @Siita and I came up with. I don't even regret anymore that I failed to complete and publish this story before 7.3 landed. I'll be able to write the ending in a way that fits even better now.
6. The letter: the longest we've received yet! The thought of Sana-Rae introducing Arcann to her friends almost has me in tears again. He's making real connections with other people aside from Senya and our PC ❤️The growth of his character has just been so immense. I absolutely adored what he wrote about his growing empathy, even for strangers.

I missed all the discussion about outfits yesterday (but I appreciate you thinking of me regarding heraldry, @JakRoanin!). So what did you all end up wearing for our big moment?

Hi! So, my JC, Gia-Sade wore the following during Old Wounds:

 

Headpiece: Voss Ambassador's Headband

Bracers: Wicked Huntress

Chest piece: Arcann's gift. (I might cave in and buy the non-scuffed version) The scuffs set off my OCD so badly.

Gloves: Wicked Huntress

Boots: Berserker Boots. (I really like the light armored high boots)

Belt: Zakuulan Security

Greaves: Wicked Huntress

Dye White/Light Grey

Lightsaber: War Forged with Teal crystal

It looks pretty good. But I have to dye my entire Wicked Huntress outfit minus Headpiece another color the texture just does not work with White.

[Ahwassa]

God his romance part was done perfectly. 

The hug at the end - so cute!!!

 

I just wish the devs had the ressurces to do such intimate moments with all the other romances.

[JakRoanin]

Okay, since we did get a Theron flirt, (I know Arcann thread, but bear with me Ladies I'm getting there) I had to rush my Lovely Mando BH through the beginning to get a little time with her hubby. It is rare to get more than one romantic thingie in an update. But, I really liked her scene with Arcann too! They're not "super close" but she was so friendly and genuinely encouraging. And at the end when Arcann does his signature move with the hand over his chest bow, and she bows back it finally felt like it wasn't a subservient gesture but mutual respect and support.

[cosmicchar]

This update was so beautiful and emotional! It’s taken me a day to find the words because I have so many thoughts.

Spoiler

This changed how I look at the Voss healing ritual scene in KOTET. Previously, even though I liked the way it was, I still felt like it was rushed. I wanted to change it so it only heals him physically. Wow, your entire lifetime of rage can be healed by other people in one Force ritual? How does that healing even work? I love how this new explanation of the ritual emphasizes the internal work that he did during the ritual itself. It was his reaction to all those visions that made him want to change.

Such detail in the animations too! The way Arcann still stands in that signature formal pose, hands behind his back. His fist clench and shaking when he talks about the suffering he’s caused. When he closes his eyes during their hug...so precious

AND HIS LETTER. Love how he is reaching out to the Mystics, independently of the player. He’s doing it by himself, but he’s not doing it alone. Of course, I would’ve liked to be there to support him, but this way it makes him more singular. He has interactions with other people outside of the player.

That line about his newfound feeling of compassion for strangers. This is exactly what I envision him becoming, years down the line. An immensely serious and earnest man, but also can be warm, compassionate. Perhaps eventually becoming a wise role model, for those who struggle with darkness.

The romance line said by the player character puts it best. He has such strength and sincerity. Such dedication to making amends for his mistakes, even if it takes his entire life, even if he can’t fully make amends. I’m so inspired by him, to act in real life with such accountability. Arcann, you are the one who is captivating.

The non-romance scene is perfect too. The way he walks out through the doorway, after finally voicing confidence in himself for the first time, that he is going in the right direction, with the player character smiling after him. It's so hopeful. This totally fulfilled my wish of seeing him with the newfound confidence suggested in his letter after Echoes of Oblivion.

Thank you so much to the devs for continuing this man’s story. For me, there is no other character that comes close to Arcann and his level of profoundness.

[JakRoanin]

I am just so thrilled that Arcann is so interesting with or without a romance. They need to do that more with our other comps. Not to take away from the Arcann-ness but I admit I do think that if Kira had joined us as well it would be even more rich. Two children of the Emperor in totally different ways... Kira could also be an excellent support for him. Sorry, I adore Kira and this story is so tied to her, as well. Don't hate me.

[witchglove]

51 minutes ago, cosmicchar said:

This update was so beautiful and emotional! It’s taken me a day to find the words because I have so many thoughts.

  Reveal hidden contents

This changed how I look at the Voss healing ritual scene in KOTET. Previously, even though I liked the way it was, I still felt like it was rushed. I wanted to change it so it only heals him physically. Wow, your entire lifetime of rage can be healed by other people in one Force ritual? How does that healing even work? I love how this new explanation of the ritual emphasizes the internal work that he did during the ritual itself. It was his reaction to all those visions that made him want to change.

Such detail in the animations too! The way Arcann still stands in that signature formal pose, hands behind his back. His fist clench and shaking when he talks about the suffering he’s caused. When he closes his eyes during their hug...so precious

AND HIS LETTER. Love how he is reaching out to the Mystics, independently of the player. He’s doing it by himself, but he’s not doing it alone. Of course, I would’ve liked to be there to support him, but this way it makes him more singular. He has interactions with other people outside of the player.

That line about his newfound feeling of compassion for strangers. This is exactly what I envision him becoming, years down the line. An immensely serious and earnest man, but also can be warm, compassionate. Perhaps eventually becoming a wise role model, for those who struggle with darkness.

The romance line said by the player character puts it best. He has such strength and sincerity. Such dedication to making amends for his mistakes, even if it takes his entire life, even if he can’t fully make amends. I’m so inspired by him, to act in real life with such accountability. Arcann, you are the one who is captivating.

The non-romance scene is perfect too. The way he walks out through the doorway, after finally voicing confidence in himself for the first time, that he is going in the right direction, with the player character smiling after him. It's so hopeful. This totally fulfilled my wish of seeing him with the newfound confidence suggested in his letter after Echoes of Oblivion.

Thank you so much to the devs for continuing this man’s story. For me, there is no other character that comes close to Arcann and his level of profoundness.

You put this so beautifully it made me go watch the whole scene one more time. It hits just as hard with every re-watch ❤️

Spoiler

I couldn't agree more that this scene expanded upon the Voss healing ritual in the best possible way. It gave Arcann more agency in his redemption and went a long way to explain the change in his behaviour, which I know some people felt was too abrupt at the time. I've seen people refer to it as being "magically fixed" or even "brainwashed", and I am so glad we now have solid evidence that it was nothing of the sort. I also feel that this establishes Arcann's fundamental goodness beyond any doubt. Only a man who is truly good and compassionate at his core would be so fundamentally impacted by witnessing the consequences of his (and his father's) cruelty. I don't believe the ritual could have had the same effect on someone evil or callous at heart.

And again, the fact that his mind is now open to visions is immensely interesting to me and opens up so many possibilities for future development!  

 

6 hours ago, JakRoanin said:

And at the end when Arcann does his signature move with the hand over his chest bow, and she bows back it finally felt like it wasn't a subservient gesture but mutual respect and support.

Spoiler

Yes! I loved this! It was the perfect way to demonstrate that the 'fealty' he has sworn to her goes both ways. 

I've wanted our character to say something back to him for a while now, too - not necessarily 'I love you', but something more passionate than the initial 'I care about you' from Unmasked Regret. Echoing Arcann's 'I'm yours' (from his letter) was the perfect touch. And her expression during the hug was wonderful. You could really see the impact his words had on her.

Something else I really liked after exploring all of his possible responses...

Spoiler

If you treat him cruelly in Digging Deeper and tell him not to return unless he is successful, he greets you in an entirely different and much colder manner. He also reminds you of what you said to him. I loved seeing that there are limits to what he will silently accept from the Commander!

 

Edited June 14, 2023 by witchglove

[cosmicchar]

I think I've rewatched these two scenes a dozen times already. Somehow every time I get more and more emotional.

26 minutes ago, witchglove said:

Something else I really liked after exploring all of his possible responses...

Spoiler

I loved those responses too! I've been wanting him to be more like he was in KOTET, not completely letting cruel dialogue choices get to him. Indeed, he does have limits and this shows how much he's grown.

Not only does Arcann have agency throughout his redemption entirely, the dual bow clearly shows mutual respect.

This update singlehandedly resolves any possible misgiving people could have towards Arcann's redemption.