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Is Bail Organa secretly an absolute idiot?
Wexter
26-Nov-2022, 4:01 PM
26-Nov-2022 4:01 PM
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I hope the topic title doesn't get me in trouble around here, but please, hear me out.
It has been shown time and time again in various media, that Bail Organa's heart is very much in the right place, but what about his head? Some of the content that came out this year seems to raise serious concerns.
In chronological order, the first major culprit is Resolve, the final episode of the Tales of the Jedi animated miniseries. If you look at its events strictly from the imperial perspective, Bail's actions seem very careless. First the Empire receive a report of a suspected Jedi presence on Mon-Hella. They send out an inquisitor, who goes missing. Some time later senator Organa, a known Jedi sympathiser, just lands there with his flagship to do whatever.
The Obi-Wan Kenobi series depict several instances of Bail acting extremely foolishly, with his ill-advised phone call to Obi-Wan in Episode 5 being perhaps the main offender. But in context of the larger continuity, it goes deeper than that. The Rebels show previously established, that it was senator Organa, who confirmed Kenobi being killed (which in itself seems very suspicious and at the very least Reva wasn't too convinced). But then the Empire officially finds out that Kenobi was indeed alive as late as 9 BBY, which really makes it seem like they should have some questions for the impetuous senator.
I realize these discrepancies are more than likely the result of flawed writing and Bail is not really meant to be stupid, but now I kinda want Andor Season 2 to make a plot point of Luthen refusing to work with Bail Organa because of the massive bullseye that man managed to paint on his own back. It also doesn't reflect all too well on Tarkin, who really should have taken Bail in for questioning before ordering his planet to be destroyed.
What do you guys think? Is this something that could somehow be worked into the actual canon, either by establishing Bail as a very unreliable ally or perhaps making his actions somehow make sense, or is this not an issue that needs to be addressed in any way?
Also, as a side-note, according to the currently available canon, Bail doesn't inform Ahsoka nor Obi-Wan of each other's being still around, despite being in contact with both of them. I can kinda see him wanting to keep Obi-Wan an absolute secret and until this year, we could just assume he didn't speak with Kenobi after the events of ROTS to even have a chance to mention Ahsoka to him. But then again, we could still somehow find out that Kenobi was actually well-aware of Ahsoka's survival.
Servii
26-Nov-2022 8:58 PM (Edited)
In his onscreen appearances, Bail was always kind of a non-character beyond the basic traits of being a good-hearted senator who likes the Jedi and democracy. But yeah, the new canon has unintentionally written him as kind of a doofus.
Besides the things you mentioned, there's also the fact that he sent Obi-Wan of all people to save his daughter when he has loads of money and influence at his disposal. Also, him sending his daughter directly into the Battle of Scarif is hugely incriminating. With stuff like that, it's a miracle he lasted as long as he did, and realistically, he would have been "disappeared" by the Empire much sooner.
But we can't turn back. Fear is their greatest defense. I doubt if the actual security there is any greater than it was on Aquilae or Sullust. And what there is is most likely directed towards a large-scale assault.
Prior to the dissolution of the Senate, Senators were fairly well protected by their status. You can piece the chronology together that the destruction of Alderaan is a direct result of Bail Organa's lack of appropriate subterfuge skills. They find his daughter on the ship with the stolen plans, Palpatine dissolves the Senate, and they destroy the planet with Bail on it (thought I don't know if they could be sure he was there at the time). So Alderaan is destroyed due to Bail Organa's cardlessness. That is my take anyway.
I find this topic hilarious. And I agree totally.
He's hopelessly naive or idealistic in a cartoony way. Pounding his fist gently while overlooking the amassed clone army at the end of AOTC. In Kenobi, he is flustered by a guest expressing indifference to slavery to the point his wife had to nudge him down.
He comes across as a real ivory tower, foolish character. And I love him.
I know I've made some very poor decisions recently.
NeverarGreat
Let's not forget the classic scene where he sees the Jedi temple in flames and the sound of lightsabers and blaster fire, and decides that this is a good moment to act like an uptight neighbor breaking up a house party.
You probably don't recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)
Emre1601
12-Dec-2022 10:26 AM
I hope Bail is well written for if he appears in the 2nd season of Andor. Some of his appearances in the animated series, and Kenobi, have shown a lack of care given to the character like others above have already said.
It is almost like Bail exists just to be contrived into appearing as a "call back character", with only 2D or superficial thought given to the character or his role in the stories by the writers.
Poor dialogue and decisions in Kenobi like "I know we said no communication, but your silence worries me".
At first he doesn't know who has kidnapped Leia, but when he finds out the Empire have kidnapped and interrogated his daughter he says nothing publicly? An Imperial Senator not even mentioning it is surely suspicious, or would deserve a closer look, in the Empire's eyes?
If Bail does appear in Andor, then it will be good to see this character at least get some care and respect from the writers. Maybe even as a fully fleshed out character with believable actions and intentions, which is something Andor has excelled at.
The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear.
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