I was a Teenage Sith Apprentice

Thoughts on Ben in light of Tempest and the new exile Excerpt.

OK, Ben is not dark (yet) but he is being taught the kind of sneaky skills associated with the Sith. He comments, what did other Master’s teach?

And Ben most definitely considers Jacen his Master, and he most definitely considers him the strongest Force user. At this point Jacen has the power over Ben because he has twisted Ben’s thoughts and point of view to believe in absolutes. He has developed in him a code of discipline that causes Ben to see his cousin Jaina as a lesser Jedi because she is “undisciplined” (ie. She thinks for herself). He is simply to young to get the big picture.

It wasn’t surprising when the boy tried to arrest Han. He was just doing his job. His duty is to follow orders. He is definitely not Jedi trained to follow his conscience (though he would likely believe he was following it while following orders).

So that leaves the kid in need of a master. Now Allston’s excerpt shows Kyp’s involvement with the Family. Kyp will investigate Ben’s light saber accident. What if it is decided Ben needs proper training and he works with Kyp? After all, Kyp was also a teenage Sith apprentice and I believe those two are the only two. So idealistically there is an understanding. But you know it is too late for Ben. He is loyal to Jacen and his thoughts are so firm it will take years to open his mind.

Jacen’s done a good job with his protégé.


Thoughts on Ben after reading Exile:

Ben has just turned 14 while on a set up mission to test his ethics and his strength. Ben travels to find an Amulet [sounds so hokey i had to read it twice] and he basically follows the hero's quest route. He is on Ziost, a former Sith planet that reaks of the darkside. He gets his Amulet and has to help a 6 year old girl, but in between his ship is destroyed and they are without food. His thoughts are brutal and dark (he'd leave the girl, later he thinks about eating her, and finally he downs a tie fighter with a boulder thrown by the Force). Lumiya ordered him killed by this tie-fighter because he saved the little girl and she thought he'd be too kind to be a Sith. so we see Ben thinking and weighing his choices. He constantly thinks how would my mom do this? (his enoamored by her "spy" stuff) and he thinks what would Jacen think of my thoughts and actions? And basically every time he comes to the conclusion that Jacen would think his actions were qacceptable given the circumstances. (justification)

In the end Ben flies a Sith Meditation sphere which had called to him in his thoughts and which you operate through a Force connection.

I thnk Ben will continue to fall to the dark through his absolute belief in Jacen and his ability to do what needs to be done. But I think he may not fall completely unless something presses him over the edge.