James Coruscanti Diner III
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adillondev.bsky.social
James Coruscanti Diner III
@adillondev.bsky.social
1.2K followers 350 following 1.4K posts
aroace essayist, librarian | too many thoughts about Dexter Jettster | "Thoughtful, sometimes baffling, but always worth a read" | he/him
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adillondev.bsky.social
We'll miss you, Star Wars Insider. Thank you for letting me be a part of your long legacy.

www.starwars.com/news/star-wa...
An issue of Star Wars Insider opened to an article titled "Dexter Jettster: Pan-Galactic Besalisk of Mystery." The author of the article is peeking out slightly from behind the pages.
November 11, 2025 at 1:48 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
Ah yes, the passage that made me instantly fall in love with Porter Engle. A man who wants to spend his last years doing mutual aid. #HighRepublicReread
Veteran Jedi could live wherever they liked once the passage of time naturally reduced their ability an desire to participate in the more active work of the Order. Most remained at the Coruscant Temple, which maintained lodgings for all its older members, to live out their days as they pleased. Porter Engle had taken the opposite approach, actually requesting an assignment to the Elphrona Outpost. He seemed intent on remaining as useful as possible despite his age, and an outpost was the best way he knew to ensure his three centuries of Jedi experience could directly help the galaxy.
November 9, 2025 at 4:45 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
The bit of complexity given to Avar is that she has forbidden romantic feelings, repeating a tired pattern in Star Wars that men get to have character arcs outside of whatever romance they have, but a woman's character arc IS romance

(see attached quote from eleven-thirtyeight.com/2019/10/midd...)
In The Empire Strikes Back, Leia wields a great deal of authority and power on Hoth. She’s forced to make difficult decisions, she rallies troops without anyone questioning her position, and she is one of the very last to evacuate. Yet upon leaving Hoth, Leia is placed in a situation where she loses all of that authority, following Han’s lead as he makes all the major decisions, including in their relationship. Padmé, in contrast, asserts her authority and agency throughout Attack of the Clones, even telling Anakin to follow her and trust her expertise on places like Naboo and Geonosis. In this, Padmé matches Rey in The Last Jedi, as Rey likewise asserts her opinion and wields her agency to make decisions that drastically affect the plot. She is not always right in her decisions, but the movie never takes the ability to choose away from her. Despite Padmé retaining her agency, there is still one place that not only Attack of the Clones but the entire prequel trilogy fails her in the same way the original trilogy fails Leia. In these films, the leading ladies are not allowed a character arc outside of falling in love. Leia has a strong personality and a clear moral compass, but while Luke struggles with his destiny and Han works through his knot of insecurities, Leia falls in love. From A New Hope to Return of the Jedi, that is the change granted her character. Had the Rebellion scenes in Revenge of the Sith been kept, an argument could be made that Padmé’s arc in the prequel trilogy includes the loss of her faith in the Republic. As the trilogy currently stands, her internal journey is centered around Anakin and her love for him. This is an issue not restricted to Star Wars, where the internal lives of women are rarely allowed to be about anything but romance, and where men get to have a romance alongside other character aspects.
November 9, 2025 at 2:41 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
a moment of silence for Sir Patrise of king Arthur's Round Table, whose death is overshadowed thrice on his own damn gravestone.
a poorly scribbled gravestone with the actual inscription described in Le Morte d'Arthur: "Here lieth Sir Patrise of Ireland. Slain by Sir Pinel le Savage (that enpoisoned apples to have slain Sir Gawaine, and by misfortune Sir Patrise ate one of those apples, and then suddenly he brast. Also Queen Guenever was appealed of treason of the death of Sir Patrise, by Sir Mador de la Porte. Sir Launcelot fought with him for Queen Guenever, and overcame him in plain battle.)"
October 26, 2025 at 9:14 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Zine Page 4 Alt Text
And yet, Sir Ian and his particular version of Gandalf was still a consistent presence. During the heyday of the Lord of the Rings films coming out, I had a copy of The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien. A collection of essays from The One Ring dot Net (TORN), it contained a copy of a TORN writer – pen name Quickbeam – being invited by Sir Ian to the set of Lord of the Rings5. Disconnected from any discussion of orientation, Quickbeam simply described Sir Ian as being a warm, welcoming, and comforting presence, even as Quickbeam spent his trip wrestling with new grief. And then of course, there was my own close identification with one Peregrin Took. One of the central relationships of Return of the King was that of Gandalf and Pippin. I read and then watched a bond grow between them. Filled with gestures of touch that I would long for (a palm cradling a face, an arm holding shoulders close), but wouldn’t know how to express (how can I yearn for touch when I don’t want romance or sex?) Sir Ian McKellen and his Gandalf ensured that – even through the religious sheltering of my family – a queer elder made his way into my life. I did not know it then. But I know it now. And I am in such deep gratitude on behalf of that child in the toy aisle, of that teenager in the driver seat. Gandalf was our hero on a white horse. It’d just take us a few decades to figure that out. So why do I care so much about Gandalf Big Naturals? Because Gandalf Big Naturals subverts heteronormative desires. Because Gandalf Big Naturals celebrates having a body that’s your own. Because Gandalf Big Naturals is a prominent “fuck you” to gender norms. And ultimately, for me, Gandalf Big Naturals is the celebration of elder queerness. Through this meme, we celebrate a specific elder in our community – Sir Ian McKellen – and we celebrate the broader gift of queers growing old. Citations: 1. Nico. “An Interview with the Queer Creator of the Gandalf Big Naturals Meme,” Autostraddle. (2022) autostraddle.com/an-interview-with-the-queer-creator-of-the-gandalf-big-naturals-meme 2. Duffy, N. “Sir Ian McKellen: Alec Guinness ‘begged’ me not to fight for gay rights,” Pink News. (2014) https://preproduction.thepinknews.com/2014/06/27/sir-ian-mckellen-alec-guinness-begged-me-not-to-fight-for-gay-rights/ 3. McKellen, I. “A Gay Gandalf,” Ian McKellen Writings. (2000) https://mckellen.com/writings/000115.htm 4. Todisco, E. “Ian McKellen Says He's 'So Happy' for X-Men Costar Elliot Page for Coming Out as Transgender,” People. (2021) https://people.com/movies/ian-mckellen-so-happy-elliot-page-coming-out-transgender/ 5. Quickbeam. “ Where the Stars Are Strange,” The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien (2003)
October 22, 2025 at 1:14 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Zine Page 3 Alt Text
January 15th, 2000 From Sir Ian McKellen’s own blog [begin blog post] "A Gay Gandalf“ – Homophobia is Everywhere When gay activists refer to a widespread disaffection or fear of homosexuals and call it "homophobia," our opponents are sceptical. Some, with cloying declarations of "hating the sin and loving the sinner," may even deny its existence altogether. Time and again they are proved wrong. For instance, whenever a modest legal change is proposed to ease the disadvantages gays and lesbians endure under the law, the homophobes always react strongly. This never surprises me but straight people can be puzzled by its ferocity. Remember President Clinton's bold promise to lift the ban on homosexuals serving in the military? Gays knew it wouldn't be easy. He underestimated the united and irrational fear of those who said queers would undermine the stability of America's armed forces. And he had to withdraw bewildered under their fire. Meanwhile, now that the United Kingdom government has obeyed the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (last week) only Turkey and the USA in NATO forbid their openly gay citizens from fighting for their countries. My point is that Clinton was not defeated by the reasoned arguments of political opponents but was a victim of the same homophobia which imprisoned Oscar Wilde and which killed Matthew Sheppard. So, taking a less momentous example, it was unsurprising that an uncensored Internet should recently criticise my casting as Gandalf in homophobic terms. Cranky anti-gay remarks in chat rooms remind me of verbal abuse in the playground - not that that didn't hurt too. Many unthinking people just don't like the idea of gays joining in their games, nor in the military and, it would seem, in the movies. — Ian McKellen, January 2000 [end blog post] Sir Ian’s advocacy was not only for the gay community, but for the queer community as a whole. He publicly praised his X-Men costar Elliot Page for coming out as transgender (citation 4). [begin article snippet] "Everything gets better [when you come out because you get self-confidence]," said McKellen, who is openly gay. "So you get better in terms of relationships, friends of all sorts, family, if you’re lucky." "And in my case, I think in every case, your acting is bound to change and improve," he added. McKellen, who starred in the X-Men films as the villainous Magneto, recalled having a difficult time communicating with Page, who played Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, on set at the time. "I remember Elliot Page, in one of the X-Men, sat as close as we are now," he said. "And I had to speak when they’d finished, and I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Nobody could hear what they were saying. So, I said, 'Look, if you can’t speak up, would you mind when you’re finished speaking, just dropping your hand so I know when you’ve finished speaking?' He continued, "And then they came out [as gay] years later and suddenly you couldn’t stop them talking. You heard everything." "And now… they’re Elliot," McKellen said of Page. "And I’m so happy for Elliot. And so disappointed in myself that I didn’t detect what their difficulty was with communicating." [end article snippet] While I would not read Sir Ian’s blog until I began research for this zine, while his statements about Elliot Page would not even exist for another two decades, they are still indicators of how Sir Ian McKellen has been loudly and proudly visible over the years for the queer community. In the years that Sir Ian McKellen entered my life as Gandalf, I was disconnected from any queer community and from my own queerness. Whenever he spoke of advocacy in interviews, or passing references were made in the news, I did not think any of it was meant for me.
October 22, 2025 at 1:14 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Zine Page 2 Alt Text
Circa 2022-Present: The response to Gandalf Big Naturals was full of creativity. It spawned other edits, not only of Sir Ian Mckellen’s Gandalf and those from Ralph Bakshi’s adaptation or Rings of Power. It found it’s way into other meme language, both of the internet in general and of the Tolkien fandom specifically. Gandalf Big Naturals has also inspired several gorgeous pieces of artwork, bridal dress recommendations, cosplay, and at least one drag performance. There was –of course – a strong queer response to Gandalf Big Naturals, even before Beck T opened up about their origin. Many expressed joy and delight towards Gandalf’s clear defiance of gender norms. A prominent beard directly above some prominent breasts. Several trans men and trans masc folks in the tags of Tumblr – specifically those who don’t bind, can’t bind, or can’t yet afford top surgery – have talked about how it’s helped with their dysphoria. Whether it is affirming to how they have chosen to live, or a balm to keep them going until they can remove their own naturals, Gandalf Big Naturals has been embraced by several in the trans masculine community. As any great work of art, some valid critiques have been raised about the trend, specifically in regards to the titular naturals. Most of the edits and art have portrayed youthful breasts, leading people to ask: if they’re natural, where are the wrinkles, veins, and sagging? While this may seem like playing into the joke, others have genuinely brought up how this can play into desirability politics. Old bodies – especially old queer bodies – need celebration too. Some of the artwork and photoshop do feature such breasts, but the vast majority are the smooth and perky boobs. Then there was a rather serendipitous stage role of Sir Ian; from December 2022-January 2023, he played the titular Mother Goose in a Pantomime Production. All this, the memes, the art, the analysis, critique, and Sir Ian McKellen himself in a cross-dressed role had me starting to take a look inward. Why did this matter to me? Even though I myself am a trans man, Gandalf Big Naturals wasn’t resonating with me on a dysphoria level. But it was still something… queer. Circa 2007 I was a new teen driver behind the wheel of the family vehicle. My dad sat in the passenger seat. As we pulled out of the garage, he told me, “Make sure you don’t fall for the first man who comes along on a white horse.” To this day, I do not know what prompted this comment. Not only had I never dated, I had always been pretty vocal about my aversion to romance. This had only increased as I hit puberty and other girls my age started noticing boys. Perhaps that was it; my dad taking some time to do his fatherly duty for his teenage daughter as he saw proper. I shrugged off the comment rather quickly, “The only man on a white horse I like is Gandalf, and I’m pretty sure he’s too old for me.” I didn’t have a word for my queerness back then. I didn’t have any queer community or queer elders. There was no means for the words “asexual” or “transgender” to reach my ears. Not in our Christian household. There was a general avoidance of anything LGBTQIA+. The only time it was ever spoken seemed to be unprompted attempts to warn me away from lesbianism. But we did watch Lord of the Rings, any news, and all behind-the-scenes, with a religious fervor. So it was inevitable that I would learn – very early on – that Sir Ian McKellen was gay. His choice to be visible, to be an activist, despite the pressure of directors and other actors (citation 2), meant that he would face backlash when it came to his casting as Gandalf (citation 3).
October 22, 2025 at 1:14 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Zine Page 1 Alt Text
Circa 2001-2002 I was in middle school. I was perceived as a girl. My mother pushed a trilogy into the hands of me and my brothers. If we wanted to watch those upcoming films, we would have to first read the books they were based on. I remember seeing the toys burst on the aisles of those retail stores. I remember becoming excited when I saw there was a character named “Merry” whose action figure had trousers and a sword. Was there a girl in these books and movies? I didn’t even give a second glance to the other character who shared the packaging with Merry. Eventually, I learned that “Merry” was a boy, Éowyn would be the girl I wanted to see, and the character who shared Merry’s packaging would become the closest to my heart: Peregrin Took. I’m not entirely sure what it was that drew me to Pippin, but I vividly remember reading the scene where he stole the palantír and was drawn under the protective wing of Gandalf the White. It’s one of the few scenes that I can see the shape of the page in my mind, all the way from my first time. April 11th, 2022 RawPaw posts a new photoshop design created by artist Beck T. It quicky goes viral. [a photoshop of Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf the White with large breasts] December 2nd, 2022 [begin interview between Autostraddle and Beck T.] Autostraddle (citation 1): Can you set the scene for me? You were recovering from anesthesia and you just grabbed your tablet or laptop and got to work? Did you wake up inspired? What was that like? Beck T: So I was recovering from [top] surgery, and me and my fiancé were watching Lord of the Rings (great to watch when you can do nothing much except sit around for hours!). The memories of those first 48hrs or so are blurry, but I remember suddenly imagining how cool it would be if Gandalf had big boobs, it just really felt like it would fit him well! It was probably a few more days before I was strong enough to get onto my computer and actually make the image, and I think I posted it right away. A: How has the reaction to Gandalf big naturals felt to you, especially knowing the whole time that you’d just had top surgery? B: It has been very funny! It’s always satisfying to make a thing and see people connect with it, even when it’s an image of Gandalf with a huge rack. I’m amazed by the amount of people who make Gandalf big naturals Halloween costumes, some incredible craft there! I honestly had no idea it would be so well received, I guess the people were ready for it?? I like to think that Gandalf Big Naturals is an angel, or some kind of final parting gift from my own boobs, they left me and became a new entity! …Making a memetic image like Gandalf Big Naturals is art to me, and it’s really interesting because by the nature of memes, it becomes disconnected to me as the creator and has a whole life of its own, it’s been fun to watch that happen! [end interview] To support Beck’s art, visit patreon.com/bitingteeth
October 22, 2025 at 1:14 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Gandalf Big Naturals, in all sincerity.

It was created by @bitingteeth.bsky.social, who has a ton of other great art y'all should check out!

Why I love the meme is too long for a single post, but I did make a zine about it, so I'll include a few pages of that trans art too...
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October 22, 2025 at 1:14 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Protecting my goddamn peace and cleansing my timeline
Screenshot of my muted words, which now include adam driver, ben solo, and kylo
October 20, 2025 at 11:26 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Locking in for the final @worldsbeyondnumber.bsky.social episode of HINT! with my coffee in a Masterpiece Mystery mug because Erika & Co. have nailed that vibe.
Holding a mug with Edward Gorey's art for Masterpiece Mystery in front of a screen showing the 4th and final episode of HINT!
October 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
meet ethel. ethel was my moral support buddy during my "For The Love of Fuck Don't Use GenAI, It Is Hurting People" presentation.
A tiny teal fidget toy of an articulated parasaurolophus. he is flattened out on the sleeve of my knitted sweater, looking as exhausted as I feel.
October 10, 2025 at 9:32 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
This feels significant to me?

Alastor is not the first ace character to be featured in pride marketing. But I am struggling to think of other officially licensed merch for a character that is SPECIFICALLY asexual, not just generic "pride."

If there are other examples, I wanna know 👀
A design for a Hazbin Hotel shirt at Hot Topic. The character of Alastor is standing in front of an ace flag spray-painted on the wall behind him. "A what now?" he asks, in reference to when someone calls him "an ace in the hole."
September 26, 2025 at 11:08 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
omg guys i just watched this great movie
In the style of trope marketing of romance books, there is a movie poster at the center with red spiral arrows pointing to it. Each of the arrows is labeled with a trope: Forced Proximity, Annoyance-to-Lovers, Mistaken Identity, and Fake Dying. The movie poster at the center is that of Saw (2004).
September 4, 2025 at 3:44 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
"Since queer rep has improved so much from when the novel/play was written and the first Disney film was made, I am so ready to see modern takes on those gay pirates!" I think, every time.

AND EVERY SINGLE* FUCKING TIME.
Meme format of Gru describing a brilliant plan via notes on his easel. "We retell Peter Pan," Gru declares, reading from the first page of the easel. "We make Hook sympathetic," Gru grins as he flips to the second page. "We 'no homo' Hook and Smee," Gru reads cheerfully from the third page, and then looking horrified as he realizes what he just read and said.
August 22, 2025 at 1:28 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
This is for treating a wasp sting, and it's honestly the perfect image.
Screenshot of a web page: "Immediate First Aid for a Normal Reaction. Step 1: Move to Safety." The image behind "Move to Safety" is a gorgeous photograph of a man running along a remote ridge among a mountain range, implying that Step 1 after a wasp sting is actually "Run for the hills. Just fucking book it."
August 19, 2025 at 6:57 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
actual representation of me after watching this movie in bed, on a dying phone, at 1 am
An edited meme, originally from cooltimesonline. A man lays on a therapy couch, talking to a TV that has the Cloverfield movie on it. Man: "Wow, Cloverfield, I thought that your initial success was entirely because of your gimmick, but you're actually a really good movie." Cloverfield on the TV: "Directed by Matt Reeves" There's a beat of silence before the man sits up on the couch, "Oh shit, for real?"
August 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
[Watches the Spinosaurus episode of Walking with Dinosaurs]

[Sees the way the Spino is being treated like a crocodile]

Wouldn't it be fun to see a Peter Pan retelling where the croc is replaced by a Spino who swallowed the clock?

...oh for fuck's sake...
The moment in Jurassic Park 3 when they realize that they phone they heard ringing is in the belly of the Spinosaurus.
August 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
I finished Tusk Love by @theagwrites.bsky.social two days ago and have not stopped thinking about the richness of this passage.
She was half out of the saddled, so busy twisting from side to side, taking in every inch of the walls of sheer rock that surrounded this final stretch of the Amber Road. It wasn't proper of course. Ladies were supposed to sit quietly on their horses, backs straight and eyes gazing straight ahead... Once she arrived in Nicodranas, she would have to be a lady again, but for now she could have her edifices of stone and her deep ravine.
July 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
Cowboy theme at the Trans Art Market today, and I said, "Great. Can I make it dino?"
Me, a white guy, dressed in a khaki shirt, vest, and brown cowboy hat, like the Jurassic Park character Muldoon. I am holding a wooden fern in front of my face. The fern is bedazzled with red gems to look like blood, and in the Jurassic Park font, the fern reads "CLEVER GIRL"
July 26, 2025 at 9:35 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Some art I've done recently that I'm pretty happy with:
- Religious Kitsch But Make It Trans
- Raptor Sashimi
Three frames extravagantly decorated with gems, flowers, crosses and various accoutrements. Each frame contains a print from one of my own acrylic paintings. The painting is of a trans man in the style of The Virgin Mary, but with top surgery and hysterectomy scars, holding his stabbed uterus and giving the middle finger. Three tiny resin raptors - orange, white, and pink - painted with stripes to make them look like sashimi. They are sitting on a white tray with slices of cucumber and dollop of wasabi and soy sauce. Two chopsticks rest behind them.
July 17, 2025 at 1:31 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
Me: "Heh, you're getting my Shit Little Brother energy tonight 🤪"

Friends, collectively: "Sorry, but those are Dad Jokes and this is Older Brother energy. You're way too responsible for Shit Little Brother vibes"

Me, who has spent a good portion of my life trying to cultivate Older Brother Energy:
Shocked Pikachu
June 28, 2025 at 10:43 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
me when the dog is begging for my breakfast with her big brown eyes
McLeach from Rescuers Down Under, scolding his hungry lizard pet: "THESE. ARE NOT. JOANNA. EGGS."
June 27, 2025 at 12:07 PM
adillondev.bsky.social
Richard has Dragonball on, and I have absolutely seen this guy at the local gay dive.
Frieza's final form, with his thick eye liner, dark lipstick, and cunty grin.
June 17, 2025 at 2:31 AM
adillondev.bsky.social
And here is where Ghirra finally clicked for me as a character. The moment when I finally understood her. She's a Trump voter who genuinely believes in "drain the swamp." #TheHighRepublic
Quote from Into the Light: "But Mkampa remains important as long as she keeps figuring out more ways to hurt people - and you think you're still on the right side." Ghirra sighed. "I still believe that the Nihil, over time, will settle into a true governmental body. However, the first flush of victory, there will be... overcorrections. Extremes of behavior. Examples will be made of those who worked against the Nihil victory. I don't want one of those examples to be you."
June 8, 2025 at 2:32 PM