There’s a lot of chatter about Star Wars online thanks to the release of The Rise of Skywalker, and, after two years post-The Last Jedi discussing the franchise and overarching story ad-nauseam, I am over talking, analyzing, and debating the merits of the new trilogy. In fact, one of my (irreverent) New Year’s resolutions is to not debate the merits of the new trilogy for all of 2020. I’m already reaping the benefits of this decision.
I’m sure I’ll be guilty of watching the odd video essay, and I’ll definitely be guilty of reading some Reylo fanfic, DESPITE, as previously mentioned in this post, my feelings about the relationship in the actual canon/film universe. I just adore the love/hate trope, and this particular relationship has taken the fanfic world by storm and become one of—if not the—figurehead couple of the fanfic love/hate trope. So, I’m inevitably going to be reading it.
Play to Win by Enterprisingly is one of the best fics I’ve ever read. I’ve now reread it at least once, staying up during the most recent reading until way past my bedtime because I just had to get to the end again. The premise alone is SO creative and effective at sparking tension. It’s set in the alternate universe (AU) of our modern Earth. Rather than being a murderous psychopath with Jedi powers, Ben Solo is an elite video gamer. He’s the best “Striker” in the world in a particular game. His gamer tag? KyloRen. His employer? Snoke. His competitive gaming team’s name? The First Order. He plays with Hux, Phasma, and others. I was bowled over by how seamlessly Enterprisingly fit the cast of characters into this completely new world of the gaming community. The author implements all of the facets of the gamer world to great success. For example, Ben has a Twitch stream where he films himself and interacts with fans on chat while playing the game, and he adopts the alter-ego of Kylo Ren—raging, venomous, unrelenting—in these videos. Leia is a senator, and they’re estranged. It’s all so perfect.
Just like the films, Rey is uncannily gifted, just now as a gamer. While Ben’s live streaming a gaming session, he’s killed by another player ReyofLight, and the gaming world comes undone over the defeat of Number 1 Striker KyloRen. He messages her via the gaming platform, accuses her of cheating, and reports her cheating to the game operators.
Rey messages him back. She’s never even heard of KyloRen. Her roommates, and members of their own professional gaming team The Resistance, Poe and Finn fill her in on this angry, faceless competitor.
For some reason, Ben continues to message ReyofLight, and she continues to respond. She Googles Ben and watches hours of his Twitch videos. Ben becomes obsessed by this player who can beat him. They even decide to play again while, this time, talking live to each other over their gaming headsets. And, when Ben hears ReyofLight’s voice for the first time, a voice he had been imagining as male, he is struck dumb, and the whole thing becomes even more totally engrossing.
IT. IS. INCREDIBLE.
I know I will read it again, and I can’t wait to.
THANK YOU, Enterprisingly, for such a perfect story. Drop everything, and read it here.
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