Thinking About The Parallels And Differences Between The 501st Repainting Their Helmets In Ahsoka's Facial

Thinking about the parallels and differences between the 501st repainting their helmets in Ahsoka's facial markings and Anakin changing Ahsoka's lightsabers to blue.

I've talked before (although not on here) about how amazing of a characterization choice it is for Anakin to change her lightsabers; it shows so well Anakin's love and genuine care for those he's close to, and it also shows how he oversteps and becomes overbearing or controlling or even manipulative at points. He was thinking about her and so he did the only thing he knew how to do and tried to help even though it was at the expense of imposing his will on someone else. It's so well written.

But I only just realized that the clones repainting their armor is an amazing parallel. The clones are incredibly not imposing or overbearing. They express their appreciation and friendship with Ahsoka by making outward changes to *their* armor. They use some of their little expressive agency, their armor, to show their appreciation for Ahsoka and the fact that they are honored to serve alongside her again.

Both Anakin and Ahsoka of course care for the clones, and form close bonds with (especially) the 501st, but the clones do have a different relationship with the two of them. With Anakin, he is General Skywalker. He is their commanding officer. There is inherently a level of distance between them imposed by the structure of the GAR. But with Ahsoka, they primarily served alongside her, not under her (I know technically as is stated in TCW movie that Ahsoka is above Rex at that point but he says that experience is more important etc etc, but functionally, narratively, they are much closer to peers).

And so the clones change *their* expression to appreciate Ahsoka, while Anakin changes something *of Ahsoka's*

It's so beautiful