Follow TV Tropes

Following

Fanfic / there will be music despite everything

Go To

Padmé Amidala wakes up in the MCU and dodges a car accident. Anakin Skywalker wakes up in the MCU and—doesn't. years later, Darcy Lewis takes an internship under a Dr. John Foster, and unknowingly gets herself entangled in otherworldly affairs. which sucks, because she really just wanted to pad out her hypothetical job application.
Series summary

A Crossover series between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Star Wars franchises, there will be music despite everything posits the question: what if Anakin Skywalker, just after Return of the Jedi, was somehow transported into the MCU after death? The short answer: he ends up taking on the role of Dr. John Foster in Thor.

The long answer: unlike his beloved wife Padmé Amidala, Anakin ends up getting hit with a case of Laser-Guided Amnesia via car accident, and ends up going through college and obtaining a degree, all without realizing his identity. Years after the accident, he takes on an intern named Darcy Lewis, and they head to New Mexico for what is sure to be a boring few months collecting data.

Then Thor falls from the sky...

The main series, starring Anakin and co. and following the Thor movies, features the following stories:

The side works, outside of the Thor movies, are the following:

This work contains examples of:

  • Ace Pilot: Anakin, right? Wrong, on the way out of Asgard, he manages to cause a great deal of property damage. This occurs just after his Badass Boast of being an Ace Pilot.
  • Action Girl: Ahsoka Tano and Lady Sif, natch. How good is Sif? She beats Anakin Skywalker in a sparring match.
  • Affectionate Nickname: Skyguy and Snips make a return, while Darcy almost exclusively calls Anakin "Doc".
  • All There in the Manual: The author's replies to the comments often reveal bits and pieces about the fic's backstory that didn't make it into the fic proper. For example: Mace Windu and Nick Fury being one and the same was revealed in the comments first.
  • Amazon Chaser: Darcy, though this is mostly downplayed. She calls Ventress a badass biker lady, and then there's her relationship with Ahsoka.
  • Amnesiac Dissonance: Not surprisingly, Anakin goes through a bad case of this once he remembers, going through a Heroic BSoD three times. It's implied he's still not completely out of the dissonance, from his comments in throw yourself down unexpected roads.
  • Amnesiac Resonance: Anakin's hatred for sand stays consistent even into another life. In a more serious example, Anakin gives a list of PTSD triggers in like lifting stars that seem disparate without the context of his history: Fourth of July, fire, a Halloween costume (later confirmed to be a Darth Vader costume) and a red fluorescent light.
    • (trying to be) less volatile, less violent showcases his tactical mind. Sure, the plan didn't work, but it's impressive enough that Thor takes notice and brings it up in a later fic.
    • Becomes a plot point in a leak in last night's dream, and a sign that being a Living MacGuffin is taking a toll on Anakin's mental defenses.
  • And Now for Someone Completely Different: After four straight stories focusing on Anakin, Thor and co., the series cuts to the Rogue One crew, revealed to be working as a strike team in SHIELD, during Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
  • The Atoner: Anakin after the stress of fighting the Aether takes a toll on his mental walls, bringing back his memory at the worst time possible.
  • Back from the Dead: Sort of. Anakin ended up in the MCU just after his death in Jedi. As it turns out, this happens to everyone in Star Wars who dies, as Rogue One shows up. Seems the Laser-Guided Amnesia is just Anakin, though.
  • Badass Boast: "Which one of us managed to navigate his way through a warzone in a ship he had no experience with at nine? Because this is almost exactly like that." Subverted when Anakin causes a significant amount of damage.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Anakin towards Darcy. Later, he takes this role back up for Ahsoka as well. Leads to a funny line when Ahsoka and Darcy are on the verge of a Relationship Upgrade:
    Oh, god, if this turns out like Lux, [Anakin]’s not sure who he’s going to eviscerate. Maybe himself for introducing them.
  • Bittersweet Ending: Both Thor movies end this way.
    • The 'verse's version of the first movie ends with Anakin and Thor separating for two years, but now Anakin has been reassured of his research's importance, Selvig is a Skeptic No Longer, and SHIELD has returned all their research and equipment. To top it off, there's a Flash Forward that reveals Anakin and Thor's status as Amicable Exes, implying that their relationship will not last beyond the second movie.
    • The second movie ends with Anakin and Thor broken up, Anakin's memory returned, Greenwich University in ruins, and Darcy and Selvig worried over Anakin after his final words to them, as well as Frigga in a coma and Loki on the throne of Asgard under the guise of Odin. However, Ahsoka and Darcy have undergone a Relationship Upgrade, Thor decides to stay on Earth, Selvig has seemingly mostly recovered, and Anakin, much like canon's Jane Foster, finds himself one of the most sought-after astronomers on Earth.
  • Call-Back
    • "Good strange or bad strange?" comes up first in (trying to be) less volatile, less violent, then again in a leak in last night's dream. Both serve to highlight Anakin and Thor's relationship at that point in time.
    • there's barely even room for me has Clint Barton and Anakin finally meeting years after New Mexico, and plays into Kate Bishop's earlier-written but chronologically later cameo.
  • The Cameo: Jyn and Cassian show up in the fic's version of Thor: The Dark World on an undercover mission. This later leads into their spotlight fic.
    • Kate Bishop shows up in (trying to be) less volatile, less violent, in an interlude chronologically set years later.
  • Can't Believe I Said That: Anakin gives a variation on the infamous sand speech to Thor. He mentally lambasts himself for using it, but continues on anyway.
  • Cast Full of Gay: Anakin, Thor, Ahsoka, Darcy and Jyn are, at the very least, bisexual. Chirrut and Baze are implied to also be in a committed relationship.
  • Celebrity Paradox: Star Wars still exists in-universe, despite the presence of the characters.
  • Chekhov's Gag: The "Wannabe" ringtone. It serves to tip Anakin off about being able to call people from Earth when the date who stood him up calls.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: like lifting stars mentions Kirsten McDuffie and Roz Solomon. your song's no good 'round here reveals that Roz is a SHIELD agent while and you count clouds reveals that Kirsten has started working for Padmé Amidala.
  • Coincidental Broadcast: Much like in canon, Ahsoka's landing on the news channel that's broadcasting Selvig's streaking through Stonehenge answers the question of where he's been for most of the fic. However, just before that, she lands on the lightsaber battle between Vader and Luke in Return of the Jedi.
  • Composite Character: Obviously, Anakin Skywalker takes on the role of Dr. Foster. Also obviously, Mace Windu and Nick Fury are one and the same. Less obviously, so are Depa Billaba and Maria Hill.
  • Crusading Lawyer: Padmé is one, showing up in and you count clouds as a legal consultant on patent laws for the science fair's participants.
  • Darkest Hour: bring only what you must carry features Anakin's. He's just snapped out of slaughtering a boatload of Dark Elves in a rage, the man who got them to the Dark Elves' home is (supposedly) dead, there's no way off of the rock they're on, and Thor has just seen the aforementioned slaughter. He snaps out of the Heroic BSoD it sends him after a pep talk and a well-timed call, though.
  • A Day in the Limelight: The Winter Soldier events are told from the perspectives of the Rogue One team, and there is very little mention made of the previous fics.
  • Deadpan Snarker: This is the MCU. Everyone gets a chance to throw shade at some point, though Darcy Lewis is the example that shines through the most:
    “It’s a beautiful theory, John,” says Selvig, a little less hungover after John shows him the drawing Thor made in his notebook, “but you and I know that I had a gut feeling this was true is not going to be good enough for the scientific community. You’re going to need hard evidence.”
    “It sounds completely nuts to me,” says Darcy, cheerfully. “But hey, if your gut and the dude you had wild sex with last night say it’s right, it’s totally right!”
    • Obi-Wan shows up in fewer scenes compared to the rest of the cast, but he makes his lines count.
    Anakin: I'm still stuck on Ventress, what the fuck. How is she your regular?
    Obi-Wan: She drops by regularly and orders much the same thing every time. It doesn't take much to be a regular at a café.
  • Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Anakin punches Thor on their first meeting in the two years since New Mexico. He later punches Loki on their very first meeting, putting an end to Loki's fantasies about unleashing Vader on the galaxy.
  • Drowning My Sorrows: Anakin gets well and truly drunk in there's barely even room for me. It's implied that the Avengers trying to lift Mjolnir got him started.
  • Evil Me Scares Me: Anakin, after his rampage on Svartalfheim, is utterly horrified at himself and the carnage he caused to the point of begging Thor to leave him.
  • Flash Back: The dinner scene between Anakin and Selvig.
  • Flash Forward: Used in the earlier stories to establish the return of Anakin's memory fairly early.
  • Foil: Anakin and Thor end up serving as one to each other. Anakin is a human Science Hero with a Dark and Troubled Past, who Jumped Off The Slippery Slope to save his wife, while Thor is a Gentle Giant Physical God who keeps hold of his morals even in the midst of his mother's near-death, his lover's impending death via possession by MacGuffin, and The End of the World as We Know It.
  • For Science!: Anakin and Selvig are benevolent scientists. Jenna Zan Arbor, on the other hand, makes an appearance in the series' version of Winter Soldier, and displays this attitude towards her work.
  • Forgot About His Powers: Justified in Anakin's case, considering the Laser-Guided Amnesia. Later stories get rid of this trope, as it's mentioned Anakin occasionally uses the Force to make his food float, leaving his hands free.
  • Forgot the Call: A dramatic variation, in that Anakin spends more than a decade building an entirely different life. The return of his memory sends him into a spiral of guilt.
  • From a Certain Point of View: While the Trope Namer himself makes an appearance, it's Ahsoka who uses this trope in a conversation with Thor.
    Ahsoka shrugs, looks back at Anakin. “I have,” she says, quiet, “and I haven’t. Both are true, from certain points of view.” She hasn’t known John Foster very long, but she knows Anakin Skywalker well. Knew him well. Or she thought she did. “How true is debatable,” she admits, after a moment’s reflection.
  • Gender Flip: Of a sort. Anakin Skywalker adopts the identity of Dr. John Foster.
  • He Who Fights Monsters: Odin shows signs of this after the Dark Elves' attack on Asgard. The realization of the beginning of his father's slide down a slippery slope serves as an impetus for Thor to commit treason and break Anakin and Loki out of Asgard.
  • Heroic BSoD: Anakin goes through this once during New Mexico after SHIELD takes all his research and equipment, though Thor talks him out of it. He goes through a much bigger one after his memory returns. In fact, he goes through a much bigger one three times.
  • Heroic Self-Deprecation: Anakin's horror at his Dark and Troubled Past screws his self-esteem up something fierce. This comes to the forefront in his internal narration during bring only what you must carry, especially in the escape from Asgard.
  • I Am Who?: Anakin's initial disbelieving reaction to Frigga telling him his last name.
  • I Just Want to Be Normal: Low-key implied in throw yourself down unexpected roads.
    Ventress: Here I thought you'd be living in blissful ignorance all your life.
    Anakin: I thought I'd be doing that too. That would've been nice.
  • Identity Amnesia: Anakin has this, having lived a completely different life from the one he led back in his galaxy. By the time the series starts, he's accepted the likelihood of never regaining his memory, and surprisingly seems fairly content chasing after storms. When he does remember, the knowledge of who he used to be breaks him.
  • Internal Reveal: Anakin's true identity is hidden from himself, Darcy, and Dr. Selvig, up until the events of Thor: The Dark World happen.
  • In Spite of a Nail: Captain America: The Winter Soldier goes much the same way even with the addition of the Rogue One team. However, a notable change happens in that instead of Sam, Cassian fights Rumlow near the end.
    • It also goes on to explain how, at least in this 'verse, Natasha obtained the files from Kiev that she gives to Steve near the end of the movie.
  • Ironic Echo: Deliberately Invoked by Loki to annoy Anakin on the way to meet Malekith.
    Loki (in response to Thor's claim of having a plan): You planned this far? Impressive. Most impressive.
    Anakin: Can I throw him off the boat? No one would miss him. I wouldn't miss him.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: Neither Odin nor Loki trust Anakin, the former calling him a common criminal and the latter needling him, but both are right to ask Thor why he brought Anakin Skywalker to Asgard.
  • The Lancer: Darcy serves as this to Anakin, her Fun Personified Deadpan Snarker personality, her lack of experience in hard sciences, and her lack of a murky past contrasting with Anakin's Shell-Shocked Veteran tendencies, scientific knowledge, and Dark and Troubled Past (and, initially, lack of a past).
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: Anakin in the first few stories cannot remember anything from before he woke up in a hospital. He's surprisingly fine with this, having made his own way in life afterwards, and aside from commenting that it sucks, seems to have accepted never getting it back.
  • Loss of Identity: The entire premise, at least for the first few fics. Anakin's memory loss leads him to build an entirely different life from the one he had before, and, for some reason, believe himself to be from Illinois.
  • Love-Obstructing Parents: As in canon, Odin serves as this. Justified, though, considering that the object of Thor's affections is Darth Vader.
  • Meaningful Rename: The narration changes names from John to Anakin after a leak in last night's dream.
  • Moment Killer: Anakin pulls this on Darcy and Ahsoka, barging into their room just as things start to get hot and heavy.
  • Muggle Best Friend: Darcy, the completely ordinary intern, political scientist and Plucky Comic Relief, is surrounded by Jedi, scientists, and at least one Physical God at all times.
  • Must Have Caffeine: like lifting stars establishes Anakin's fondness for coffee, having him blow up at an airport worker for mishandling his coffeemaker. Darcy's reaction once she finds out what the "sensitive equipment" is that he's so intent on keeping safe is priceless.
    Darcy: You nearly punched a guy in the face over a coffeemaker?
  • My Fist Forgives You: Anakin and Obi-wan exchange one round of punches before they're back to snarking at each other during the final act of bring only what you must carry. Subverted in the next story, as they blow up at each other first before either of them can really start to forgive each other.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Anakin's memory returning is the catalyst for a Heroic BSoD. He also suffers this after slaughtering a squadron full of Dark Elves, and takes a while to snap out of it long enough to return to Earth, at first begging Thor to leave him behind.
  • Mythology Gag: Dr. Blake, Anakin's ex, is a Shout-Out to Thor's identity as Donald Blake in the comics.
    • The series is littered with them, especially Star Wars references. References to Anakin's infamous hatred of sand are made, especially while he is—ironically—in New Mexico.
    • Loki invokes this purely to annoy Anakin.
    • Smythe is a little-known Spider-Man rogue whose shtick is using androids called Spider-Slayers against Spider-Man. His incarnation here is an inventor who comes up with robotic surveillance spiders.
  • No Hero to His Valet: Downplayed, but the fact that Dr. John Foster is a well-known astronomer and Darth Vader is the most iconic villain in cinema does not quite occur to Darcy, whose first meeting with Anakin began when she barged in on him taking a nap in an empty classroom.
  • Noodle Incident: Anakin is involved in plenty of these, most of them embarrassing. Apparently, while amnesiac, he flirted with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor, and also streaked through the campus to impress an exchange student. Darcy also brings up an incident with Dr. Blake that starts with Anakin spraining his wrist to talk to him and ends with Darcy walking in on both of them.
  • Odd Friendship: Anakin and Darcy. He's an accomplished astrophysicist and later a self-loathing atoner ex-Sith with PTSD, she's a Genius Ditz Deadpan Snarker and his intern. Somehow, they've become fast friends.
  • Oddball in the Series: your song's no good 'round here is a SHIELD-centric oneshot focusing on the cast of Rogue One during Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
  • O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Darcy expresses concern for Anakin during the build-up to the final battle with Malekith because of his sudden lack of enthusiasm for moving from one world to another. Justified because his memory just returned a day or so ago.
  • Precision F-Strike: While most of the main cast often drop a curse into their dialogue and internal narration, Thor's dialogue avoids dropping F-bombs. His "oh, fuck" in bring only what you must carry has this effect, and comes an instant before Anakin's backslide into the Dark Side.
  • A Rare Sentence: Obi-Wan's reaction to Anakin's advice of "put the lightsaber away, I'm going to science this shit."
    • "Yeah, Obi-wan Kenobi has a café." Said by Darcy, and she follows it up by noting that she never thought she'd say it. Anakin agrees.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: A good way to check if Anakin's murderously angry or just annoyed is to check his eyes. If they're blue, you're clear. If they're not, run like hell.
    • This also happens to him while he's possessed by the Aether, though in this case it's less an indication of his anger and more the Aether being a semi-sentient asshole.
  • Running Gag: The Spice Girls' "Wannabe" serves as Anakin's ringtone, much to his annoyance.
  • Science Hero: Anakin steps up to the plate during the last act of Thor: The Dark World.
    “Rather like old times, don’t you think?” says Obi-wan. “You losing your lightsaber, the two of us having to take on entire squadrons of droids together?”
    “Yeah, these are more competent,” says Anakin. “Look, put that lightsaber away, I’m gonna science this shit.”
    Obi-wan stares at him. Anakin takes a moment to revel in the pure shock rolling off his former master in waves. “That,” he manages, “is not a sentence I ever thought I’d hear from your mouth.”
  • Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: Reed Richards and Sebastian Smythe to Anakin. Takes a darker turn when Anakin Force-chokes Smythe after Smythe pushes his Berserk Button, though Darcy manages to talk Anakin down, much to her displeasure.
  • Spared by the Adaptation: Frigga. She's in a healing sleep instead, thanks to Anakin using the Force to pull Algrim's sword just a few inches away from her spine.
  • Tears of Remorse: bring only what you must carry has Anakin shedding these after killing a squadron of Dark Elves. Unlike the single tear in Revenge of the Sith, though, the narrative notes that they're "streaming down his face", serving as a prelude to his breakdown in the next scene.
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Anakin and Loki during the escape from Asgard.
  • Took a Level in Badass: Anakin takes back the levels he lost in spectacular fashion during bring only what you must carry, starting with flying a stolen ship and ending with charging right into the Aether storm with Thor.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: Anakin after his accident has had years to build a life for himself outside of his destiny as The Chosen One, and as a result becomes kinder and more self-assured. How much more? His first instinct when the Destroyer comes down to Earth on Thor's first visit is to help evacuate the people in the town.
  • Trauma Button: Anakin has a list of them. Given his background as Darth Vader, it's understandable.
  • Wham Episode: The fic's version of Thor: The Dark World. Ahsoka shows up, Anakin remembers, Obi-Wan is revealed to be running a cafe in Greenwich, and Anakin tells Darcy and Selvig who he is.
  • Wham Line: The reveal of Fury's identity in the fic proper. “Master Windu and I don’t exactly see eye to eye. You’re the one who’s got him on speed dial, not me.” As said by Ahsoka Tano to Obi-Wan Kenobi.
  • Will They or Won't They?: One of the tags on the Rogue One team's spotlight fic reads: "cassian and jyn are the most 'will they or won't they' couple of all time". True to form, near the end of the fic, there's a moment of Ship Tease once the action has passed.
  • World of Snark: Darcy is the most common example, but everyone has a chance to snark at something through the series. Bodhi's internal narration in your song's no good 'round here even lampshades this:
    Out of everyone on [Rogue One], [Jyn] and Chirrut seem to delight the most in snappy one-liners, though Bodhi’s seen Cassian do it quite a few times and smile to himself afterwards.

Top