Thanks so much for giving me characters for the headcanon ask game! I’d love to hear your Hera and Kanan headcanons, or you can pick another character ☺️
You're welcome! And thank YOU so much for the ask! You picked two of my favorite characters, so this is perfect!
I’m offering individual AND Kanera headcanons here because that why not? XD
Kanan does not slow down much for illness or injury. He has a high pain tolerance and a lot of stamina, but he pushes himself past the point of wisdom more often than not. If one of the kids are hurt or sick too, well, he definitely will not slow down until they’re all safe and cared for.
Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious
He has a sweet tooth. Sugar/candy is a rare luxury aboard the Ghost, but whenever it’s there, half of it disappears in short order. You’d think it was the kids’ fault, but nope, it’s often the Fearless Leader.
Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends
Kanan regularly has nightmares about losing the rest of the crew (any of them, but particularly Ezra and Hera). Usually through a situation where he couldn’t protect them, but sometimes there’s no logic to why they die in his dreams. And he often can’t get back to sleep afterwards.
Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own
I mean, the idea of his not dying/surviving somehow in S4 is my go-to—but beyond that, I headcanon that Kanan would continue to be a Jedi but not rejoin the Order. In the comics, Depa Billaba had told him that the role of the Jedi would change as the galaxy changed, and in a post-Empire world, I believe Kanan would take that to heart. Seeing the good he and his family were able to do together in the galaxy would also contribute. So—
So I headcanon he stays on Lothal with Hera and Jacen, continuing to train Ezra, go with Hera on missions to help others, and also train any other young potential Jedi on Lothal (or from a neighboring planet, such as Garel). They can then move on to join the reestablished Order or go home and help their planets.
And it’s not that this headcanon is unrealistic. It’s just not canon.
Hera doesn’t like dark, enclosed spaces very much. She’s not claustrophobic, exactly, but hiding in the tunnels under Ryloth during The Clone Wars was not her favorite thing, and she dislikes remembering that time.
Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious
She does the “mom arm” anytime any of the kids are standing near the front seat of the Phantom or the Ghost and not buckled in. This has indeed kept several people from flying out the windshield. Including Zeb.
Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends
She told Ezra about the loss of her mother soon after he found out about his parents’ deaths. She was in the middle of helping Ryder Azadi when the rest of the crew expressed their condolences, but she surely comforted him later.
(Note that when Ezra hears the backstories of the rest of the crew, the camera makes sure to show his reaction while the other person talks. The only reaction missing is when Hera talks about losing her mother in the episode “Homecoming”—and I’m betting that’s because he already knew. And I wrote a fic about which has high doses of angst but also Spacemom comforting Ezra.)
Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own
Hera sometimes does initiate hugs for the kids. Hera actually hugs people the most out of the whole cast (Kanan multiple times, her father multiple times, and she glomps Quarrie in that one episode of S2). We never see her initiate a hug towards one of the kids, however, and I suspect this is her way of respecting their personal space. Buuuuut I also headcanon that she’ll initiate sometimes, if she senses one of the kids needs some extra comfort or seems to be leaning towards her.
Hera is the morning person of the two, usually up first among the entire crew. Kanan used to be a morning person until he ended up on the run after Order 66 and spent too many mornings nursing hangovers. He also says that if Hera isn’t up yet, it’s “too early”.
Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious
Kanan and Hera love watching fun, escapist dramas...stuff like The Princess Bride! They also keep this a deep, dark secret from the kids, knowing they’d never hear the end of it otherwise.
Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends
Each of them know that if the Empire ever finds out they are a couple, one of them would be used to bait or torment the other if they were ever captured.
Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own
Hera’s “Why did I wait so long to tell him?” in S4 was not about telling Kanan she loved him but about the baby. (Come on, that whole plot thread didn’t feel like resolving a character dynamic, it felt like retconning what had been established!) She didn’t know how to tell him because she herself was still processing the news, it was some of the worst possible timing, and she didn’t want to give him one more thing to worry about (even though she knew he would be thrilled).
I also headcanon that they’ve made a commitment to each other that they will honor, whatever happens with the Rebellion and the Empire (although, c’mon, with the way they behave towards each other, is that seriously unrealistic?) They can’t make their relationship legal while the Empire lasts, for a variety of reasons, but they’ve made a promise to each other.
