Merrical

Merrical is the het between Nightsister Merrin and Cal Kestis from the Star Wars fandom.

Fallen Order
Cal had heard about the Nightsisters and how they too were wiped out before his journey to restore the Jedi Order brought him to their home world, where he meets Merrin. A Nightsister who had managed to survive the massacre of her people, just as Cal had survived the purge of the Jedi as a child. With Nightsisters and Jedi being enemies long before the Clone Wars, Merrin was weary of Cal and saw him as a threat that needed to be dealt with. Since her people were struck down by someone who wielded a weapon just like Cal's Lightsaber. Cal, however, didn't want any trouble from her and understands the pain of losing everything, but his mission kept him from answering her request for him to leave. He tries to reason with her, but the lies Merrin was told about the Jedi kept her from hearing him out of them possibly helping each other out. She uses her magic to control the Nightbrothers into attacking him. Cal manages to overcome them and the other dangers before their paths crossed again. Due to what happened at their first encounter Cal draws his Lightsaber to defend himself from whatever the Nightsister might try to throw at him, as well as him threating to strike her down if she continues to stand in his way. Despite his curiosity of Merrin briefly mentioning the person who had told her things about the Jedi, he didn't like the way she called them thieves and lairs. Merrin summons her murdered sisters to fight Cal so they could have their revenge, before disappearing again. After defeating them Cal meets Taron Malicos who tells him a few things about Merrin. Like how she too was a child when she lost her family. Cal soon learns that Malicos was the one told Merrin lies about the Jedi, after she overheard Malicos trying to get Cal to join his family and made herself known to them. Enraged by this Merrin summons her dead sisters to deal with both Malicos and Cal. With his Lightsaber damaged Cal was forced to run and knew that he couldn't return to Dathomir until it was fixed.

Now knowing who told Merrin those lied about the Jedi and how Malicos exposed his true nature to the both of them, Cal felt that he could reason with Merrin. Although Merrin thought that Cal was brave and foolish to return, she allows herself to hear him out after Cal has them start over. With him dressing Merrin by her name and then tell her his, before explaining that everything she thinks she knows about the Jedi were lies. He admits that while Taron Malicos was once part of his order, while having no idea to describe the man he is now, Cal was able to explain to Merrin that not everyone who holds a Lightsaber is a Jedi, before tossing his to her as a sigh of trust. He then answers her questions on what does make someone a Jedi, and they too were hunted down and betrayed by those they trusted; and how he believes to possibly be the last of his kind. Allowing Merrin to see that Cal understands her pain and what she has been through. Merrin then tells Cal of the day she saw an armoured warrior murder her people with a weapon just like his and leaving her alone with the dead, before meeting Malicos who promised her revenge in exchange of her people's secrets. Cal symphyses with Merrin of how he too knows what it was like to lose everything and that Malicos had no right to use that against her, as well as how the two of them don't have to be enemies. Realising that Cal was right Merrin hands his Lightsaber back to him and then creates a path to help him find Malicos. On the way to him Cal explains his mission to Merrin and how he wishes to prevent other innocent children with unique abilities from being hunted and killed like they were. During Cal's battle with Malicos, who was about to crush him to death, Merrin arrives to save Cal's life and then aids him for the rest of the battle. After the battle was won Cal asks Merrin why she helped him, before continuing his journey through the temple. He shares what he came for with her, but in the exactment of restoring the Jedi Order and making things better for his people, he forgot about Merrin's and how they isn't away to bring them back; until she brought it up. Realising this Cal shares with her the struggles and fears he undertook after the events of the purge and how he manged to meet those who helped him to find a path forward. Seeing how this new path has helped Cal and is done waiting for a chance to revenge her sisters, Merrin decides to join Cal on his journey and to fight by his side. Although Jedi and Nightsisters don't travel together, the two of them are survivors and they are able to adapt. Knowing that she is right about that Cal agrees to let her join, but he does warn her that the others might need some convincing; Merrin had faith that they'll be about to convince them. Once they returned to the Mantis Cal explains to the others that he wouldn't have been able to find the Astrium without her help and had helped him fight Malicos, as well as him stating that he trusts Merrin. Which was enough to allow Cere to let Merrin stay, even though the Nightsister still needs to ern the other's trust. Cal reassures Merrin that while the others didn't show it they do like her.

After Merrin learns more about the Holocron and how the children on the list will be taken away from their families to train as Jedi, she asks Cal if the risk of them being hunted like he and Cere were is worth endangering their lives. Apart of Cal did understand where Merrin was coming from, but they still couldn't risk the Holocron falling into the Empire's hands. Believing that restoring the Jedi is worth it, until the force shows Cal a vision of him training the children before they get discovered by the Empire, who force him to surrender and then captures the surviving children so they could turn all of them into Sith. Proving the point Merrin had made if they go through with this. After the Empire manged to get their hands on the Holocron and the Mantis crew were on their way to retrieve it back from them, Merrin provides them with away to get past the fleet. Cal gets Greez to go through with Merrin's ritual that will hopeful hide the ship, with her having an knack for these sort of things. Having faith that Merrin's ritual will keep the ship hidden long enough for him and Cere to find the Holocron. Sensing that Cal and Cere were in danger as the two were in the mists of drowning during their escape, Merrin goes to their aid and mangas to bring them back to the ship. Merrin hugs Cal after seeing that he was awake and back on his feet; then apologises for the hug. Before Cal had lost consciousness in the water he saw a glimpse Merrin and asks her if it really was her who saved him. She smiles before telling Cal that she is glad that he is alive. When their attention was brought back onto the Holocron and what they used use it for, Cal hears Merrin stating the fate that will awake them and decides to simply let the force decide their fate. Merrin was happy that Cal chose to destroy it and decides to be part of his new journey of fighting the Empire.

Fanon
Merrical is the most popular het ship of the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game, once people saw the energy between Cal and Merrin form shortly after they turned from enemies to allies. As well as becoming the kids of the Mantis crew, much like how Ezra and Sabine were the kids of the Ghost crew from Star Wars Rebels. Many were pleased when the ship became canon in Survivors, as well as them becoming the second known Jedi/Nightsister couple. The previous couple being Quinlan Vos x Ventress.

On AO3, Merrical is the most written ship for both Merrin and Cal. It is also most written ship in the Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order tag. There are currently 300 written works.

Fandom

 * FAN FICTION