Star Wars: How Anakin Skywalker Evolves into Darth Vader
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 พ.ค. 2024
- This video essay analyzes Star Wars' Anakin Skywalker and how he transforms into Darth Vader over the Star Wars prequels. Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in all of cinema... but was he destined to go to the dark side of could the Jedi have saved Anakin from temptation? This video essay explores the character of Anakin and his evolution into the dark side. Star Wars was distributed by 20th Century Fox.
FAIR USE NOTICE:
This video may contain copyright material; the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This material is made available under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made "fair use" for the purposes such as criticism, comment, review, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that otherwise might be infringing. All rights belong to its owners.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:23 Stage One
5:22 Stage Two
6:52 Stage Three
11:45 Stage Four
16:34 Darth Vader
Music used:
Nocturn Op 9. No 1 in B Flat Minor by James Langevin (Shutterstock)
In Another World by Big Score Audio (Shutterstock)
'Titan' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
'In Search of Solitude' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
Blinded by the Sunlight by Draganov (Shutterstock)
Long Journey Home by Little Red Church (Shutterstock)
&
Beethoven 7th Symphony (Public Domain)
#starwars #darthvader #anakinskywalker - บันเทิง
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"It takes only one bad day at the beach to turn the sanest man into a lunatic" - The Joker
All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That’s how far from the world I am just one bad day.
Ya but it takes more than that to turn semi-sane people to lunacy
Man you make a great connection that I can't believe I never thought of that the joker's journey is very much like Anakin's it's not the exact same but if you split it up into pieces the result and the cause are almost exactly the same
@@croutendo2050 it's a bit like being inoculated. A little bit of crazy here and there, a little bit of lunacy from time to time and you can deal with stuff calmly that would shake your average suburbanite to the core and reduce them to tears while screaming that no fair, just and loving god would make a world so broken.
To quote Christopher Titus "I love being from a screwed up family because nothing bothers me anymore. Once you've driven your drunk father to mom's parole hearing what else is there? Normal people scare the living shit out of me."
Didn't you watch the video. It was a life time of bad decisions and bad things happening. That bad day is just the bill getting paid.
“Being out of control FEELS like being under control to a boy who was raised as a slave.” That one hit me.
To be fair in both the philosophies of Stoicism & Buddism that Jedi idealism is inspired by. You should expect everything to be out of control!
Anakin chose NOT to learn that!
@@Digidragon55 This is true. I just watched Attack of the Clones yesterday and you can see how his mother’s death looks to him vs what it really is. “I wasn’t strong enough to save you” says it all
I've heard some people say that Anakin didn't deserve to be redeemed for his crimes, and that he instead should have been punished, but his servitude as Darth Vader was arguably his punishment.
Anakin/Vader is a paradox - he is both a victim and an oppressor. The Chosen One and Dark Lord. Destroyer of the Jedi and of the Sith. A man who loses his father and a man who saves his son.
Edit: There's generally a difference between redemption and atonement. Redemption is a moment, atonement is a process.
Exactly
Anakin/Vader may be one of the most powerful and feared man in the Galaxy
However he is still at a disadvantage mentally, physically, emotionally and just overall psychologically
@@phoenixv2460 Anakins greatest crimes arguably all occurred before he even got in the suit, and for that he was punished with the fires of hell and trapped inside a machine for the rest of his days, a servant to the devil.
@@onemoreminute0543 and that right there, makes Darth Vader one of the most tragic characters in all of fiction/film
People who demand punishment for oppressors usually arent much better than those whom they want to punish.
Vader’s redemption isn’t really about Vader at all - it’s about Luke. By doing the right thing, Vader is affirming Luke’s love for his father, the very same love that has made Luke into an unyielding force for good. It’s why Vader’s last words weren’t about himself, but his son - because Luke was right, and that’s what matters.
It's worth noting that the last time Anakin was forced to choose one person to save and condemn the other (Ahsoka or Obi-wan on Mortis), he was able to use his own power to reject the choice entirely and save them both.
In his mind, power is a valid third option when faced with difficult decisions.
Great point.
And I think that's what people get lost at when they think Anakin went to the darkside just to save Padme or he was just upset about the Jedi counsel. I think in that moment with Mace Windu about to kill Sidious, he saw that the Jedi would break the code if they believed what they were doing was right (i.e., kill Sidious without a trial), but yet he was not allowed to do that. Anakin's words to Padme are telling . . . he wanted to become powerful enough to create his own order because both the Jedi and the Sith were wrong.
His whole arc is about being told he has essentially infinite power and promise as the chosen one -- but then having to be told he can't use it to save the people that he loves. To him, power was meaningless if he could not use it to save people. And rules were meaningless if it meant that you had to let your loved ones die.
Love and Hate are the same side of the coin. Like what Tobirama says in Naruto about the Uchiha -- the two emotions are so intertwined that having such a strong connection to love creates an equivalent amount of hate when you lose that love.
Wow, did not see how that scene could be read like that
"To grasp too strongly is to be taken over by power, and thus to become its victim.” - Frank Herbert.
@@mikejaoude5496
An observant comment, but... I don't think love is guilty of causing hate.
Even when two people who have loved each other come to resent each other and hold anger toward each other, the love still has value and strength.
Even the most bitter divorced couple, if both are normal and not sociopaths, would set their anger aside in a heart beat, I believe, if their former spouse needed their help. Love is more a force for good than the opposite.
It's a weird aspect of Star Wars that romantic love never survives in the Star Wars universe. At least not in the films.
Doesn't Luke have a Jedi wife in the books? THAT'S Interesting...
But I'm a romantic...
Anakin: “Master Yoda, is it permissible for a Jedi to send emails?”
Yoda: “Yes Anakin, of course permissible it is for a Jedi to send emails. As long as no attachments there are.”
"he couldnt breath without padme, but now he has a machine to do it for him" that shit can hit deep if you think about it
Now I really want to see an observation on how Darth Vader became Anakin Skywalker again.
Anakins journey over the six films is almost chiastic:
- Episode 1: Good (an optimistic boy who enters Jedi training by the end)
-Episode 2: Conflicted (an emotionally unstable teenager who straddles the line between his duty to the Jedi and his love to Padme by the end)
- Episode 3: Evil (becomes Darth Vader)
-Episode 4: Evil (remains a cipher of evil)
- Episode 5: Conflicted (is visibly shown to be shocked and conflicted by Luke's rejection of him as family)
- Episode 6: Good (is redeemed and fulfills his destiny upon seeing his son's compassion)
@@onemoreminute0543 Episode 3: Becomes heavily conflicted on the Jedi’s principles and thinks they’re holding him back. His inability to let go of Padme leads him on a path of selfishness to his downfall.
I think there's something to be said for Palpatine's role in Anakin's childhood as an instance of grooming. "We will watch your career with great interest," and the like. In the beginning of Episode II, we can accurately state that Palpatine and Anakin have met many times over the past decade, with Anakin's gratitude for Palpatine's guidance: all the while as Palpatine is telling him he will be invincible and feeding his ego by telling him he will one day be even more powerful than Yoda.
@@onemoreminute0543 it’s like poetry. It rhymes
A incredible analysis. I never saw Anakins point of view, but after this video, I understand him. It wasn’t just Palpatine who turned him into the dark side. The Jedi Council made big mistakes, which lead to Anakins and there own downfall…
Yup...the jedi f up big time
Anakin's life an Tragedy inspire me to make a poem in respect an sympathy for him [I uploaded it to TH-cam].
*It is always those moments* .
*That changes a individual to their true potential; moments where people create their own nightmares out of those they pretended to love* .
*They loved what they thought you would be; what they hoped you would be* .
*Not realizing what it does to you* .
*The guilt of your fall rest on your shoulders for entertaining others delusions* .
*The pain, the agony, the betrayal* .
*They realize your realization* .
*That they are source of your torture* .
*Then they see you as a monster of their own guilt and failure* .
*Poetic how they created their own monster, from their own misguided actions an feels* .
I been believing that
However I feel he still was the chosen one he brought balance the sith and Jedi were taken down so ppl can politic themselves
Really? Having lost someone I loved completely I understand his choices. If I had his options, I’m not sure I wouldn’t do anything to save that person.
I JUST now realized that when Aiken said “the thought of being without you, I can’t breathe” it was a breadcrumb of things to come, as Darth Vader literally can’t breathe
Amazing catch!! Never thought of that and it makes alot of sense
Like onions and ogres layers
Damn….
"OGRES. ARE NOT. LIKE ONIONS!"@@johay899
Anakin's character arc in the prequels is a beautiful gem.
But sad 😢
@lmusima3275 the tragedy of anakin skywalker
His whole life really was a tragedy. I completely understand why he made all the decisions that he did. It’s no wonder he was finally at peace and ready to die after Luke saved him. I only wish he could’ve reunited with Padme in the afterlife.
Me too, I really do hope that Padmé became a force ghost and that she and Anakin reunited. I know that she had already forgiven Anakin because she knew that he only acted the way he did (episode 3) because he was conflicted, and in such emotional turmoil.
Indeed, one of the most iconic and tragic figures in all of movie history. He's one of the few villains one can actually understand and even love. The pain inside of him is unbearable, even to those of us knowing his tragedy.
No doubt Lucas has spent quite some time thinking about the human nature and what goes on inside people when he first created this story. It was and always will be a masterpiece!
Have you ever heard that tradgey of Darth Vader the remorseful?
@@rebelrouzer5318 I have. Lol
He has.
In my opinion, it is the moment when Mace Windu visually/vocally implies that breaking the Jedi principles is morally acceptable is when Anakin "dooms" himself to the Dark Side. Before this happens, Anakin wants to be on the light side (a jedi), even if he is breaking lifestyle rules while doing so. When Mace Windu shows that Jedi morals can be flexible, Anakin "learns" that there is little difference between Jedi and Sith.
Earlier, Anakin was taught these people (Sith) are bad guys and so Anakin doesn't want to be a bad guy however when Anakin sees the good guys being bad (as in performing bad actions), this wall dividing the two (jedi and sith) is broken and Anakin no longer thinks that that Jedi are automatically good and that Sith are automatically bad.
Before Mace's attempt to kill Palpatine, Anakin is repulsed by Sith and so doesn't want to be one, after Mace's attempt Vader doesn't see much of a difference between Jedi and Sith... and so turns.
"He was too dangerous to be left alive" - Palpatine after the killing of the unarmed Dooku. Anakin responds that he shouldn't have done that as it wasn't the Jedi way.
"He's too dangerous to be left alive!" Windu as he prepares to kill the unarmed Palpatine.
Anakin at first states how he should stick to the Jedi code but, when the organisation's own leaders don't practice what they preach, why should he consider their teachings as anymore morally superior to those of the Sith?
I also think that the fact other Jedis decided to arrest Palpatine without Anakin was hurtful to him. They did not trust him and he understood that. Perhaps if they invited him to go fight against Palpatine, gave him a pep-talk, maybe even reason with him that Palpatine has to be destroyed, and most importantly showed him he is trusted enough to accompany them by all this, the scene could have happened differently.
@Fundamentally Unorthodox 1)He ran in on the duel lacking proper context
2) The line between 'good and evil' is blurred through this breaking of morals, seemingly proving Palpatines words true to Anakin
3) (from his POV)What is Anakin going to achieve by letting the only person who could save his wife die? Why should he continue serving an organisation that has restrained him from day one?
It's ultimately to Anakins own selfish benefit that he saves Palpatine over Windu, and it helps justify and rationalize his feelings towards the dark side
Anakin was just thinking of himself when Windu tried to kill Palpatine. He wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t need Palpatine to “save” his wife.
Ah yes, Anakin the centrist. Jedi killing Sith means they are equivalent. What a drip
For all the crap the fans gave George over the years for the prequel trilogy, it’s aged very well. The execution may not have been perfect, but the arc was always more important. And for someone having to make a prequal to arguably the greatest trilogy of all time, being a near impossible task, I think George did a good job.
Watching the Clone Wars really fleshed out Anakin's character growth for me. It more than filled the gaps that were present in the prequels.
@@sattymike0155 For sure. Clone Wars definetely helped fill in the gaps. I wonder if/how they could work around that and possibly add more content to even attempt to make the sequel trilogy any better by adding content to fill in gaps.
As a casual Star Wars fan, I always enjoyed the prequels but felt they lacked something without being able to my finger on it…… watching The Clone Wars series at the moment with my 12 year old and a lot is starting to make more sense.
The one knock I have on the prequels is that if you weren’t fully immersed in all the lore away from the movies then certain things didn’t add up.
The prequels are great. They aren't perfect (especially the acting and pacing in some) and slightly contradict the OT, but they are entertaining, add a lot of lore, and were thoroughly original.
They are still worth watching. If only the sequels were done as well as the prequels it would have been a true trilogy of trilogies.
Prequels to "arguably" the greatest movie trilogy of all time? Not arguably. Definitely.
The fact that this child raised to believe people should spread good and help others grew up to be a man who believes he should only help himself and control others brings a whole new meaning to the sentence "You've become the very thing you swore to destroy"
It was mainly a politics problem, this is why Jedi temple being in such a Core World like Coruscant was a bad idea it corrupted the Jedi.
When Vader finds out that he has a son in the OT, his first move is to turn him to evil to overthrow his master so that they can rule the galaxy together and actually be masters of their own fate - a similar proposition he made to Padme.
But like Padme, Luke rejects the man who is meant to be his family as he only sees a monster before him. You can tell how Vader is shocked and conflicted that he has been rejected by his own flesh and blood for a second time.
Then, Vader arguably reaches his peak evil when he discovers the existence of Leia, and threatens to turn her to the dark side too. He is now willing to turn both of his children to evil for his own selfish gain.
But then it is Lukes ability to restrain his own possessive attachment to his sister and see the monster he will become that leads him to spare his father in an act of compassion.
This compassionate mercy is what helps to stir the good in Vader, who returns the favour and breaks his shackles by killing Palpatine.
In that moment, he realises that his selfish desire to be master of his own destiny and the universe is worth nothing if he loses his last remaining family, the one family member still alive and willing to believe in him where so many others didn't.
I always saw the Return of the Jedi fight as Vader and Palpatine tugging on Luke's soul. Vader wants his son to remain good, and Palpatine wants to corrupt him. Vader blocks Luke's blow against the Emperor to save him from the Dark Side. You can tell his heart isn't in the duel. He doesn't want to win. He isn't fighting like he did on Bespin or any of his other duels with Jedi. Luke, however, did enable Anakin to return and destroy the Emperor. Luke did not give up on his father . . . even when his father had given up on himself. I say all of that because of their prior interaction on Endor, and because I believe most of it was confirmed in the "Return of the Jedi" novelization.
No, the first thing Vader did when he learned about his Son was run around telling everybody about it. He was really excited. Poor Gary almost fell off his ladder when Vader ran by with his Force Powers all flopping in the wind telling all these "Force Ghosts" about how he was a Father.
@@austinkersey2445 I rather see one of Vader's lines like this. "It is too late for me, my son," while he thinks "but it's not too late for you. Don't make the same mistakes I did." He doesn't fully realize it yet because he has hated himself for so long, but that love he still feels for his son is what will give him the push he needs to finally take his life back from Palpatine, who so cruelly destroyed it. Some very insightful comments here.
@@austinkersey2445 Then Disney ruined all that with one line. "Somehow, Palpatine has returned". From now on I don't want anyone referring to the sequels as canon. They're not, Star Wars ended when Vader Killed Palpatine.
@Mijaro they're not Canon because they are not made by Lucas.
Interesting how , in an almost Freudian way, Anakins attraction to Padme stemmed from him seeing her as his new source of maternal and emotional comfort after leaving his own mother as a child
It was 100% intentional, Padme is framed as a motherly figure when she comforts Anakin as they head to Coruscant just after he leaves his mother in TPM and in AOTC, Lucas intentionally connects Shmi and Padme via dreams and also has a Jedi called Jocasta Nu. Jocasta is a direct reference to Oedipus Rex
Moreover, Palpatine was seen as the "Fatherly" figure Anakin literally never had. The only older man to sort of look at him and make him feel better about himself, who believed in him and in the end, he was the worst person in the whole of existence he could have met. Basically Star Wars is about the story of a religious order who adopted the messiah and accidentally handed over to the Devil.
Not if you’ve read about 30 seconds worth of basic Freudian psychology.
@@eternalhistory4706 makes it worse when you know qui gon jinn wouldave been the true father figure anakin needed and understood the nature of the force better than even yoda.
@@Ivantheterrible81280 Well, I do study psychology and read numerous articles on Freud's theories so...
I love the "watching a man change" videos, please do more!
Jimmy McGill and Anakin Skywalker. Who has a better redemption arc?
@@nont18411 I don’t think better, but Arthur Morgan would be an interesting topic
This is a perfect video to show someone when they say Anakin was a poorly written character or that Hayden played him poorly when it really the exact opposite
Not necessarily. Having justifiable themes or moments isn't equivalent to having good dialogue or acting.
I'm not saying he was poorly written (I honestly don't remember much of that trilogy beyond thinking some parts were great and others were so cringe-inducing it was hard to watch).
I am saying this video isn't necessarily contradictory to those statements.
If you have to show someone a separate video explaining a character then the original story the character appears in did a poor job presenting that character in the first place.
It’s a soap opera bro George says it him self go watch any of them there dramatic cringey and not meant to be perfect and if that doesn’t help you the force is responsible for everything that happens in this universe blame dialogue on them
I never understood the claim that Annakin’s character was poorly written or that Hayden was a bad actor. Usually this claim stems from Annakin and Padmes dialogue being “corny”. However the Jedi being the philosophical warriors that they are it makes sense that they would speak in a dramatic Shakespearean kind of way. We just just believe correct English is corny these days.
A brilliantly put together video. Personally I think anakin skywalkers fall to the dark side and his redemption is one of the most beautiful and tragic stories in cinema
Yes
I agree. It's especially tragic thinking of his friendship with Ahsoka. That relationship was explored more in my opinion, and he was on somewhat equal footing with her as a cohort in using the force.
It didn't help that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wans philosophies on the Force ran counter to each other:
"Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts"- Qui-Gon in episode 1
"Use the Force, think!" - Obi-Wan in episode 2
By the end of the prequels, Kenobi realizes his approach was flawed and so he and Yoda adopt Qui-Gons teachings going into the OT.
I think it's more of a parenting issue. Qui Gon is a bit of a grey guy already but he's trying to help get the stiff and rigid Obi Wan to relax.
Obi Wan acts like a coiled spring through episode 1. He seems to be on edge while Qui Gon is relaxed, calm, he is at peace inside but always aware of his surroundings.
Qui Gon dies before he pass this fully onto Obi Wan. Obi Wan in turn remains coiled. He's strict, critical, he's abrasive. Anakin needed a softer hand and there are times where Obi Wan attempts this but he's not good at it.
If Qui Gon had lived Anakin may have become a powerful jedi master
@@glenngriffon8032 it makes a lot of sense too since Obi Wan essentially had to become a parent to a very mentally traumatized child suddenly and at a young age himself
I always thought this too! When I first saw the prequels it made me wonder if the master/apprentice cycle focused on a feeler training a thinker and vice versa to further learn from each other, as Dooku (Qui Gon's master) always struck me as a thinker himself. However, by the time Luke begins his journey in episode 4, he already knows Luke is a feeler like his father, which helps him know what will work better for him as well.
Qui-Gon was a remarkable Jedi in ways not even the strongest of the Order understood. The fact he wasn't allowed on the Council while also being the first Jedi in centuries to discover how to become one with the Force says a lot about the state of the Order at that point.
i don't agree but I wanted to push the like button and become the 200th
Actually, Anakin's first instinct isn't to cheat, he suggests that they leave to be together, and Padme says no and that's why he suggests living a lie. In Revenge of the Sith Padme suggests running away together but it's too late Anakin sought power and fell in love with it.
Because Anakin was too used to cheat to get whatever he wants he couldnt leave it behind, plus after Order 66, running really wasnt a option until Anakin had enough power to kill Sidious and be even More Free through Passion, Padme ofc didnt fully realize Anakin´s lust for power until too late.
You knocked it out of the park with this analysis.
People underestimate how crucial child Anakin in TPM is to his characterisation. We need to see what was good in him to feel the loss when he turns, and then feel there were redeeming aspects by the time a chronological viewer gets to ROTJ.
It goes hand in hand with the idea of genetic destiny in the OT. Luke has the genetic capability to be either the worst parts of his father or the best parts. He ultimately chooses the best parts, which inspires his father to do so too.
"We need to see what was good in him to feel the loss when he turns" why would you need to start him out as a child for that? Anakin should be a good person when he's an adult. If someone's only a good person when they're a kid then they're not a good person. Nobody is born evil, someone being a good person when they're 10 isn't an accomplishment at all. Most children are good people.
This is the problem some people have. The only time we're shown Anakin being good and heroic *as an adult* is the first 30 minutes of ROTS, and by then everybody was already turned against him due to how insufferably immature and whiny he is in AOTC. It's too little, too late.
@@VaderTyrannus Anakin still does maintain some of those positive traits by the time of ROTS, but the point is that his potential was damaged when he was still young - his problems were sown early on.
@@onemoreminute0543 I don't disagree with either of yall for the most part but I would say that I can't see it being a bad idea to have had Anakin be at least a little bit older, a few years closer to Luke's age of 19, to at least make him feel like he has some kind of power over his situation cause he just felt too inactive as a character most of the phantom menace because he was too young to really be able to understand what was going on, it just made the impact slightly less for me personally, though I don't hold a grudge over how things were done, and I think George made it the way he did cause he felt like he knew what he wanted, can't argue with that.
@@FluffyFistSoup That's admittedly why, though I think the prequels are great and ROTS (or at least tied with Empire) is the best SW film, I think the OT is the superior trilogy due to how our main character was the same throughout (in TPM it was Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan serving as the primary focalisers)
But child Anakin ultimately works to the benefit of the PT as a whole, even if his overall bearing on the plot of TPM is a little bit more limited.
He was established as altruistic and optimistic, winning the prize money in the podrace not for his own freedom, but to help the Jedi. He's shown to be familiar with only the role of a servant due to being born into slavery, and his attachment issues are established from the get go.
Anakin (and Jar Jar) also help serve as proxy characters for children to latch onto in TPM, whereas the Jedi are POV's for adult viewers, and Padme is a bridge between the two.
There's an argument that the establishment of Anakin as a good natured child with attachment issues could have just been shown via some flashbacks, and instead focus solely on teenage Anakin. However:
1) It probably wouldn't allow for enough time for the innocence of the character to be established before he becomes more morally conflicted as a teenager
2) Flashbacks in Star Wars break the avante garde style the original 6 films by Lucas were going for. The films don't jump around timelines and generally take place over the course of just a few days so as to instill the feeling of a documentary observation, not an omniscient camera
@@onemoreminute0543 Good points, my only contention is that I don't wanna pretend like I know exactly what the right age would have been good for the role, but somewhere between 14 and 17 wouldn't have been too bad, to where he could still be innocent, most of the plot could play out the same, just with Anakin being able to get a little more personally involved emotionally right from the start with characters like Qui Gon and the council, and have more involved dialogue scenes.
Ultimately though, having him as a kid and then skipping ahead 12 years was always a bit jarring for me as he felt too different from what we got in TPM if that makes sense, making it hard to feel as though the TPM fits within the overall story, but having him be slightly older fixes that for me, while also having him and padme be closer in age to one another, perhaps opening the door to their relationship in a more natural way.
These are just my thoughts though as I said, I think you make great points and your view on the series as a whole is solid, I don't disagree.
I would say that I don't think flashbacks would be all that necessary, and personally most of my problems with the prequels that I feel is wrong is what George stated after creating TPM, "I may have gone too far in a few places." He knew that in the end, there were things he could have improved upon, and that's all that matters from my point of view, being honest about your work. What we got wasn't bad, at the end of the day there can always be stuff you can change, he loved going back and altering the OT, which whether I disagreed or agreed it was his right and so feeling as though there could be ways the story could be better I think is a valid point of view. At least if the person doing that is being respectful to those who disagree.
If I had the power to make those decisions, I probably would have changed a ton of things about the writing, but I actually like George's ideas, I just think he needed more writers to flesh out the dialogue and to reign in on the action in favour of more character moments, as I think one of the big detractions of ROTS is the fact that we spend too much time on the fighting and not on the decisions the characters make, the character story that George wanted to tell. He got a bit muddled in his want to showcase new VFX technology and also create a character backstory about one of the most beloved characters in the world, which at the time was a problem he was having throughout the development of all the prequels. He had a lot riding on him, but I pay respect to the fact that he stands up for himself and his work, because it's not like he can just make them again.
Either way, what we got was absolutely Star Wars, it just needed a little more kick to make them as memorable as the OT for me. I only have emotionally nostalgia for the prequels as I grew up with them but unfortunately I don't find they held up as well over time. The question is, do the sequels break the entire saga? Because having 1-6 be about Anakin and then 7-9 be about palpatine's daughter just seems really really jarring to me...
Such a conflicted and misunderstood Character. Innocent boy full of love yet the world showed him how cruel it can be. What an arc!
"and although he said he couldn't breath without Padme he now has a machine to do the breathing for him." amazing words mate you deserve way more views
the tragedy of Anakin didn’t crystallize until I rewatched Episode I recently.
Qui-Gon says to Anakin, “your focus determines your reality”
At the end of that movie, you have Yoda saying that there is much fear in Anakin.
I think the council always saw that fear in Anakin and never chose to focus on his goodness, which is - in part - what led to Anakin becoming disillusioned with the council.
the jedi teachings are flawed from the get go.
I always believed the Jedi became too extreme. The order was stagnant, dogmatic and unwilling to change with the times. They could have done more to help Anakin.
@@MrBronx61 They had no more enemies to fight, so they became 2nd rate diplomats and prone to be manipulated by the Republic politicians.
I loved how Darth Bane books foreshadowed this with the Rossan Reformations any real Jedi would´ve spit on them and made a temple for the Jedi on the Outer Rim and move there. But just as the Sith died the Jedi lost their souls too.
"Did Anakin choose the dark side? Or did the dark side choose him?"
The potential for the dark side to choose individuals is a nightmare scenario in the highest degree.
i mean.....the force DOES have a mind of it's own (at least to some extent) so for the force to tweak things so someone goes darkside *should* be possible
Darth Vader was not inevitable
@@Autumnz2005 inevitable no. Statistically likely? Yes
@@Northraider123 based on what statistic?
@@Autumnz2005 born a slave, Too old to be properly trained by the jedi, attachment issues, groomed by Palpatine, feeling like an outcast and thats only what I can think off hand....while it was never certain the deck was certain stacked in the favor of anikin going darkside
It is also a story about a boy that his educator have failed him. You can't tell such a young kid "that he is afraid of losing his mother". He lost her definitely. And he lost short after his father figure who really cared for him. Nobody helped to heal these traumas or even aknowledge his feelings. Yoda made him feel ashamed that he missed his mum. He was just a kid and nobody tried to comfort him. They were just discussing over his head wether they will train him or not. Maybe the Jedis don't turn to the dark side of the force but they don't have any mercy for a lost kid. No wonder he turned against them.
the issue is the jedi lost the ability to really feel. they are apathetic. and dogmatic.
“They’ll smile at you, they’ll pat you on the head -- but they’re never, ever gonna let you in.” - Anakin to Ahsoka about the Jedi order
Where is this from?
@@XxAzureNekoxX I think Star Wars Rebels?
@@JunaidAnsari-my2cx This is the moment Better Call Saul became Star Wars: Rebels
As a whole thats awfully similar to how the republic treated the Jedi Order itself, bit for bit, from Rossan reformation all the way to Order 66, the Jedi kept themselves away from directly meddling with the Republic politics and got shafted for it.
Anakin´s talking points were good except he never had the bigger picture to apply them.
Anakin didn't change into Vader, Vader is as always was a part of Anakin. It's fundamentally part of who he is. Unchecked rage and anger. His priority was getting what he wanted with Padme and he was willing to sacrifice anything and everyone to win. In the immortal words of the Oracle, "He'd already made his choice, he just needed to understand why!?" He thought he was good and could never see past the choices he doesn't understand. When he slaughtered the women and children of the Sand People, he knew he sealed his fate.
The dark side chooses everyone but the strength of character and willingness to sacrifice to the greater good is what it means to do the right not always the right results. That's what Anakin didn't understand. Just you have power doesn't mean you have or get to control outcomes. As Antiope told her niece, "battles will never be fair the world will never be fair. It's the willingness to continue knowing life isn't fair is what makes a person strong"
bro missed the point
anakin was raised in a way that prevented him from gaining said understanding, thus his fall makes significant sense seeing as he was manipulated
Man from 17:55 onwards that was some of the best editing and thoughtful analysis I’ve ever seen. Wonderful video.
“You must choose!”
“Don’t listen to him Anakin…”
This video made me relook at that scene and Anakin’s decision, tho regrettable, makes sense. It literally came down Windu’s directives vs. Palpatine’s objective command.
They both we’re essentially telling him what to do, but Palpatine’s maintained a sliver of it still being up to him to decide.
Great Video Essay
I love Anakin as a character and I’m not even a huge Star Wars fan. He’s really fascinating. Great video!
I've never fully understood Anakin's mentality but this video cleared everything up. Thank you for this amazing work of art.
I'm so glad you did one of these ON Anakin, he's always been one of my favorite characters in cinema.
Also… an interesting note to consider: Anakin was the bridge to balance the force as it’s always in flux. He brought down the apathetically self aggrandizing Jedi order driven from their values as peacekeepers to soldiers and then had the son who would fix his overcorrection made by going to the dark side if that makes sense?
Yup. He balanced the force.
Forgot the phrase
There are numerous reasons as to why Anakin fell into the dark side and none of them was solely his fault. Palpatine, Obi Wan, the Jedi Council, Dooku, visions, Yoda, Mace, Qui Gon’s death, etc. Anakin’s story was a tragedy and he was redeemed by saving Luke and destroying Palpatine along with saving the rebellion. You can’t really blame him for anything besides maybe the killing of younglings.
This video perfectly sums up how it was truly the Jedi that caused Anakin to become Darth Vader. Palpatine played a part, but you could have removed him completely and the result likely would have been the same.
You know, it wasn't until this video that I actually considered the dichotomy of slave/master in Anakin's mind and how much that shaped him. So when he is denied the rank of "master" by the council, he takes it personally not only because he is being refused a position that by all rights he has earned for his contributions during the clone wars, but also because in his mind they council are denying him the concept of being "master" of his own life.
"We like to think were good, but maybe we just haven't found a good enough reason to be bad."
Damn.
This video’s great, but it’s missing Stage 6: Redemption, which is arguably the most important part of Anakin’s arc
This video only focuses on the prequels. However, you're 100% correct. Watching the films in order (episodes 1-6 in this case) allows for the full arch to come alive.
@@fade680 bait
This video is absolutely brilliant! Anakin went from being a slave for Watto to being a slave for Palpatine. Thank you for this!
It´s ironic, he became a cog slave in the empire just like any stormtrooper, just with more power to flex over those below him.
Worst part is, he never truly realized it was that for stormtroopers beneath him, he thought only things like Wookie slavery were a thing, but imagine as a stormtrooper going against the empire and see how quickly you are treated as a slave too!
The fact that there are people out there who cant seem to understand how truly tragic Anakin’s life, fall to the darkside and general story is actually baffles me
I grew up with the original trilogy movies (4-6) as the only Star Wars in the world, so only seeing Darth Vader in his final form my whole life. I can’t tell you the feeling I got in my young adult life at the end of the 3rd movie when the transition from Anakin to Darth Vader and hearing him breathe for the “first” time was complete. It was in the theatre and I was with a friend. I cried 😂. She had to think I was nuts. But that was one of the most amazing movie moments in my whole life.
Wow I just caught the “I can’t breathe without you” tying into the respirator after she dies. That’s really good
Great analysis, Pete. Anakin's story is a very tragic one.
The real tragedy was picking Hayden Christensen for the role.
@@masterstacker2833can't blame an actor for poor direction
In my philosophy class, we're discussing free will and determinism right now. Looks like this video was dropped at just the right time😊
I made a presentation and podcast on these topics for my animated philosophy module, let me know if you’re interested and I’ll send them on
I loved the Yoda's fear point! And that so much was gleamed from these often criticised movies. Best one yet!
This was an amazing layout! I love how you advanced certain characteristics through each stage. Smartly done! Encores!!!
I really like this channel, this dude either has talent in writing or just really good at analysis, there's lots of channels like this that just mostly talk about obvious stuff but its not easy bringing up points that sometimes even a big fan can miss and actually deep analysis.
This video was extremely well narrated and put together. Very comprehensive, thank you 🙏
This is the best psychoanalysis/synopsis of Anakin's arc I have ever seen! Respect.
Wow… the symbolism at all levels you found here is BEAUTIFUL! Great work and some fantastically layered and original critical thought. BRAVO!!!! 👏🏽🔥
Thank you for the poetic beauty in your analysis! It’s been there in the prequels the whole time. Your eloquence will help others see it.
Thank you!!
Phenomenal analysis thanks so much helped me understand a lot of things I missed in his transformation.
This was great! There's plenty of hate out there for the prequel movies (though I personally enjoy them). Then there's analysis like this that lets you see those movies actually have a lot of merit. Thanks for this!
What an incredible analysis!! Congratulations this is maybe the best star wars essay I've seen !!!
Terrific analysis! Definitely one of the best on this site.
Also, I feel like people don't put enough emphasis on how traumatic it was for Anakin to spend the first 9 years of his life in slavery. I think you carried it through very well here, though. But like, of course spending the most formative years of your life in those conditions is likely to fuck you up psychologically/cause your thought processes to not be the most logical. Childhood trauma makes people do crazy shit sometimes fr.
Honestly those years as a slave likely also messed up how Anakin used the Force as well.
Ppl do put enough emphasis on Anakin's past as slave, especially because it forms the basis of his belief that his powers gave him the license to control ppl's fate moving forward.
Wow, I have never heard his character arc explained in such a way, and so satisfyingly thorough, it was great and felt like a fresh look at an old story. Even the comment section for this video is incredibly insightful with a lot of people bringing up a lot of good points in their own views, some of which are just as compelling as the version you did here, outstanding job man, you have my like and my subscription, well done.
Wow. This is the best analysis I’ve seen about Anakin or Star Wars in general. You can appreciate the films way more after watching this video, there is so much more depth into the story.
That video was way depper than i thought. Thank you for making it I really needed to hear these words.
Incredible video as always!
fantastic video! Loved how at the end you called attention to the things working against him as well!
Great thorough and in-depth analysis. Well done
This is probably one of the best SW videos ever made. He truly broke down the very complicated character that is Anakin, In a way anyone could understand. Anakin/Vader is by far the most complex and interesting character in all of fictional media.
Simply the best analysis of Anakin Skywalker I’ve heard!
Videos like this strengthens my belief that the Prequels had such excellent ideas but just needed to be executed better to have been celebrated by fans and critics back when they released.
We needed more EU writters to work on the Prequels, and Filoni shouldnt even had a chance to work on the clone wars retcon.
The best and most complete analysis of Anakin/Vader character by far.
This is really well done sir! A well thought out analysis and thought-provoking perspectives. Thank you!
Dude sick video! One of the best on TH-cam.
14:25
"So he believes they're just as self-interested as he is, making excuses for their decisions, just like he does"
Well, he's definitely not _wrong._
An excellent video! I really enjoyed your organized analysis of Anakin's character arc.
This video and your points are very well done. Superb video, thank you for this upload.
Anakin's story arc always made me so sad. The problem I have with the Jedi order in this part of the movies is the fact that they had a severe lapse in judgment. The fact Yoda told him that he saw darkness in him were the Jedi’s first mistake when they could've just nurtured his light side more. if they simply would’ve encouraged his love for Padme instead of implying he couldn't be a Jedi unless he lost her, he wouldn't have found a father figure in the Emperor. I think Obi One could’ve believed in his visions and tried to help save his mother he wouldn't have lost faith in his master. The Jedi order should've shown Anakin that his rebellious side could've been a force for good but instead they lost his trust. I also wanna add I have no problem with his story arc, I just think that the Jedi order trying to control him made him turn evil.
The inherent problem with your logic is that the more Anakin loved Padme, the more willing he was to do anything that he perceived to be a viable solution for making sure that nothing happened to her. As the novelization says, _Anakin_ fed the dragon inside him, not the Jedi, not Obi-Wan, not Mace, not Yoda, not even Palpatine. Anakin's sense of self-worth came from being possessive of the ppl he cared about.
@@decepticonxhunter4850 Sure he was possessive but personally I still have to disagree. He knew Padme for the longest time without showing his evil side. To me he really only grew darker when he realized they couldn't be in love if he was a Jedi. Also there's no "problem" with my logic. It's my opinion.
@@Acid_Ash”he knew Padmé for the longest without showing his evil side”
Because he never needed to. The moment he needed to; he showed it. We are the decisions we make in pivotal moments. He chose his path. The Jedi definitely contributed to his downfall by inadvertently feeding his doubt, but ultimately HE chose to feed the dragon within himself at pivotal moments when he could’ve chose not to.
Prime example: him jumping at ObiWan even though the latter had the high ground. He chose to feed the dragon of arrogance, hubris and hate instead of understanding that his master had a severe tactical advantage. This cost him his limbs and physical identity. The Jedi had nothing to do with that. That was all Anakin.
@@agamerscoven Yeah but I believe he would’ve chosen better if he just had more support. I think ultimately what was the straw that broke the camels back is Obi Wan was completely dismissive of his visions about his mom. I think if he helped Ani save her he would’ve listen to Obi Wan when the fought. Obi Wan let him down. The Jedi let Him down and they made it so easy for the Chancellor to corrupt him
For a video that was just an observation, it sure as hell was a good one 👍🏿
Really great video mate.
Made me pause and reflect not only on the quality of the overarching theme of this whole story, but it's parallels to our society today
Great work 👍
Man what a soothing voice and great storytelling ability. Glad I stumbled upon your channel
Great video. I would argue that Anakin did fulfill the prophecy, as simply put "the one who brings balance to the force"; which is exactly what he does by the time he dies. He destroys the Jedi order as well as brings an end to the rule of two by killing palp and dying, ending the Sith lineage. (were just gonna forget about the sequels). Matter of fact, he dies around 44-45 years old and he turns to the dark side when he was 22. Which would mean that he spent half his life in the light and the other in the dark.
The saddest aspect in my opinion is that both sides utilized him for their own benefit and mistakenly misinterpreted the prophecy,; which ironically, is believed why the forced manifested him in the first place. Both sides were taking advantage of the natural balance of things. He was simply put to balance everything out.
Lastly, I would disagree that Vader is too blind to see that he is a slave to Palp. Vader is far more adept than we give him credit for and very early on in the empire's reign he puts the pieces together and realized that he was used. At some point he states; the one thing he hates the most is himself. It's just for years he was trying to amass enough power and timing to overthrow palp to reign in the way he saw fit. Ironically however, he under estimated just how smart his master was and for every step Vader took, Palp was two ahead.
For stage three your wrong, his father figure becomes Palpatine
He told Palpatine about his mother, everything, and Palpatine knew that Anakin was with Padme through Naboo spies. He also knows and keeps it a secret where Anakin got the power to defeat Dooku and when Sidious reveals himself in the book Revenge of the Sith he literally list things off his hand that he’s kept secret with Anakin who’s like a son to him
When he becomes stage Vader you should have put Sidious as Palpatine was an act, and Sidious is his true nature. Vaders father figure is Sidious while when he was Anakin he saw that role filled with Palpatine the person he’d tell secrets that Padme doesn’t know. That’s how much Anakin thought Palpatine was like a father, closer as father than Obi ever was.
This was so good. Thank you for this.
What a big brain video! This is the kind of analysis Star Wars deserves.
I dislike the deterministic approach, as it takes all control and agency from the individual and his surroundings. I believe all of Anakin’s parental figures failed him, all besides Shmi, and Qui-Gon. These were the only people to truly see the good in him, wanting to channel it to help the galaxy and to benefit himself too. Shmi truly loved her son deeply, and Qui-Gon saw someone with the potential to greatness, even through the visible flaws. If only he was surrounded by people who truly loved him and gave him guidance without being horrified by some obscure concept of darkness before he even got the chance to prove himself, maybe things would have turned out differently.
Great video JAO!!
They kinda did, if you notice Anakin´s progression through Jedi Ranks post padawan, he got used to the idea that moving up the ranks through war effort was fine, because that was how he was knighted (Clone Wars begin, Anakin needs to be knighted for participating in war effort directly), so when he kills dooku and isnt rewarded with the title of master he feels betrayed case he was led to believe he´d be promoted if he worked hard in the war risking his life for the Republic.
This is such a good analysis
Thank you for making this video, truly highlighting how good the story telling is in the prequels
Awesome video. Wonderful last 3 mins as well. Some great thoughts shared I appreciate you
One thing that I liked was how Anakin is a slave through the entire stiry. In the first movie, a slave to Watto, and then a slave to the Jedi Council, then Sidious, he never really had free will. He was always controlled by the weight of his actions. He was a slave to the prophecy. It's only when Luke reaches out at the end when he truly becomes *free*.
This is a great video. I’d love to see one that includes his Clone Wars time too
Holy crap. Thats the most interesting reading of the prequels ive seen in... maybe ever? The 'cant breathe' foreshadowing, the slavery/control throughline, didnt realize how strong those were until it was laid out like this. Great stuff.
Beautifully done.
"Kind young boy who never had a father figure in his life."
Yeah, his fall was destined from the start lol.
My favorite character in all of fiction
This video is so well done. I loved this video and cant totally relate to this inner conflict.
As soon as the point about him not wanting to be controlled as an adult was made I knew this was going to be a great character breakdown!
Notice him saying ‘I cant breathe’ when he thinks about losing padme, becomes his reality. Darth Vader can’t breathe properly, and padme is dead
You know in many different ways anakin is probably the most relatable
1. Fear of the future
2. Vengeance
3. Betrayal
4. Loss
5. Pain
Good breakdown, this was well thought out
"He says he can't breathe, so a machine does his breathing for him"🥶🥶🥶
Very interesting - thanks for creating this.
Best video breakdown yet. Anakin reminds me of myself at times.
This is an amazing video! Thanks for respecting all 3 prequels and not just ROTS as proper films.
"When something doesn't align with his desires, he immaturely cannot accept it. It feels like an injustice to him". This is precisely why the people who hate the prequels hate Anakin, he reminds them of their own flaws and they can't accept that George Lucas doesn't wanna validate their childish behaviour. He instead shows where this behaviour leads people and it's a lonely and pathetic world.
Also if anyone wants to see more on the prequels, I have my own stuff too! Currently have an in depth analysis of TPM and I'm almost done with my analysis of AOTC. After that, I can do ROTS then move onto the originals.
I think making a video like this of the duality of choosing your own fate from supposed divine prophecy from Loki/Atreus’s perspective from GOW and GOWR would be interesting
This was amazing. Thank you