Anakin Skywalker/Legends

Anakin Skywalker (nickname "Ani") (41 BBY - 4 ABY), with beginnings as a slave on Tatooine, led the Galaxy through times of both light and dark. He was believed by many, notably Qui-Gon Jinn, to be the Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force. Extremely strong with that mystical energy field, he became a powerful Jedi under the tuition of the famous Obi-Wan Kenobi, and a legendary figure himself during the Clone Wars. However, Anakin's arrogant behavior and emotional insecurities eventually caused him to turn to the Dark Side, becoming the Sith Lord, Darth Vader. Vader helped execute the Great Jedi Purge, which virtually destroyed the entire Jedi Order, and he acted as Emperor Palpatine's right hand during the Galactic Civil War. In the end, however, he was redeemed by his son Luke. Jedi Master Mace Windu said that the Chosen One would destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force. By throwing Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine down the shaft of the Second Death Star, and, thus, destroying the malevolent Sith, Anakin fulfilled that prophecy.

Childhood and Discovery
Anakin was born in about 41 BBY on Tatooine. His mother, Shmi Skywalker, claimed that she had become pregnant without being aware of any father. Qui-Gon Jinn took this as part of a prophecy about the Chosen One who would "bring balance to the Force." The wise Jedi Master suggested that the midi-chlorians might have conceived him. In fact, Anakin had a midi-chlorian count of over 20,000, which was even greater than that of Master Yoda.

Like his mother, Anakin was a slave. When Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala encountered him, he was a kind, selfless nine-year old chattel to a curmudgeonly scrap-shop owner named Watto. Even at this young age, he had a reputation for being able to build or repair anything, evidenced by the creation of his own protocol droid C-3PO and podracer, each from salvaged parts. A child prodigy, Anakin excelled at mathematics and engineering.

Leaving Tatooine
They were able to win his freedom based on a clever wager that entered the boy in a podrace. Normally, humans lack the fast reactions needed to operate such a tremendously high-speed land vehicle. However, Anakin's latent Force sensitivity manifested in the form of limited prescience, which took the place of lightning reflexes.

Although Anakin was freed, the Jedi were unable to free Shmi. After the crisis in which they were entangled ended victoriously in the Battle of Naboo, it seems they did not return to free her, until an adolescent Anakin did so of his own accord. (This is unclear, however.)

The revelation of Anakin's gifts cemented Qui-Gon Jinn's belief that he was indeed the Chosen One. Master Jinn asked the Jedi Council to allow him to train Anakin as his student, after his current apprentice, Obi-Wan, completed the trials necessary to become a Jedi Knight. This request was denied. Anakin was much older than usual, and they were concerned that his prior experiences would interfere with his training. In particular, he exhibited much fear and anger, left over from his days as a slave, and further compounded by the separation from his mother and home.

Ultimately, he helped to lead Naboo and Gungan forces to victory over the Trade Federation in the Batttle of Naboo, by destroying its flagship, the Droid Control Ship. Later, a dying Qui-Gon, slain by Darth Maul, urged Obi-Wan to train Anakin. The Council reluctantly approved. Anakin was however much too difficult a student for the young Obi-Wan. Meanwhile, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine would "watch [his] career with great interest."

Padmé Amidala was one of Anakin's first glimpses of the galaxy beyond Tatooine. He was fascinated with her as a child, and as he grew to adolescence, this developed into a tragically flawed romance. They would eventually have two children, Luke and Leia, both of whom later became central figures in the Rebellion and New Republic eras.

Adolescence
As a young adult, Anakin develops as an arrogant, socially awkward loner, doubtless in part because of his transition from scrapyard slave to rising star of the Jedi Order. His natural abilities placed him leaps and bounds above his peers, and this fed his ego. He frequently showed off, and displayed little respect for Obi-Wan, whom he partially viewed as inferior. Though, he did state that Obi-Wan was like a father to him and he claimed he had the wisdom of Master Yoda and the power of Master Windu. He formed a friendship with Palpatine, who would say things to further fuel his pride (e.g. "I foresee you becoming the greatest of all the Jedi, Anakin, even more powerful than Master Yoda.")

Attack of the Clones
After an attempt on her life, Anakin is assigned to guard Padmé. He had not seen her in 10 years, and she is now a senator. His childhood fascination with her has turned into a powerful infatuation. In conversation, he revealed his affection for her, a distrust of the political process and his view of the need for one strong leader. He fell in love with Padmé, and she reciprocated. Both seemed entranced with the other and their different social castes. Anakin's pursuit of this relationship was in violation of Jedi tradition, which holds that although Jedi are not required to be celibate, they must avoid attachment in their relationships.

Anakin suffered recurring nightmares about his mother, and went against the spirit of his orders to guard Padmé by bringing her to Tatooine to find Shmi. He found that she had been carried off by Tusken Raiders, and set out in pursuit on a speeder bike. The young Jedi discovered their camp, and slipped into the tent that contained his mother, presumably locating her with his Jedi senses. Battered, sleep-deprived, and dehydrated, she died in his arms, presumably of massive cardiac failure.

Anakin allowed the shock of her death to catalyze an explosion of his long-nursed anger and selfishness. He flew into a rage, killing everyone present - even, as he confessed to Padmé later, "the women and children." (A number of Jedi, including the recently dead Qui-Gon Jinn, sensed the shock of this massacre, amplified by Anakin's powerful Force presence turning "dark.") Padmé was clearly troubled by what he had done, but had invested herself too much in him to be truly repulsed; she tried to soothe him with sympathy. This fit with the mutual delusion and codependency unfortunately characterized their relationship.

Anakin learned that his friend and mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had been taken hostage by the Geonosian-engineered Separatist forces, and did not heed Master Windu's words, by taking Padmé with him, to save Obi-Wan. However, they are also soon captured and are about to meet their demise in a gladiatorial-execution arena, wherein they profess their dying love to one another. Though, the timely arrival of the Jedi, and eventually the clone troopers, allow both of them to escape and fight in the ensuing Battle of Geonosis. After losing his right arm in a lightsaber battle with Count Dooku (It was replaced with a prosthetic.) Then, Anakin's elopement and marriage to Padmé occurred on Naboo, a violation of Anakin's Jedi vows.

The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars saw Anakin's star continue to rise, as his exploits became legendary. An amazing starfighter pilot, Anakin flew missions over Kamino, Balamak, Virujansi, and elsewhere, cementing a reputation for his unparalleled skills. He custom modified his assigned Delta-7 Jedi Starfighter into a truly unique vessel that outperformed the ships of the line. Dubbed the "Hero With No Fear", war molded Anakin into a man, but continued to feed his pride. It became increasingly difficult for him to adhere to the strict tenets of the Jedi Code, particularly when the Order itself was thrust into nebulous moral ground in waging a full-scale war. When he could, he would write letters to his beloved Padmé, but he saw her only very rarely.

During the Battle of Muunilinst, Anakin was placed in charge of the space attack against the homeworld of the InterGalactic Banking Clan, a key member of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. His exceptional starfighter piloting skills and leadership led clone pilots to defeat the enemy forces. Anakin, however, was drawn from the battle by a sleek rogue vessel that flew apart from the enemy swarm. Despite repeated warnings from Obi-Wan not to pursue, Anakin gave chase, and followed the mysterious fanblade starfighter to the jungles of Yavin 4. Beneath the jungle canopy, amid the ruins of ancient Sith temples, Anakin dueled with Asajj Ventress, their ferocious lightsaber attacks illuminating their dank surroundings. Anakin repulsed Asajj, but did so only by giving into his anger, and once again the young Jedi had tread dangerously on the dark side of the Force.

Throughout the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan and Anakin were rarely far apart, being dispatched as a team to various battlefronts. As a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan received the rank of General, with Anakin as his lieutenant. It was on the rain-soaked world of Jabiim that Skywalker had to take over on his own. Obi-Wan was presumed killed in a Separatist attack, and Skywalker led a group of similarly "orphaned" Padawans. In the midst of this battle, Anakin received a priority communiqué from Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The galactic ruler requested that Anakin oversee the evacuation of Jabiim in person.

Though it pained Anakin to not fight alongside his comrades in the final push, he had to obey an authority as great -- and a friendship as close -- as Palpatine's. The evacuation of Jabiim was an ugly, controversial extraction, with the Republic abandoning the local forces to fend for themselves. Captain Gillmunn, local leader of the Jabiimi loyalists, swore vengeance on Skywalker and the Jedi order. He pulled a gun on Anakin, and Skywalker reacted by using the Force to start choking Gillmunn. Such a frightening use of the Force came easily to Anakin, though it was the first time he had ever used the mystical energy field in that specific fashion. Anakin is later made a full-fledged Jedi, despite the fact that he never goes through the final test prior to his knighting. During a mission to save the Nelvaanian Braves, Anakin goes through a cave that reveals what would become him in the future It is also revealed that the twins Luke and Leia are conceived during this time period as well.

Transformation to Vader
As the Battle of Coruscant waged around them, Anakin and Obi-Wan stormed the Confederate flagship The Invisible Hand where Darth Tyranus (Count Dooku) wass holding Chancellor Palpatine hostage. On the bridge of the ship, Obi-Wan and Anakin fought together, until Tyranus threw Obi-Wan across the room, rendering him unconscious. Anakin fought on, eventually cutting off Dooku's hands, and at Palpatine's urgings, killed Tyranus. He regretted this action, citing that it is not the way of the Jedi to kill a foe that had already surrendered.

Upon his return to Coruscant, Anakin was reunited with his wife and she informed him of her pregnancy. He was later troubled by visions of Padmé dying in childbirth. In addition, dark times followed when Palpatine made Anakin his representative on the Jedi Council. The other Jedi reluctantly accepted Anakin's placement on the council, but denied him the rank of Jedi Master. Further, the Jedi Council urged Anakin to keep tabs on Palpatine. This led Anakin to lose his trust in the members of that governing body. He revealed to his beloved wife that he was plagued with uncertainty.

As he continued to meet with Palpatine, the Chancellor slowly began to plant the seeds of the Dark Side in Anakin. Playing to his fears of Padmé dying, he told Anakin the Story of a Sith Lord that was so powerful he could stop people from dying. Eventually Palpatine revealed himself, and offered Anakin the chance to learn the Dark Side of the Force and use the power of the Dark Side to save Padmé. Anakin realized that Palpatine was Darth Sidious and promptly reported this to Mace Windu. Windu and three other Jedi went to arrest the chancellor. Palpatine duelled with the Jedi, slaying three of them almost immediately. Windu and Palpatine continued to fight until Windu came out on top, holding his weapon on the cowering Sith. (Although Palpatine appears to have lost, this may have been staged for the purpose of gaining sympathy from Anakin, his hopeful protegé.)

Anakin arrived just in time to see Windu preparing to arrest Palpatine. Palpatine then attacked Windu with Force lightning while pleading to Anakin for help. Windu screamed at Anakin not to listen. During this battle Palpatine went through a physical transformation moving toward the look that he would embody as emperor. Windu prevailed and expressed a desire to kill Palpatine and end the Sith; however, Anakin confronted him, stating that Palpatine must stand trial&mdash; to execute him is not the way of the Jedi. Windu chose to attack, but before he could kill Palpatine, Anakin drew his lightsaber, severing most of Windu's arm. Before Windu could respond, Palpatine used Force lightning and sent Windu plummeting to his death. After this, Anakin questioned his actions but Palpatine stated that he was fulfilling his destiny. He further encouraged Anakin to embrace the dark side. Anakin said he would do anything Palpatine desired, but he must help save Padmé's life. Anakin then pledged himself to the Dark Side and Sidious endowed him with a new name: Darth Vader.

In order to increase Vader's power with the Dark Side, Palpatine ordered him to lead a battalion of Clone Stormtroopers to the Jedi Temple and kill every Jedi and Padawan inside. Vader did this without question, killing venerable Jedi and children alike. Then he commanded Vader to go to the planet Mustafar where he killed the Council of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, including the Trade Federation Viceroy, Nute Gunray, Sidious' former ally who invaded and occupied Naboo and is defeated by Anakin in the Battle of Naboo, ten years before the Clone Wars.

Padmé went to Mustafar to try to reason with him, afraid for him and wanting to leave public life to live together and raise their child. Unknown to her, Obi-Wan stowed away on his ship to find Anakin. Upon seeing Obi-Wan, Anakin suspected betrayal and used the Force to choke Padmé until she lost consciousness. Anakin and Obi-Wan fought an intense battle throughout the mining complex and down the river of lava outside. The battle ended on the banks of the lava river, where Anakin, overconfident, lept to strike his former master, only to lose his left arm and both legs to Obi-Wan's blade.

Anakin tried to claw his way up the bank, with his remaining prosthetic limb. As he did this, Obi-Wan shouted to him, "You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. It was you who would bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!" To which Anakin replied "I hate you!" Obi-Wan, with sadness in his voice, looked at his former friend, "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you." In an instant his body caught on fire and he was nearly immolated. After Obi-Wan and Padmé left the planet, Darth Sidious came and found Anakin barely alive next to the lava river. He returned with Anakin to Coruscant and repaired the damage to his body through intensive cybernetic enhancement. Upon his revival as a cyborg, Vader broke his bindings on the operating table and struggled to walk under the sheer weight of his new legs. Vader then questioned his master about Padmé, who has since died in childbirth. Sidious told him that Anakin/Vader killed Padmé in anger.

Overwhelmed by his despair in the belief he had killed his wife and unborn child, his subsequent scream destroyed med droids and damaged the facility. Palpatine smiled as he realized that Vader's hatred would serve him well. The only thing that remained in his life was his service to the new Emperor.

Darth Vader became the brutal second in command of the Galactic Empire. He had the blood of many millions, including almost the entire Jedi Order, on his hands. Vader tortured Princess Leia &mdash; who he did not know was his own daughter. He also nearly killed his son Luke Skywalker several times.

The redemption of Anakin Skywalker
Luke Skywalker risked everything but is able to finally bring Anakin back from the dark side. Anakin never forgot the pain Dooku had once inflicted upon him with the lethal power of Force lightning and could not bear to see his son in such agony. In a final heroic effort of self-sacrifice, Anakin struggled to his feet to rescue his son from the Emperor (receiving mortal wounds in the process) and threw the Emperor down the Death Star's reactor shaft to his death.


 * "You were right, you were right about me. Tell your sister. You were right." Wikiquote

Nearing death, Anakin asked Luke to help him remove his mask, so that he could see his son with his own eyes. Luke helped disconnect the mask. Anakin was bald, with white skin from not being exposed to the sun for over twenty years. After seeing his son directly, he told Luke that he was right about him &mdash; that there was good still in him &mdash; and to tell his sister, Leia Organa, the same. With these last words, Anakin Skywalker died and became one with the Force.

His body was cremated in the manner of a Jedi, and Luke saw what appeared to be a vision of an apparently forgiven Anakin (whole and without the artificial body of Vader), Obi-Wan, and Yoda smiling down upon him.

Appearance
Anakin was a normal-appearing human. As an adult, he stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 meters) in height. His hair went from straight and blond as a child to wavy and light brown as an adult. After losing his dominant right arm at the elbow to Count Dooku, he was given a cybernetic prosthetic replacement that was later enhanced by him and covered with a black leather glove. During the Clone Wars he acquired a vertical scar near his right eye, the result of a duel with the Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress. Anakin dressed in traditional Jedi garb, though ominously, he wore darker colors than most Jedi (dark brown and black). His tunic was partially made of synthetic leather and his lightsaber bore no resemblance to his mentor's weapon, which further separates him from other Jedi.

After his redemption and return to the light side of the Force, when he at last fulfilled the Jedi prophecy and slew the Emperor, Anakin's dying wish was that he should see his son Luke "with his own eyes." Luke complied, and removed the fearsome mask that had caged his father's face for over twenty years. What was revealed was the ghostly pale visage of a sad and withered man in his late forties. His head bald and browless, Anakin's skin was pasty white from not having been exposed to sunlight for approximately two decades, his face still carrying the scars of a tragic duel. His weary eyes stared out from dark, sunken sockets at his son, and back at a life filled with sorrowful regret. Once more they shined blue, as Anakin Skywalker made peace with the Force and forever joined it.

Depending on which version was seen (VHS or DVD, respectively), the appearance of Anakin's redeemed Force spirit was either that of a robust, middle-aged man with graying brown hair and a kindly face, or that of the younger Anakin in his twenties just before his fall from grace to the dark side, though now he was dressed in the garb of a Jedi Master.

Portrayal
Anakin is played in the films by Jake Lloyd as a child, Hayden Christensen as a young adult, and Sebastian Shaw as a dying, elderly (and redeemed) person. The name "Anakin" means "warrior." In real life, the name was taken from George Lucas' friend and fellow film director, Ken Annakin.

In Return of the Jedi, the unmasked Vader and the spirit of the forgiven Anakin were played by actor Sebastian Shaw. In the release of the DVDs, however, Hayden Christensen has replaced the body of Sebastian Shaw when appearing as the Jedi spirit.