This Article is for Anakin Skywalker, for After his turn to the dark side see:Darth Vader.
Anakin Skywalker is the "Chosen One" in the Star Wars universe.
Appearances[]
The Phantom Menace[]
In the fictional chronology of Star Wars dates, Anakin first appears in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace as a selfless nine-year-old boy. Anakin and his mother, Shmi, are slaves in the service of Watto, a junk dealer. As an engineering prodigy, Anakin can build or repair nearly anything, evidenced by the creation of his own protocol droid, C-3PO, and podracer, both from salvaged parts. He is also a remarkable pilot.
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn finds Anakin on the planet Tatooine. Qui-Gon is convinced that Skywalker is the "Chosen One", foretold by a Jedi prophecy to bring balance to the Force. Shmi says that he has no father, and that she simply became pregnant with him. Over the course of the narrative, Qui-Gon goes on to discover that Anakin has the highest known number of midi-chlorians, a measure of Force-aptitude. Anakin forms a strong bond with Queen Padmé Amidala whom Qui-Gon and his padawan apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi are guarding.
After winning Anakin's freedom in a podrace, Qui-Gon brings the boy to Coruscant. However, the Jedi Council denies Qui-Gon's request to train the boy as a Jedi, saying Anakin's future is clouded by the dark side of the Force. Ultimately, Anakin helps win the final battle against the villainous Trade Federation at the film's climax. A dying Qui-Gon, slain by Darth Maul, urges Obi-Wan to train Anakin, and Council leader Yoda reluctantly approves. The Republic's newly-elected Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine, befriends the boy, promising to watch his career "with great interest".
Attack Of The Clones[]
In Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones, set 10 years later, Anakin is Obi-Wan's arrogant Padawan learner, chafing against his master's authority. His first official assignment is go with Padmé to Naboo and protect her from assassins who tried to kill her. Over the years, Anakin has nurtured a powerful attraction for her, even though such attachments are forbidden to Jedi. He confesses his love for her, as well as his distrust of the political process and the need he perceives for there to be one strong leader.
While guarding Padmé, Anakin senses that his mother is in danger. Upon returning to Tatooine, he finds his mother in a village of Tusken Raiders, but arrives too late: she has been tortured and beaten beyond help, and she dies in his arms. Seized by a blind rage, he slaughters the entire village, including women and children. He returns with his mother's body and tearfully confesses to Padmé.
Anakin and Padmé then learn that the Confederacy of Independent Systems — a faction trying to secede from the Galactic Republic (Star Wars) — has taken Obi-Wan prisoner. The two rush to the planet Geonosis to rescue him, but they are also captured. Faced with their impending demise in a gladiatorial arena, they profess their love to one another. Escaping the fray with the help of a cadre of Jedi and the clone army, Anakin and Obi-Wan engage Separatist leader and Sith Lord Count Dooku in a lightsaber battle. Dooku severs Anakin's right arm, but it is replaced with a mechanical prosthetic by the time he secretly marries Padmé.
Revenge Of The Sith[]
By the time of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, Anakin has become a full Jedi Knight, teamed still with Obi-Wan. While rescuing Palpatine from the Separatist leader, General Grievous, the pair encounter Dooku. A battle ensues in which Dooku renders Obi-Wan unconscious; once again, Anakin duels the count alone. Anakin overpowers Dooku and gives in when Palpatine urges the Jedi to behead the shocked count.
Upon returning to Coruscant, Padmé tells Anakin that she is pregnant. Shortly after he has a vision during sleep of Padmé dying in childbirth. He is afraid this vision will come true, as it is similar to the one he had of his mother just before she died. Meanwhile, Palpatine makes Anakin his representative on the Jedi Council. The suspicious Council accepts Anakin, but they deny him the rank of Jedi Master. Wary of the chancellor's accrual of dictatorial powers, they tell Anakin to spy on Palpatine. Ultimately, Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and that the dark side holds the power to prevent Padmé's death.
Anakin nearly kills Palpatine, but instead reports him to Jedi Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). He soon follows Windu to the chancellor's office to make sure Palpatine is taken alive. Anakin finds Windu holding his lightsaber on a disarmed Palpatine. Windu declares the Sith Lord under arrest, but Palpatine defiantly unleashes a torrent of Force lightning. The Jedi Master deflects the lightning with his lightsaber back at Palpatine, scarring the Sith lord's face. The attack continues until Palpatine seemingly tires, giving Windu a chance to strike a deathblow. Anakin pleads with Windu to spare Palpatine's life, but Windu refuses, insisting that Palpatine is too dangerous to be kept alive.
As Windu raises his lightsaber to deliver the final blow, Anakin severs Windu's right hand. Palpatine springs to life, bombarding Windu with Force lightning and hurling him out the window. In his shock and horror, Anakin pledges himself to the Sith; Palpatine rechristens him Darth Vader. It was mentioned by George Lucas in the Revenge of the Sith DVD commentary that Anakin thought he was doing the right thing saving Palpatine’s life when he cut off Windu's hand with his lightsaber. However, Anakin did not think that Palpatine would kill Windu, and as a result of Windu's death, Anakin believed that he had gone too far to be forgiven. To save his life, he had no other choice but to join with Palpatine.
Return Of The Jedi[]
The character's appearance at the end of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is his final appearance within the fictional, narrated chronology, and in terms of the series making, was the first time on film the name Anakin Skywalker is mentioned.
In the film's climactic scene, Palpatine attacks Luke with Force lightning after the young Jedi refused to turn to the dark side. His son's pleas for help break the dark side's hold on Anakin, who turns on his former master, throwing him down the second Death Star's reactor. In the process, however, he is mortally wounded by Palpatine's lightning.
Moments from death, Anakin asks his son to remove his breath mask. When Luke does so, it reveals a man with pasty white skin and sunken eyes from having not seen the light in 23 years. His head still bears the scars of his fight with Obi-Wan many years earlier. Looking upon him with his own eyes for the first and only time, Anakin tells Luke that the good within him had not been destroyed after all. With that, Anakin dies, thus fulfilling the prophecy of the Chosen One. Luke cremates his father in the manner of a Jedi funeral on Endor. That night, as the Rebels celebrate the destruction of the Empire, Luke sees the spirit form of his father, Anakin, reunited with Jedi Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.