Home STAR WARS: The Big Picture STAR WARS: Episode III Other

We first meet Anakin on Tatooine. Anakin is a very talented young boy with heroic dreams. As Shmi put it, "He gives without thought of reward." Anakin is portrayed as idealistic with mostly a positive attitude and a quiet smoldering anger due to being a slave. At this time in Anakin's life, he dreams of being a Jedi and freeing all the slaves. Because Anakin is so giving, he is a socialist by nature. At this time Anakin is kind of a democratic socialist because he wants to convince people like the way he talks to Qui-Gon while they ate. Anakin hopes to get free.

Anakin's talents show up pretty quickly because he built a protocol droid, C-3PO. He built a pod racer, and he could also race in the pod races and win. At this time we learn Anakin has a healthy self esteem and catches on to things quickly because while in Queen Amidala's ship, sitting next to the pilot, Anakin says, " This controls the pitch." And the pilot responds, "You catch on rather quick." As we know from Episode II after 10 years under Obi-Wan, Anakin loses his self esteem because he says to Dooku, "I am a slow learner." Obviously Obi-Wan is so dominating and suffocating he already emotionally destroyed Anakin by Episode II.

Anakin, having lived on Tatooine all his life, falls in love with Queen Amidala almost instantly on sight. No doubt he falls for her charm since nothing was charming on Tatooine. From then on, he dreams and fantasizes about her based on a brief memory of her. Qui-Gon, the only Jedi kind to Anakin, is killed so Anakin is stuck with Obi-Wan as a teacher. There is already bad blood between these two because Obi-Wan in front of Anakin calls him dangerous to Qui-Gon. Anakin notices and says that he doesn't want to be a problem. When Anakin is in the circle surrounded by the Jedi council in an intimidating manner. This sets bad blood between him and the Jedi immediately

At the beginning of Episode II, we see Anakin's talents quickly. Anakin kills the two bugs about to bite Amidala while Obi-Wan is barely in the door. Anakin drives the speeder really well and can even rival James Bond. Anakin accurately catches Obi-Wan in the speeder. Anakin jumps suddenly and lands on Zam's vehicle. In James Bond fashion, Anakin hangs on while trying to fight. Later on in the movie, Anakin as a Padawan, can move heavy equipment with the Force in the foundry scene. No one else was that good so soon. In the Dooku scene Anakin leaps like a panther to help Obi-Wan. Anakin also uses two lightsabers while fighting Dooku. Also, Anakin is the only Jedi to show shaman abilities. Anakin convinces the reek to let Anakin get near him. Then Anakin rides the Reek.

In Episode II, we observe the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan is an overbearing nagging parent. He is a suffocating personality. Obi-Wan belittles Anakin's great talents and abilities. Obi-Wan makes Anakin feel like Obi-Wan can never be pleased with Anakin's performance.

In Episode II, we find out the only friendly person left for Anakin to talk to is Chancellor Palpatine. Everyone puts Anakin down, pokes at his feelings, or nags at him. Only Palpatine talks like he appreciates Anakin's talents and abilities. Everyone else is cold and mean to Anakin. No one likes to be treated like trash or belittled. Palpatine is the only person who treats Anakin with respect. You can already see why Anakin will draw more and more towards Palpatine.

Anakin by now notices that the republic is corrupt, greedy, selfish, and in chaos. Palpatine, you can tell by Anakin's debate with Amidala over picnic lunch, has talked to Anakin about politics and has convinced Anakin that a dictator that makes the people behave is better. The chaos will stop and the needs of the people fulfilled. By now Anakin is a benevolent vanguardist.

In Episode III, the Jedi still do not appreciate Anakin even after being a hero. The Jedi plot to assassinate Palpatine and then to ditch Anakin. The Jedi do not trust or like either Palpatine or Anakin. When Anakin becomes Vader and loses the lightsaber fight against Obi-Wan, it is Palpatine who shows compassion for Vader. First Palpatine is happy to see that Vader is still alive then Palpatine delicately places his hand on Vader's forehead, glancing down in a sympathetic way. Palpatine clearly has warm feelings for Vader. Vader has the same warm feelings for Palpatine when Vader allows his real feelings to come out.

In Episode III, it is obvious that Palpatine is Lenin and Vader is Stalin because of who is killed. First Palpatine orders Vader and the clone troopers to kill all the Jedi when order 66 is executed. Then Vader is sent to Mustafar to kill the trade federation leaders and the banking clan and the remaining separatists. To say it in Milky Way galaxy terms, first the church is killed (the organized religion), the opiate of the people, the arm of the oppressor, then the capitalists are killed. Only in communist revolutions the church and the capitalists are the bad guys. By these moves of Palpatine, it is obvious that his empire is like that of the former Soviet Union. How you see the death of the Jedi is depending on which side of the fence you are on. If you are a prisoner of the church and are under a war lord, then the death of the Jedi is a symbol of freedom to you; and Vader is a hero. If you are poor in America or poor in any other country for that matter, then when Vader kills all the capitalists again, he is a hero. If you are part of the current regime and like the Jedi and you lord it over everyone, then you are sad to see the Jedi and capital get it. I hate the fact that Obi-Wan gets off scot free until Episode IV. It is too bad America does not have a Palpatine.

In Episode IV-VI, it is obvious that the third world republic is replaced by a first world empire. The way you can tell this is the fact that everything to do with the empire wether it be the first Death Star, the second Death Star, or the Super Star Destroyer, all is spit polished. The infrastructure is perfectly functional. The soldiers are in formations like big powerful socialist states are. The " missiles" are shiny not rusty so to speak. This can only be true if it is a big government, a socialist state.

By now Anakin is Vader; and as Vader he not only believes you make the people behave, but now looks at everyone as trash to be controlled. To run the government, it is done with a whip and a chair. Vader is a skeptical vanguardist, no longer believing in the people at all.