What did you think of Anakin Skywalker's character?

Master Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 4419 Location: Korriban

There's been some talk amongst my friends and I, and we disagree. Some of us see him as whiny little kid who never grew up, and others see him as a beautiful tragedy. What do you think?
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Padawan Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Portugal

In my opinion, Anakin just didn't seem like the Darth Vader we were used to. I could have never, not even in my strongest hallucinations, have associated Darth Vader with Anakin Skywalker if I hadn't seen the movies. Okay, he turned to the Dark Side and all, but... the transition from one character to another still bothers me.

For me, Anakin may be extremely talented, but he is rather unwise and not that kind of good friend that Obi-Wan described. I actually imagined him as a better person before he turned to the Dark Side, since Obi-Wan considered that such a great loss.

When he saves Luke even after all the bad things he has done, you can't help thinking: He must really be a great person, being able to come back like that and ignore his pride and his own life. I don't see Anakin doing what Vader did for Luke.

Razz

Yeah, yeah, I'm a Vader lover! Smile

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"One quickly learns that the Jedi Code does not give all the answers..."

When Lucas decided to make Anakin Skywalker a whiny little kid, he destroyed every strand of hope the prequels held. Absolutely terrible decision. There is no way the Anakin portrayed in the movies would've turned into Darth Vader in the OT.

However, the gist of the story had all the makings of a tragedy. It's just that Anakin's portrayal robbed it of its potential.
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Padawan Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 15 Location: Portugal

They say The Clone Wars is going to show more of Anakin as he really is, so let's see.
Speaking of The Clone Wars, I don't think he's ready to have a padawan, but well, neither was Obi-Wan, in my opinion.
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"One quickly learns that the Jedi Code does not give all the answers..."

I think the seeds for Anakin's fall were introduced in The Phantom Menace. When he stated that he was "the only human" to ever have raced in the podraces. His pride was already in evidence. But the bigger picture is always so clear at the end of things... Confused

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"Who's scruffy lookin'?"

Some parts were really great, and others not so much. I think the concept behind anakin is great, just not pulled off on screen as good as i would have wanted it.

Revenge of the Sith was good though. I love the part when they put him on the council without making him a Master. When he looks around in disbelief and shock, its a great scene.

Knight Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 112

Could've been better.

Hayden wasn't good, Lucas just should've gave someone the directing.

I think anakin was a great character. He was, in my opinion, ruined in episode three when he killed windu and said "What have I done?"
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RAWR!

Master Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 1349

He would have been a beautiful tragedy if he had been given some heroism . Ben described him as a good friend and a cunning warrior in ANH. Neither quality was really shown until RotS, however.

In TPM, Anakin and Obi-Wan had virtually no chemistry besides the handshake on the Queen's starship. They never exchanged dialogue until the ending during Qui-Gon's funeral. There was no real indication of a friendship in that film. It felt very forced and the passion didn't show at all. In AotC, Anakin was defiant and Obi-Wan was always lecturing him. The relationship felt more like something a parent would have with their rebellious child rather than a true friendship. We didn't see true cooperation until RotS, where they truly acted as partners (for the first half at least... Laughing

),

When it comes to heroics, Anakin accidentally up the Trade Federation control ship practically on accident. Yes, once he made it to the hangar, he willingly took action to disable the vessel, but he didn't intentionally take off or head to battle. He saved Padme from Zam Wessell's assassination attempt in AotC, but was merely a bodyguard afterwards, and went on to defy his orders. He never really showed any leadership in Episode II whatsoever. In RotS, however, allowed Anakin to rescue the Chancellor AND defeat Count Dooku all in the opening act. This is the first time he's shown as a semi-competent leader without the aid of his master.

Overall, I think he was handled poorly in the first two prequels. Things started to pick up in RotS, but by then it was too late.

Padawan Joined: 16 Jul 2012 Posts: 23

Master Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 1349

Master Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 1349

Knight Joined: 14 Apr 2011 Posts: 350

I'm with Joe on this one. Some backstory shouldn't be fleshed out to give the world depth, but important details like Anakin and Obi-Wan's friendship should have certainly been put in. It's kind of funny, really. A common complaint against the prequels is that they explain to much and thus take away the mystery of Star Wars, but the one thing we did want to see wasn't included (or very briefly).
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