[yourUsername]

I can't figure out why Anakin was desired by Palpatine. What advantage or power did having Anakin bring? In the OT he seems to be a story element, but not some hyped-up figure. The PT, on the other hand, makes such a huge deal out of him. Why? Maybe I'm missing something. What's the real story?

Witty and unoriginal criticism is fine and all for the common person, but I'd like to read some serious takes on this.

[Despondent]

I can't figure out why Anakin was desired by Palpatine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you go for the Lucas bs, Palps was Annie's daddy. Or, Play-Jesus was. It's just such a letdown I don't sense much enthusiasm to care.

[sargon1955]

what's so great about anakin?

Not much of anything, from what I can see. Lucas made a big deal about his "midichlorian count", but what we actually SEE of him doesn't show him as anything special. Obi beats him in their fight, so he wasn't the "most powerful Jedi" after all. Contrary to what was implied, he doesn't appear to have an essential role in the overthrow of the Republic. He isn't evil enough to hiss at, and he's certainly no good guy. He NEVER was truly heroic or sympathetic. Even the gushers don't go on about how "tragic" his "fall" was.

[Jordan]

I can't believe Anakin never thought about his dad.

[ernesttomlinson]

It's the business of being "Chosen" that troubles me. Chosen by whom? There's no deity in the Star Wars universe but the terms "the will of the Force" and "the living force" imply a vague pantheism. Hence the Force apparently somehow compelled Palpatine or Plagueis or whoever to bring about Annie's conception. It doesn't exactly make sense...

Chosen for what purpose? The "bringing balance to the Force" nonsense is never explained. And if the Force is essentially autonomous - the Jedi do not create it, they just channel it - how could it get out of balance by the action of mere mortals?

And, no, there's nothing extraordinary about little Annie, unless winning a podrace counts. He's not all that great with a lightsabre (although his prowess in mowing down defenceless children is unmatched.) We don't see him use the Force in any other truly impressive way. (A LOST HOPE parodies this beautifully when it shows Annie whining, "I'm the most powerful Jedi ever!!", while using the Force to levitate a toothbrush into his mouth and an electric razor to his face.)

And another thing: there's an implication throughout the series that Force ability implies strength of mind, discipline, and so forth. If the Force has a strong influence on the weak-minded then those who wield it must be stronger-minded. But nowhere in Episodes II or III does Annie display such a quality. In Episode III, especially, he's a weak, gullible, easily manipulated fool.

How could Lucas have screwed up his chief villain so badly? He reduces Darth Vader from a towering, frightening, black-robed presence to the Star Wars equivalent of the pathetic, self-absorbed high school student that decides to get back at the school bullies by planting a pipe bomb in the cafeteria.

I can imagine an alternate set of prequels where Palpatine, not Anakin, is the main character and the series details *his* fall from grace from an honourable statesman to an evil master of the Dark Side. In the current movies Palpatine is evil...just because, I guess. Nothing like unmotivated villainy to make writing easier.

[Revan-47]

Well obviousley anakin is awsome because he can twirl his lightsaber around a lot and yells and kill sandpeople dogs.

[Helena]

I can imagine an alternate set of prequels where Palpatine, not Anakin, is the main character and the series details *his* fall from grace from an honourable statesman to an evil master of the Dark Side.  In the current movies Palpatine is evil...just because, I guess.  Nothing like unmotivated villainy to make writing easier.

To be fair, some people are just natural psychopaths. In fact there's more of them around than you'd think, especially in business and politics. But if Lucas had to make Palpatine evil 'just because', he might at least have made more of an effort to explain Anakin's transition from 'good man' into Dark Lord.

As for what's so special about Anakin: As far as I can see, nothing whatsoever. He certainly doesn't show much evidence of exceptional skill in AotC, where his proudest moment involves carving up a bunch of Sand People women and children. He's very far from intelligent and charismatic, and even if his fighting skills have increased by RotS, he still ends up getting his arse kicked by Obi-Wan (after all that boasting being 'more powerful', as well). To paraphrase an old Jewish quip, if he's the Chosen One, my advice to the Powers That Be would be 'Choose someone else'.

[Darth Player]

Going by what's onscreen, it appears that Palpatine duped the Jedi into thinking Anakin was "The Chosen One" so he'd be taken in immediately and trained. If Palps managed to manipulate the Force to make him and events to divert Qui Gon and Obi Wan to Tattooine, it stands to reason he'd use Jedi myth/prophecy to work against them, setting the final stage for his ultimate pupil to be at his side.

The point about Anakin not wondering about his father is a good one, and one i didn't hink up before. In A New Hope, Luke seems to be a person who has issues and wonder about who his father is, so much so a cover story about "a navigator on a spice freighter" was used as you know. Its odd Shimi didn't do something similar, one almost gets the feeling she once told Ani that Watto was his dad when he was bugging her and she had a monster headache. Maybe that explains the super job he does around the shop.

The PT is so G-Damned weak!

[xenduck]

whats so special about anakin? o, i dont know, maybe his ability to construct, and operate HIGHLY complex machinery at the age of eight. or hows about falling hundereds of feet directly on top of a speeding vehicle. or maybe that his fighting prowess was well matched against a master opponet twice his age. or how he accomplished in one night what a posse of people couldnt do in a month (finding his mom). or as obi-wan points out, defeating dooku and rescuing the chancellor while carrying obi on his back. becoming the number two guy of the ruler of the entire friggn galaxy! surviving being chopped up and burnt to a crisp! CAN YOU DO THAT?!

and i wonder, how much about the prophecy was anakin aware of? its never mentioned by, or around, him.

This post has been edited by xenduck: 29 July 2005 - 03:33 PM

[Darth Player]

CAN YOU DO THAT?!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can't but Batman could, Batman could kick Anakin/Vader's ass in easily.

The Prophecy thing is the weakest angle in the PT, especially with the cop out in ROTS where Yoda says "a Prophecy misread could be" or other form of 800 plus year Jedi ebonics.

[Sagacity]

The important point isn't "can we do that?" but "can any other Jedi do that?" And I say yes, they most likely could. Only twice can I think of another Jedi remarking on something Anakin did (podrace, the previously mentioned rescue). What we've seen Jedi do over six movies should be the measuring stick we use to judge if he were anything special. And in making that comparison, he's not much to write home about.

[yourUsername]

whats so special about anakin? o, i dont know, maybe his ability to construct, and operate HIGHLY complex machinery at the age of eight. or hows about falling hundereds of feet directly on top of a speeding vehicle. or maybe that his fighting prowess was well matched against a master opponet twice his age. or how he accomplished in one night what a posse of people couldnt do in a month (finding his mom). or as obi-wan points out, defeating dooku and rescuing the chancellor while carrying obi on his back. becoming the number two guy of the ruler of the entire friggn galaxy! surviving being chopped up and burnt to a crisp! CAN YOU DO THAT?!

and i wonder, how much about the prophecy was anakin aware of? its never mentioned by, or around, him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Regardless of what he's capable of, what greatness did he really achieve? What propelled him to greatness or desirability? Like it's been noted, he defeats Dooku and that's it; the rest of the time he's getting owned. Yeah, he did this and that, but where is it when it counts?

The theory I have come up with since posting this is he wasn't extraordinary at anything, only that who he was, and his actions, helped achieve the desires of the force. He prevented Palpatine from getting killed by Mace, as well as played the necessary pawn to Palpatine's rise to power. These led to the eradication, on the most part, of the Jedi, which was decaying inside and served to actually hinder the path to the Force what with all the order imposed by themselves. In the end, he defeated the Emporer, which led to the latest downfall of the Sith, which were needed to eradicate the Jedi, but which were an imbalance themselves.

So, that's where I stand on that subject, I suppose. He just happened to be the one to do it, but there was nothing that made him the obvious choice, other than the virgin birth and high midichlorian count... which did nothing great for him in the end, other than making him a purer vehicle for the will of the Force.

This post has been edited by yourUsername: 29 July 2005 - 06:03 PM

[dougte]

To be fair, some people are just natural psychopaths. In fact there's more of them around than you'd think, especially in business and politics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, this line is retarded. I'm sorry, but it is. So "natural psychopaths" somehow gravitate towards business and politics? What? So which professions have the most "normal" people, according to your anecdotal evidence? Give me a break...

[xenduck]

well, when i asked CAN YOU DO THAT?! i was being sarcastic, i KNOW you cant do that (im pretty sure, any way). the point is, he is doing nearly as well as mace, obi-wan or yoda. yet he is much younger and he missed at least eight years of training. thats why he is exceptional. he advances faster than his peers.

he could have been much more powerful if obi-wan wasnt holding him back!

[xenduck]

  So "natural psychopaths" somehow gravitate towards business and politics?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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