1 week Ago By Jenna Wrenn
The tragic transformation of Anakin Skywalker into the dreaded Darth Vader stands as a cornerstone of the Star Wars saga, a poignant story of potential corrupted by fear and manipulation. The Prequel Trilogy meticulously charted his fall, driven by anxieties of loss, Palpatine’s insidious influence, and a desperate belief in the dark side’s power to avert tragedy. However, George Lucas’ initial conceptualization of Anakin’s descent, unearthed from directives given to Return of the Jedi directors in 1981, painted a far more sinister and morally reprehensible picture.
This original vision cast Anakin not merely as a victim of circumstance, but as an active, duplicitous agent in the Jedi Order’s destruction – a betrayal of trust so profound it eclipses the darkness depicted in the final films. Imagine a scenario where Anakin, outwardly a valiant Jedi Knight, secretly and systematically eliminates his comrades, their trust turned into a fatal vulnerability. This early idea reveals a level of calculated malice that redefines Anakin’s fall from a tragic lapse into an act of profound, almost unimaginable evil.
A Calculated Campaign of BetrayalAccording to Lucas’ early concept, Anakin’s slide into darkness wasn’t solely a consequence of external manipulation or internal conflict. Instead, it was chillingly rooted in a calculated and systematic deception of his fellow Jedi. “On his missions through the galaxies, Anakin has been going off and doing his Jedi thing and a lot of Jedi have been getting killed – and it’s because they turn their back on him and he cuts them down,” Lucas stated.
This stark declaration reveals a scenario where Anakin, while outwardly appearing to be a loyal Jedi Knight, was engaged in a prolonged and secret campaign of assassination against his friends and allies. Consider the sheer horror embedded in this original idea. It wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgment or a fit of rage or fear that propelled Anakin towards the dark side.
It was a sustained period of duplicity, where he operated within the very heart of the Jedi Order, earning their trust through shared battles and camaraderie, only to exploit that trust in the most brutal and irreversible way. The visceral image of Jedi Knights, secure in their brotherhood with Anakin, turning their backs in unguarded moments only to be struck down by his own lightsaber, paints a portrait of treachery far more intimate and devastating than the large-scale betrayal of Order 66. RELATED: In Another Version of Revenge of the Sith, Padme Lived to See Her Children GrowIn Revenge of the Sith, Anakin’s betrayal of the Jedi is largely confined to the swift and brutal execution of Order 66, a galaxy-wide purge orchestrated by Palpatine.
While undeniably devastating, this event, fueled by Anakin’s fear for Padme and Palpatine’s direct command, lacks the insidious personal betrayal inherent in Lucas’ initial idea. The prequels depict Anakin wrestling with his conscience, torn between his loyalty to the Jedi principles he once upheld and his desperate love for Padme. Even his participation in Order 66 is framed as a tragic consequence of his desperate pact with Palpatine to save his wife from certain death.
The Psychological & Strategic ImplicationsLucas’ 1981 quote paints the picture of a far more morally compromised Anakin, one who had already succumbed to the allure of the dark side to such an extent that he was secretly eliminating his fellow Force-wielders. This suggests a level of cold-bloodedness, a calculated deviousness that elevates his descent from a tragic fall into something bordering on pure, unadulterated evil. It implies a deep-seated resentment towards the Jedi Order – perhaps fueled by a sense of unacknowledged power or an early, subtle manipulation by Palpatine that predates the events depicted in The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones.
The psychological implications of this original plan are profoundly unsettling. Anakin wouldn’t merely be a pawn in Palpatine’s grand scheme or a victim of his own inner turmoil; he would be an active, willing agent in the Jedi’s destruction from within their own ranks. He would be living a treacherous double life, feigning loyalty and camaraderie while systematically weakening the Order through acts of clandestine violence, while also hiding this evil from his wife.
This level of sustained deception requires a chilling degree of emotional detachment, a complete severing of empathy, and a disregard for the very bonds of brotherhood and trust that were supposed to define the Jedi way.RELATED: We Finally Know Why Obi-Wan Didn’t Raise Luke Skywalker on His OwnThis early concept also raises deeply disturbing questions about how such a protracted campaign of betrayal could have remained undetected by the supposedly perceptive Jedi Council for so long. Were there subtle clues, whispers of unease, or inconsistencies in Anakin’s missions that went tragically unnoticed? Did Palpatine’s manipulative influence begin much earlier and more subtly than depicted, slowly twisting Anakin’s perception of the Jedi and transforming him into a secret, highly effective weapon against them? The possibilities are deeply unsettling, painting a far darker and more vulnerable picture of the Jedi Order in its twilight years and highlighting the terrifying potential for evil to fester within even the most righteous of institutions.
This original, far more sinister vision of Anakin’s descent into darkness underscores the multifaceted nature of evil and the devastating consequences of unchecked ambition and betrayal. Ultimately, Lucas’ decision to steer away from this overtly malicious portrayal of Anakin’s fall arguably served the saga better, allowing for a more nuanced and sympathetic arc for the character, making his redemption in Return of the Jedi all the more impactful. Star Wars movies are streaming on Disney+.
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