Do you think Watto really felt affection towards Anakin?

In TPM, Watto seemed to treat Anakin pretty much like he was worthless, with the exception of mentioning his talents as a pod racer. Then, in AOTC, when Watto realized that he was speaking to Anakin, it almost seemed there was a little bit of affection there. Your thoughts?

 

well i think he was afraid cos he's big and strong.

 

I think Watto did have somewhat of a soft spot for Ani. After all, he did term him "a credit" to the human race. But, as is indicative of slave owners, Anakin was more of an object to him than a person. 10 years later, and no longer a slave, Ani is seen more as an equal by Watto.

 

That's true, but you think after all of those years , Watto would just be like "Oh hey Anakin,how's it going?". It has been a while and Ani looks so different and grown up .

 

I can pretty much agree with your thoughts exactly.
I think Watto did see Anakin as a slave/object which he owned more than anything, but there is bound to have been at least some sort of soft spot developed for him since he owned him for so long. And seeing him grown up and a Jedi, I think Watto was impressed, maybe even a little proud, though that would be pushing it a tad.

 

yes he did. you see it when anakin returns in AOTC. he was genuinly happy to see him. then he reverted back to his normal self. but there was a moment when he was more then just suprised to see him but happy as well. he even apoligized for selling shimi. but gave anakin the comfort of knowing it was to a good man who actually freed her. watto was looking out for him in a selfish greedy kind of way.

 

It was probably just nostalgia. He hadn't seen a Skywalker for years. Seeing the kid that used to repair everything in his junk shop and win him some podracing bets on the side, now all grown up and with a lightsaber--well, it brings back memories. Doesn't mean he really liked him or anything.

 

I took it as a kind of affection in his voice the way he said "Ani? Little Ani?". I thought it was kind of sweet actually. Then, he quickly becomes a little afraid of him though. LOL.

 

No, in truth, Watto never felt affection towards Anakin or anyone else. His mind was centered around greed, and is nature was no different than the cynical nature we saw in The Phantom Menace. The only reason Watto was acting like he really cared was because he knew that Anakin was much stronger than he used to be, and he was fully capable of kicking his ass. Watto was afraid Anakin might do that because, well, why would a Jedi come to Tatooine unless they absolutely had to? Watto had enslaved Anakin and treated him like absolute crap. I'm sure Watto thought Anakin came back for revenge.

 

but he did not treat him like crap. he and his mother lived pretty well for slaves. they had relitive freedm to come and go as thay wished. the taskes he has anikin preform seem pretty easy. and anakin seems to have no truble speaking his mind in front of watto. did watto love anakin? no but he did care for him and he did have some affection towards the by, even if it was based in greed. he liked having him around. think how lonly watto looked in aotc.

 

I think Watto had the "decency" that many others lacked around that time when it came to slaves. They did, after all, have that house to themselves!

Watto said to Anakin "Outlanders - they think we know nothing!" then Anakin says "they seemed nice to me" - that sort of conversation is almost a "between friends" level, if that isn't pushing things too far. As well as "Mind the store I've got some selling to do" - most people would not trust slaves to that, since they could just go and steal something. Anakin does get some respect, maybe even affection, by Watto.

However that is just going by movies. The novelisation, and EU novels, are very much against that interpretation, in particular Watto's initial response to "he smashed up my pod in the last race!"

Just on movies, in AOTC, Watto does look almost proud, and happy to see Anakin. And he does seem ashamed, (maybe) that he says "maybe you could help with some dead bits, cost me a lot of money."