PT (TPM) Did Anakin really want to become a jedi?

This is something very odd about TPM: we do not see Anakin's wish to become a jedi knight. Yeah, he wanted to travel through the galaxy and visit new planets, but not become a jedi.

I think that's a explanation for those who believe Anakin was a bad jedi.

Thoughts?

 

Anakin "it's what I've always dreamed of doing!"

so...yes

 

I think to Anakin being a Jedi means doing all this cool stuff and learning more about the Force (to help people, of course )

 

Yes. As mentioned by Dandelo, Anakin reveals 'it's what I've always dreamed of doing'. He was shown to have instincts of a Jedi protector at a young age. He was quick to take on Qui-Gon & co under his '9-year-old wing' (lol), offering shelter to complete strangers, saving Jar Jar from Sebulba, and was willing to compete in a dangerous podrace (which he'd never even finished) to help them out. His speech, 'The biggest problem in the galaxy is that no one helps each other', learnt from his mother, shows both a respect for his mother's ideals(which he sadly looses later on) and for a deep desire to help people. His 'I had a dream once that I became a Jedi and freed all the slaves' unveils hints of him being a 'championing causes' person. Unfortunately, most of those traits gets soiled as he grows and we all know how the story goes...

It is clear in TPM that Anakin wanted an occupation that includes helping people/making the galaxy a better place and that involves travelling around as he was quite an adventurous boy. I have seen suggestions of him being better suited for jobs such as a pilot or a mechanic, but despite his talent in those areas, I just can't see it. In spite of liking those activities very much, I see him eventually becoming bored. He needs a challenging field job, with strong risks presented and something which directly impacts the galaxy for the better. What better match for his personality and needs than being a Jedi? Other option I'd see for him would be serving as a soldier in an army, but Coruscant/the Republic didn't have one at the time, so...

If we look at 9 year-old Anakin(or just Anakin in general) I'd judge his desire to be a Jedi as genuine and I see him totally compatible with that occupation. What, however, does not suit him with Coruscant's Jedi Order is the discriminatory 'cuts'(for lack of a better expression) made on romantic status/attachments, background and age. No way he'd flourish in an environment in which he was the only one not being 'Temple bred', having come to the Order after the age of 2 with a mother-son family structure. No way he'd flourish in an environment restricting family love and romantic love. And he didn't. Had he been taken in by another fictional Jedi Order without these kinds of unnecessary restrictions he'd have found his ideal 'work environment'. Really unfortunate that such an Order did not exist then. Oh well, the Force Awakens is our last hope(I am addressing you, Luke Skywalker). Perhaps Force Ghost 9-year-old Ani can swing by?

 

I think Anakin just wanted to become a gender so he could " travel through the galaxy and visit new planets". Basically do cool stuff. So he wanted the job, hated the hours/rules/mistrust by the jedi but loved the free perks of flying cool ships, travelling to new planets, and having sex with this:

 

He had the wrong idea of what the Jedi does. He thought they were like badass heroes running around with lightsabers, flinging things with their minds and securing peace everywhere they went. Basically, imagine Han Solo if he were Force-sensitive and fought with a blaster and a lightsaber. That's what Anakin must've imagined in his head.

 

Yes he did. As stated above, he just had different views of what a Jedi was supposed to be.

 

It's kind of like when you imagine your dream job as a kid, but then you realize it isn't what you thought it would be.

The first red flag for Anakin should have been that Qui-Gon didn't come to free him.

Qui-Gon had no authority to free Anakin, so he had to free him using Tatooine's system. If Anakin wanted to be a liberator, he would probably have to operate outside of the law.

 

He was nine-years-old. I think we can excuse him for having unrealistic expectations. From his POV, Qui-Gon did basically come to free him as after the boy does one little thing for him and his group, he suddenly wants to stick around and becomes very interested in podracing and talking with Watto. Before Anakin knew it, Qui-Gon said he was freed. He had no idea why exactly this Jedi freed him, for all he knew Qui-Gon was doing it out of the kindness of his heart and it was just like what the Jedi would do.

Keep in mind that Qui-Gon was the first Jedi Anakin had ever met, so it'd be natural for him, as with any kid his age in his situation, would assume that ALL Jedi are like Qui-Gon.

 

I'm not quite sure he knew what being a Jedi entailed. As was said, he wanted adventure. He wanted to get off Tatooine and travel the galaxy and use his power to help people. To him, that was probably all the more he thought being a Jedi was. I doubt he knew the price he had to pay as far as giving up attachments or the strict discipline he'd need to develop.

So the answer isn't a firm yes or no, IMO

He wanted to be a Jedi, but I doubt having grown up on Tatooine as a slave that he'd have a full picture of what he was getting into.

Anakin wanted to help people. He wanted to save his mother, he wanted to save Obi-Wan, he wanted to save Padme, he wanted to save Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan (when he was in the starfighter cockpit), he wanted to save Oddball, etc. But rules, missions, procedures, etc. kept him from doing this. I don't think he knew quite what it would be like.

 

He wanted the power of a Jedi to free his mother and the other slaves.

"I had a dream I was a Jedi. I came back and freed all the slaves. Have you come to free us?"

Because he was still a kid, his desire for power was still innocent.

 

It's interesting that when he does come back he doesn't seem to care about the slaves anymore. In fact, he even fails to save his mother

 

It makes sense that he does not have time to do so because of his Jedi assignment to protect Padme. He was not even supposed to leave Naboo in the first place.

It is quite interesting though that he just completely forgets this dream.

 

I chalk it up to his years under the Jedi order, and his focus on Padme and his mother.

 

I've always wondered if it was a prophetic dream (as in something that might have happened if Anakin made different choices) or just a wish fulfillment. Or maybe it's meant as a metaphor for the end of ROTJ, when Anakin frees the Galaxy from the Sith.

 

Good topic and points. I agree that Anakin's understanding of Jedi was not complete. I.e. he sees Qui-Gon's lightsaber but calls it a "laser sword;" he knows the form and function of the item, but many of the specifics he still does not know. This is actually what a lot of TPM Tatooine sequence entails, setting up Anakin's relationship with (along with problems to come) with the Jedi: Anakin's belief that "nothing can kill a Jedi," "he deserves better than a slave's life," "but it's too late for him now."

These quotes for the podrace continue the theme. Pay particular attention to how they relate to Anakin and the Jedi/Obi-Wan in RotS: "I have great faith in the boy, he's a credit to your race," "you carry all our hopes," "You Jedi are far too reckless," "you assume too much," "Oh…wait, Little Skywalker has stalled," "Skywalker is forced onto the service ramp!" "That little human being is out of his mind," "They're side by side!" "It's Skywalker! The crowd are going nuts!" "The boy was going to win…I lost everything," "We've got to get these parts back to the ship."

There is much more that could be said about this, but I think Anakin's story on Tatooine in TPM, with lots of little details, set up a lot of what will come. I see how this relates to the ring theory.

I also think that young Anakin very much wanted to be a Jedi he saw Qui-Gon to be. Qui-Gon:

• Comes into an oppressed society and "saves the day" for someone, freeing them for a better life. QG bucks the system and does "what's right."
• Breaks the rules when he needs to.
• Warm and caring, personal.

However, when he gets to Coruscant, the traditional Jedi, which we know Qui-Gon does not align with in many ways and that Obi-Wan does, instead of opposing the current system are actually supporting it. These Jedi do not appear to operate with the same autonomy that Qui-Gon demonstrated, which we know Anakin struggles to conform to.

 

Anakin wanted to become a jedi.

I think that desire got tempered a bit when his Mum could not come with him.

Then, the early weeks, months, years, I expect the jedi constantly dismissed his concerns about Shmi; I doubt he let go of caring about her that easily.

I wouldn't be surprised if Palpie expressed concern about her, to kickstart their friendship, probably while at the same time deflecting any, "You're the Supreme Chancellor; can't you help?" entreaties.

 

I could definitely see that happening!

" I would LOVE to help your mother, and free all the slaves! But unfortunately the Senate has my hands tied, forcing me to go through regulation committees and the courts before I can even attempt to bring up a motion in the Senate...'sigh'... If only my office would allow me to do more, to have more POWER to change and fix the things that need to be fixed...."

 

No, like Yoda said, he was too old to train. The jedi are usually successful because they are normally trained from the time they are toddlers. Anakin was 9, and ambitious, he wanted to be a jedi the same way a little kid wants to be a cop, firefighter, or soldier.

Then when he became a teenager all he cared about was Padme, which led to both sexual frustration, and a fear of losing someone else.

Throw in his anger about losing his mother, and his feuding with his best friend/father/brother Obi-Wan, and Palpatine slithering into the picture 'playing step-daddy' and you have a recipe for disaster.

Off topic, but this is one reason I think Ahsoka messes with canon.