PT What did the galaxy think happened to Anakin Skywalker?

Did the galaxy believe that the Hero without Fear also died in the 'Jedi Rebellion' that one of the people who they read about on the Holonet saving their lives tried to topple the government

 

Anakin Skywalker was believed to have been exterminated along with the Jedi Order. The knowledge that he and Vader were the same person was limited to a few. Palpatine, Obi-Wan, Yoda and Bail obviously knew. Tarkin most likely knew as well.

 

In the Tarkin novel, set about 5 years after ROTS, while he doesn't know - he already has strong suspicions. Plenty of room for him to get them confirmed at some point in the next 14 years.

 

I believe it used to be canon that the "official" Imperial propaganda was that Anakin Skywalker was killed in Order 66.

 

In Luke Skywalker & The Shadows of Mindor, yes. Prior to that, the Jedi Twilight series had Captain Tycho following up on Imperial reports that Anakin had died on Mustafar a bit after Order 66.

It's possible that they changed their story over time (Jedi Twilight was right after ROTS, whereas Mindor is right after ROTJ).

 

I always thought people never knew besides a few as well. I guess I was right.

 

they thought he was dead.

 

Luckily, I have the official autopsy report from Imperial Intelligence:

Subject: Anakin Skywalker

Occupation: Jedi Knight

Cause of Death: Sand

Info: Master Kenobi and Skywalker were building a sand castle when Anakin managed to get sand in his pants. His final words were reported to be, "Damn, that's coarse...."

 

Since most people in the Galaxy at the time of the OT seemed to believe that the Force was a myth and the Jedi were a bunch of traitors and frauds (or didn't knew about them at all), it is quite irrelevant.

 

As others said, most either wouldn't have cared about Anakin to know what happened to him (much less knowing that he and Vader are one in the same) or would've assumed he had died (either defending the Emperor from the traitorous Jedi, or dying along with the rest of the traitorous Jedi to Order 66.)

I imagine the Emperor would've wanted to distance the Anakin part of Vader from...Vader as much as he could, so pretending that Anakin was an entirely different being that died long ago would've helped toward achieving that goal.

 

I dunno, the ROTS novelisation paints him as somewhat of a celebrity on the holonet, the "hero without fear", which is a pretty ironic title when fear is ultimately what made him turn.

But yeah, I think most people though he died.

 

"This time, you are the hero, and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians."

 

Oh, he was quite the popular hero during the Clone Wars, but his death probably was glossed over, a merely note "Anakin died defending the Jedi Temple", and afterwards, it was years of presenting the Jedi as frauds and criminals. I don't think many cared about Anakin five years after Order 66.

 

If not outright in ANH.

 

Killed by Lord Vader. Mayhaps

 

Died defending the younglings from Vader.

 

Considering that Rebels mentioned Mustafar as the "place where Jedi go to die", Anakin officially dying there would be quite likely.

 

So did Luke now tell the rest of the galaxy the truth after the fall of the Empire and rise of the New Republic that indeed Darth Vader was really Anakin Skywalker?

 

I'm surprised that when people heard Luke's last name they didn't think "hmm Skywalker ey?. There was a Jedi named that who was famous in the galaxy at one point"
Chewbacca, Mon mothma, Ackbaar maybe. Nobody really though much of it.
But maybe most weren't alive at that point.

His aunt and uncle knew about Anakin being Vader I think

 

Mon Mothma used to work closely with Padme and Bail. She should know who Anakin was very well, and she should notice Leia and Luke's resemblance to Padme and Anakin. I mean... Bail's adopted daughter looks like Padme and/or Anakin, and a Skywalker guy who looks like Anakin and/or Padme starts to hang with her... well, she should be able to add 2 and 2 and say four.

 

Red Leader does, in the ANH novelization.

 

it's a large galaxy, so I guess not everyone knew or knew enough to remember his name. but yeah I wonder why Chewbacca didnt say anything about the last name Skywalker since he obviously knew about the Jedi since they helped him on Kashyyyk.

 

Wait. Hold on.

You're trying to tell me that 2+2 is NOT 9? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS

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Wouldn't Sidious tell all the senators about Anakin during the senate meeting (the one where Sidious declared the transformation of the Republic into the Empire)? Anakin wasn't suited yet, nor did Sidious know that he was going to be suited. So when Sidious tells everyone that the Jedi are all traitors, that the remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated, he must have said that Anakin is the exception right? He probably said that Anakin is the one good Jedi who refused to commit treason and instead saved the Republic, that he is ashamed of once being a Jedi, that he quit the religion and even changed his name to Darth Vader to cut ties with his past.

I mean, imagine if Sidious didn’t do that, and Obi Wan didn’t find Anakin on Mustafar, and Anakin comes back to Coruscant and makes his way towards the Emperor’s office. Wouldn’t people freak out if they saw him, thinking the Jedi are making a second coup attempt? Then Sidious would have to walk over to clear up the confusion and reassure the people there that everything is under control. In addition, people would still refer to Anakin using his old name, which is not what Sidious wants, so he has to fix that too. It’s much easier to explain everything in one go during that senate meeting.

 

Leia’s political life was ruined because word got out that her father was Darth Vader. If Luke did that, there goes anyone willing to listen to him.