PT Why was Anakin Skywalker conceived by the Force?

According to his mother, Anakin's usually high midi-clorian count, and the belief of Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker does not have a father but was "conceived by the Force."

Of course, this directly parallels the birth of Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and who was delivered by the Virgin Mary. It is quite obvious that Lucas intended to draw a connection here. However, the question is why?

Anakin was believed to be the "Chosen One," the "savior" who was destined to set his people free. This much makes sense. Basically, he was supposed to be "the deliver." The issue appears when Anakin betrays all of his friends, murders countless innocent people including children, and turns to the Dark Side. Basically, he sells his soul to Satan. Clearly NOT Christ-like behavior.

The movies set Anakin up to be a literary Christ-figure, but he ends up being a devil-figure instead. What was the reasoning behind this? Why is the parallel between Anakin and Jesus drawn when they are clearly nothing alike?

Also, (this is more so personal opinion, but I'll mention it anyway), would the series make more sense/be better if Anakin was not "conceived by the Force?" Personally, I think they could have created a very interesting---and more believable---story if Anakin did have a father, who... was a Jedi? was a Sith? It would have been interesting to see how a father would have influenced Anakin's life and his eventual decision in becoming Darth Vader. I also think it would have been cool if Anakin and Owen Lars were actually brothers, even if step-brothers, who grew up together. That was always the impression I got in the original Trilogy. Lars and Beru talk about Luke having "too much of his father in him," as if they actually knew his father, but according to the prequels they only met Anakin once. It would have been interesting to see Anakin and Owen in a brotherly relationship before Anakin turned to the Dark Side.

Anyway, what do you all think? Discuss.

 

This is gonna bring up some great insights. Good post OP.

Cryogenic? Tonyg? PiettsHat? Alexrd?

Wanna give this a shot?

 

From a canon standpoint, we don't definitively know how or why Anakin was conceived. There are however three major theories.

1. TPM strongly suggests that Anakin was conceived by the midi-chlorians. However, the movie never gives an explanation as to why this happened.

2.The Force caused Shmi to conceive Anakin in response to Darth Plagueis' tampering with the midi-chlorians.

3. Darth Sidious is Anakin's father. Not in the literal sense however. This is hinted at in RotS's opera scene. In fact, an earlier version of RotS's screenplay has Palpatine telling Anakin:

This (more specific) declaration was eventually dropped, possibly to avoid feeling like a retread of the famous reveal of Luke's parentage in The Empire Strikes Back.

Out of the above three explanations, only the 2nd attempts to explain the "why" aspect behind Anakin's conception. Nevertheless, the book in which the theory was created is no longer considered canon. Until a future film/novel/TV show/comic discusses the matter, we will never know the details of Anakin's birth.

In regards to Anakin being homologous to Jesus, I don't think this was Lucas' intention (though I could be wrong). Besides the virgin birth, there aren't many parallels.

I personally like the story as is (i.e. without Anakin having a father).

Lastly, while Owen Lars suggesting that Luke "has too much of his father in him" is a seeming plot-hole, I'm sure Obi-Wan gave him an off-screen run-down of who Luke's father was at the end of RotS (just speculation of course).

-Darth Plagueis

 

isn't it clear that he was conceived by the midichlorians (the force)? why is that a theory for its own? what we do not know is why. and there is no indication in the new canon what the answer could be. the opera scene in episode III could mean something but right now it is not known if palpatine was involved.

jesus is not the only god (in human form) without a father. so, you cannot assume that lucas wanted to compare anankin with jesus. and you say there are no other parallels which could mean that he really did not want to compare them.

 

Due to the Sith attempting to create life and manipulate the Force, a Chosen One was sent by the Force as a means of fighting back.

 

George Lucas is a strong follower of comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell, renowned for making the concept of the Monomyth and the "Hero's Journey" popular: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth

Ultimately and IMHO, the returning hero and his wisdom will abolish the current petrified thinking and dogma of the existing order because it stagnates and has no more room for evolution and the appreciation of new or unorthodox ideas.

Now, according to Campbell Jesus was an active hero, which Anakin is not, but his actions ultimately lead to the same result (abolishing the Jedi Order first and next the Sith Order including himself).

Thus he is, indeed, the Chosen One. Other real heroes in the Campbell sense would be Albert Einstein and, of course, George Lucas himself, because he revolutionized the way Hollywood made movies.

 

Since this topic technically involves religion, and Christianity, at that -- a sore point for some on this forum -- I'd just as soon steer clear of it, myself. Given my somewhat anti-theistic, and avowedly secular, humanist values, these things don't tend to go too well for me. I've had a hard time when trying to discuss these things in an adult and intellectually serious way.

That, and, I'll admit, the mysteries surrounding Anakin's conception and the whole "prophecy" angle don't really do a lot for me. Too general, too speculative. I need something a bit more specific to sink my teeth into. What I like discussing more are particular scenes, character quirks, themes, and the general look and feel of a given entry, or the trilogy as a whole.

For me, this topic is a bit like saying, "If 2 + 2 = 4" and "8 / 2 = 4", which is superior, and why?

Which I realize sounds hypocritical in some ways. I mean, virtually all of this stuff is subjective, at the end of the day. But this particular topic, for whatever reason, ultimately, doesn't really float my boat. (At least, not as of this writing, and not for a long while).

Can't speak for any input the others you've tagged might wish to give, however.

 

This might be the reason why I dislike the idea of "there was no father". The connection is too obvious. On the other hand, it's interesting Anakin grew up with only his mother. The lack of father figure surely had to affect a boy like him. That's why he easily accepted the guidance of a man who showed a lot of support and gave him "a larger view of the Force".

I like this explanation. The Force basically has its own will and mystical ways. But why is it that it still can be manipulated? Or is the creation of life/saving people from dying the only way it can be manipulated? I like how everything revolves around life and death.

 

Yes he was.

 

Yes he was what?

 

Sorry I just read "Was Anakin Skywalker conceived by the Force?"
Dammit xD"

 

Lol fair enough.

 

You're not the only one.

There is, however, a non-speculative answer in The Darth Plagueis novel. Alas, it is no longer considered canon.

Though I agree that this topic involves grasping at straws and hypothesizing, that doesn't mean it can't be fun.

-Darth Plagueis

 

I'm glad that someone feels my pain.

Well, then...

Enjoy!

 

As a Christian myself, I don't like these parallels of the birth of Anakin and I don't like them, because is obvious that if SW is a metaphorical fairytale for our world ( and I think it is just as LOTR is) the journey of Anakin is the journey of a human, and yes, Anakin accomplish his mission: bring balance to the Force ( i.e. give peace and good) but in a very human, flawed way. Metaphorically Anakin's fate is the essence of the humanity's fate: he was born good, he fell in the darkness, but he repented and was redeemed. The redemption and the repentance are very important Christian themes and are included also in the SW Saga and as the 6 movies are the story of Anakin Skywalker, we can see that it a classical human story: Anakin is good person, but has flaws and due to his own bad choices (again Christian theme) the flaws consumed his soul.

Yes, Palpatine was the devil in the SW world: look at his clothes and office, they are in satanic colors and this is intentional. Also his big weapon is the temptation: he became Chacellor whispering in the ear of Eve (in this case Padme).He used the weaknesses of everybody around him and become superpowerful. He almost tempted Luke, but his father saved him.
So, in the end of his journey Anakin succeeded to come back as the prodigal son, i.e. flawed human and most important, he succeeded to come from where no one ever could ( as Yoda explained to Luke if someone enters the path of the Dark Side, there is no coming back, except that Anakin was the only one capable to do it). But I repeat it, this is a man's journey, a man with exceptional abilities, but also flaws, a man who learned in a very hard way to make his ultimate and most important choice: to gain the whole world or to gain his soul again. We know what the right choice is

So, back to the main topic, I think that in TPM the birth of Anakin was let unclear, because Lucas himself said in an interview that it has nothing to do with the Immaculate Conception and he hasn't the intention to make such parallels. I think Lucas didn't give details about that in the movie exactly because he avoided making such parallels; after all TMP was also a children's movie and this topic is complex and maybe that's why Lucas choose just not to discuss it. But yes, I prefer that Lucas had give us some clue in TPM instead of avoid the topic, I mean it is discussed only in one scene with Shmi and it is very unclear. After that Lucas strongly emphasize on the fact that the fate of the boy is unclear and he maybe is the chosen one, but maybe is the dangerous one (Anakin should make a choice). Again the human path, very obviously showed, etc, etc,

If you ask me how I would resolve this issue: I'll do it in a very simple way. Shmi is a slave, so it could be inconvenient to be married. In most human societies where the slavery exist (yes, it exist today and it is a shame) the slaves have no legal marriage. So let's suppose that she couldn't have a husband, but could have a children , in vitro for example (after all, I know that it sound cynical, but is true, her master will gain one more slave who is born slave). If this is the case, it could be explained why she wasn't punished by her master for having a child. So, the father of Anakin will still remain mysterious, even he couldn't be alive at that time, but that's not mean that Anakin wasn't destined to bring the Balance and to complete his journey. Yes, he will complete it in the same way.

 

Anakin Skywalker Vader
In response to your last para:

I feel it was the distinct LACK of a father figure that let Anakin turn into what he was. If he did have a father though, I doubt he'd be around since the Jedi would have taken him away from his father too and I also doubt he could be the son of a Jedi/Sith considering neither believed in dynastic rule.

About Owen, well Anakin had a brother, his name was Obi Wan.

 

Yes, but more he needed a mentor figure, not just some parent if I could say so. If he could see his mother, it would be different. If he had a mentor like Qui Gon, it would be different. If he could freely speak and communicate with Padme, it would be different, but....
About Owen: I think that Owen represented a path that could be taken by Anakin if he was just an ordinary boy, son of Shmi. Yes, he would be free with her and the Lars family and would live a simple life, a happier, but ordinary. When Anakin and Owen see each other they felt that and they both thought: what if I was in his place?
Yes, Anakin was destined to take another path, but I'm speaking about this little moment in AOTC.

P.S. About the thread, xezene has some really nice thougths about the Faust-like choice if Anakin, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Speaking of the concept of the chosen one, I think many people misunderstand it. Many fans think that the chosen one should be flawless. Not at all, Lucas presented us a very flawed chosen one, real human character and I appreciate that (as we discussed in another thread, I like the character of Anakin because of that). Lucas insisted that Anakin is the chosen one even when he felt and I understand him perfectly: Anakin was destined to destroy the Empire and the Sith, i.e. the evil, but he failed first. He is not the one, actually many heroes lived similar fate.
I would give a parallel from a book indeed with strong Christian references and themes, Lord of the Rings. It is obvious that Frodo is the chosen one to destroy the ring of power. But in the very end, he fails. He succeeds to fulfill an almost impossible journey but fails in the last minute, couldn’t have the strength to throw the ring into the fire, i.e. he is almost consumed by the evil. And how he succeeds to save himself, and to finish the mission: with the help of Gollum. Gollum is the ultimate antagonist of Frodo: he is what Frodo would become if he is consumed by the ring. So indeed the bad one unwillingly helps to the ultimate victory. One wise person once said to Frodo: Even the wisest cannot see all ends, something that the Jedi forget in TMP insisting that the boy is dangerous.. So if I could make this parallel between the chosen one of LOTR and SW, Anakin has both personas in him (Frodo-like and Gollum-like), at the end of ROTS he is consumed by the bad one, but in the end of hid journey he wins that fight. (Frodo passes trough that in minutes, but for Anakin it last years).
And Ezon Pin , what do you think?

 

Why was Anakin conceived by the Force? Because if was horny.

 

Wow, never thought of that parallel before! Thanks for sharing it!

 

Because it was preordained. The Prophecy was true. One would be created by the Force itself to bring balance. When the Sith started meddling with ways to recreate life itself - the very thing that fuels and created the Force ( "Life creates it. Makes it grow."), it was perceived as a threat to the very existence of the Force itself - one of the unnatural abilities that the Dark Side can lead to. So the Force creates it's own champion,it's own proxy to destroy the Sith and bring back balance. Unfortunatley, this Chosen One rejects his destiny and the Will of the Force for a time.

I've always had a different view of this whole "Balance" thing. I don't think it was so much because the Sith needed to be eliminated so the Jedi could be dominant. I feel it's because of what the Sith were specifically doing - playing with life,itself. The very creation of life. The Force never felt the need to create a lifeform to be its champion before, with Sith-Jedi clashes in the past, or even the nearly 1,000 year long secret return/ascension of the Sith Order. But once Plagueis (and by extension Sidious) started playing with life itself, and finding ways to create life outside of the Will of the Force, then they became a threat. Their unnatural dealings had thrown the Force out of balance, and they need to be stopped before they tip the very nature of the Force itself over to the dark side permanently with their twisted experiments and dealings. So it's less about picking a side in the religious conflict, but more about righting a wrong, bringing a natural balance back to the Force after Sith manipulation tipped it dangerously close to becoming unnatural and dark.

 

I have always wonder why so many people think of the balance as something like mathematical equilibrium and not in this metaphorical aspect as I see it presented in the SW. I think is simple and in the same time complex: yes, the Sith are the evil, because of they lust of power and as you said unnatural desires of manipulate the life and death that always end in total chaos and destruction. Look what happens when the Sith win: destruction, desperation and death. Even in his last years the Jedi couldn't cause that because they were trying to follow the path of the good. So that is why the Sith needed to be destroyed: they bring the death and the darkness with them.
This doesn’t mean that the Jedi are flawless, just that they tried to stay to Light Side.

 

Well IF the Force created Anakin and IF the goal was for him to kill the Sith, then some obvious questions arise.

1) Why this convoluted plan? If the Force wants the Sith dead why not simply kill them itself?
If it can control the midis in people's bodies and make them do things, then use the midis to kill Palpatine directly.
Give him cancer, destroy his red blood cells or simply make the midis in his body stop reproducing. Their number would start to drop, which will weaken him and when the count reaches zero, he will die. Simple.

2) Was Anakin created just to kill the Sith for the crime of being Sith or was it because these specific Siths did something more evil than other Siths in the past? The films doesn't say.
If the former, then the Force is taking a very long time to act since Siths have existed for 1000 years, probably longer.
If the latter, what exactly did they do that was much worse then what they did 1000 years ago? We are told that the Sith ruled the galaxy back then and "The oppression of the Sith will never return." So they were not very nice the last time they ruled the galaxy. Was a chosen one created back then?

3) If everything was foreseen/preordained, does this include Anakin turning to the dark side and then back again.
If everything was predetermined from the start, does freedom of choice exist at all?
If the Force made Anakin, KNOWING that he would destroy the Sith, did Anakin have any choice in the matter?
If not and the Force just made Anakin with the hope that he might do something about this, again why this convoluted plan?
If Anakin happens to get himself killed at some point, the Force will have to start over again, make another woman pregnant etc.

Other questions that spring to mind, did Shmi tell other people about how Anakin came to be?
If yes, didn't that cause questions? I mean a woman that gets pregnant without being with a man is not very common.
If a woman would tell that story in our world then most would probably view her as a nut. If people did take her seriously then I would imagine that would lead to some unwanted attention.

Bye for now.
The Guarding Dark

 

Well given that that doesn't happen, it is obvious that it cannot.

What changed is everything that happens in the films. Palpatine gets the Senate to give him control, instead of taking it for himself as his predecessors did. He blurred the lines between good and evil. The Jedi became arrogant in their abilities and would become consumed by the dark side, due to fighting in the war. The galaxy would be divided by a deception and self-interest. These things all lead to the birth of the Chosen One.

Most likely not. They are the results of his choices.

That would be a given.

He did. That's where Darth Vader comes from. He chooses to be Palpatine's Apprentice because he cannot live without Padme. So instead of shoving his Lightsaber up Palpatine's ass, or letting Mace do it, he instead chooses to betray the Jedi and join the Sith. Thus he chooses to not destroy the Sith. Two decades later, he chooses to save his son, but to do so, he must kill Palpatine and knows full well that he will die in the process.

Given that she was living on Tatooine and that she was hesitant to tell Qui-gon, I'd say that she kept that too herself and only told him because he was a Jedi and might be able to help him.