Full Series Anakin in TCW, would he really have fallen?

Agreed.

Micro-series is my second favorite depiction. I also enjoyed his Republic comic depiction, such as the Jabiim storyline.

 

TCW Anakin still has obvious flaws that led to his fall: Difficulty reining in his anger, fierce independence, and strong attachment to his loved ones that often overcomes reason. Several times we see him resort to violence to get what he wants, including torture. TCW Anakin just actually happens to be a likable person who isn't completely defined by those flaws, unlike the movie versions of Anakin. I'd actually say TCW is mandatory watching to appreciate just how far Anakin fell.

 

I think the difference is that the Clone Wars Series got to fully explore the "better" aspects of Anakin as a character. I think had Lucas worked on The Clone Wars before Revenge of the Sith, the way he portrayed Anakins fall would have been a bit different. For context, we have to remember, the Clone Wars ran for 6 years. That's 6 years of working with people who already have seen Revenge of the Sith and can think about how to make Anakin more sympathetic and his fall more understandable.

So, I think it goes both ways, I think the way Anakin is portrayed in the Clone Wars is partly because it is supposed to "make up for" the things we didn't get to see in Revenge of the Sith. While at the same time, had Lucas been given time to really reflect and develop the character with another film or a series, he wouldn't have had to try and fit his fall into part of one film.

 

Anakin suffers from the 7 deadly sins: greed, envy, gluttony, sloth(apathy), wrath, lust and pride.

 

What's an example of his gluttony?

 

Agreed. It seems when you see Yoda in TCW note the bonding between Master (Anakin) and Apprentice (Ahsoka), you feel as he does, that Anakin is finally developing and becoming a true Jedi who is calm.

In fact having an apprentice in ROTS might have stopped him falling as it would have been a sign of him being deemed to have progressed a lot to have been given such responsibility by the Council.

True, a lot of dark moments. Which were great. it's just, that with a Padawan, it seems his loyalty to the Order would have been cemented as they trusted him with that responsibility rather than him mistrusting them. He doesn't seem like someone who had a Padawan in ROTS.

Yes, it was great to see him develop, especially develop alongside his Padawan. There is a touching moment as mentioned above when Yoda sees the two bond after Ahsoka is returned from captivity having been feared dead. It shows us how much they have both grown, but also I think the audience feels Yoda noting that Anakin has developed into a calm and respectful Master - a true Jedi.

It just feels in ROTS, that that Anakin could never have had a Padawan. Indeed, if he had been given such a responsibility by the Council, it would have been a signal of trust that seemed to be lacking in ROTS. And no doubt would have not only cemented his loyalty to the Jedi Order, but have maybe calmed his mind?

Maybe had he been given that role in ROTS, would he have turned? Just seems like the Anakin in AOTC, whilst dark, was less likely to turn than the one in ROTS, who not only was being manipulated by Palpatine, but was made distant from Jedi affairs - e.g. Council meetings, key decisions regarding a Jedi takeover.

Yes, I like that one, but tbh, gotta love the ROTS one when he starts to turn. Its badass.

 

Could be interpreted as his insatiable lust and hunger for greater knowledge & power which is typical of Dark Siders/Sith. Sith always speak of "hunger". Darth Nihilus was about hunger and the " specters of Sith warriors" also spoke "your fear feeds our hunger for power", so we know its part've their psyche and modus operandi .

 

Oh ok. I had misinterpreted it as only having to do with food.

 

Anakin was given Ahsoka in an attempt to cure his inability to let go of those he loved. Yoda thought that if he was given an apprentice, it would help him learn this, since Ahsoka would eventually undergo the Trials and become a Knight. This obviously backfired immensely in Season 5.

 

Backfired as a result of the Council itself. Which explains why Anakin didn't have that difficult a time walking away from it eventually.

 

Maybe an anthology or extra film between Episodes 1 and 2, or 2 and 3?

I guess so. It's just in the films, you do see that darkness (e.g. in AOTC), though by ROTS, whilst he displays it at the start with Dooku, that is when Obi Wan is unconscious. After that, he seems to be more Jedi like, even defending them against Palpatine. In fact, it seems that being isolated and sidelined (owing to Palpatine's manipulations) from the Jedi Council, that he grows frustrated, but even then he does the right thing. It seems only for Padme that he sacrifices his ideals and betrays the Order.

After he submits to Palpatine, having realized what he has done, he seems still to be focussed on helping Padme, but then I guess he still follows Palpatine's line of thinking and believes in the notion that the Jedi were indeed attempting to take over. It is later by the time of Mustafar, that it feels like Anakin is no longer doing this for Padme, but has been consumed by the dark side, and wants power. That he will overthrow Palpatine is only a matter of time.

In TCW though, whilst we see hints of darkness that could explain him not really following a Jedi line, he is still good. If anything, he never falls to the level of the way he kills Dooku or betrays Windu in ROTS, (maybe the strangling Poggle is an exception). He also seems too good to be the same person who falls in ROTS. The fact that he has a Padawan makes it even harder to imagine. I get the notion that he has to learn to let go. But he seems like he gets more used to it and even becomes more patient in his teaching a younger Jedi.

In fact, you wonder if the ROTS had been given a Padawan by the Jedi Council as a final test before being granted the rank of Master, whether that would have changed things?

 

I Think TCW showed enough hints of the unbalanced Anakin for me to give it a pass.. but only just. The overall TCW Anakin is too emotionally balanced and easy going to be someone that could believably turn into Vader. He's kind of a 'dude-brah' character compared to the movie version. And the 'dark hints' that are sprinkled through the series feel more like rare out-of-character easter-eggs than a fundamental aspect of TCW Anakin's character. Anakin is probably my least favorite aspect of the series

 

That is the same question I asked myself after watching TCW. It's funny how much more likable he is than in the movies.

 

I felt the opposite in comparing the TCW version to the movie version. The way I saw it, the movie version would've been afraid of his own shadow up until Palpatine had the sit-down with him in ROTS. It was the TCW version that gave him all levels of his personality that you both expected to and wanted to see: brave, caring, and most important of all, anger. The best example of the latter is how he toys with The Son and The Daughter in the Mortis episode when they're threatening the lives of Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

 

Lol. Yes Anakin has improved in TCW and ROTS beginning in terms of that personality aspect. But it's hard to see this being the same person, and one susceptible to falling (in TCW). In ROTS, he seems different to other Jedi and on edge. In TCW he is less that and more like other Jedi (though maybe less patient).

It is hard to see him having had a Padawan in ROTS. What if he had been given one in ROTS would it have prevented him falling?

Tbh Anakin seemed balanced in ROTS until he had the rant in the Jedi Council chamber about not being given the rank of Master and after his vision of Padme. Even then though, he defends the Order against Palpatine in their conversation about point of view and even when Palpatine reveals himself. It seems that his isolation from the Council coupled with him being manipulated by Palpatine for fear of Padme and a small part of wanting power results in the swift change. But it seems his emotional imbalance is part of the reason the Council don't trust him? Yet in TCW there doesn't appear to be that issue?

Yes that is a good point. It's difficult to imagine ROTS Anakin as having had a Padawan though.. I mean had he been given one in ROTS, would it have prevented his downfall?

Yes I also got that impression. He has moments of darkness which clearly demonstrate him being on the edge in TCW, but he seems more of a cool guy in it and someone who is still truly good. Certainly it is difficult to see this person being the same person we see in ROTS. In the movies, maybe it is cos we know who he will become, but he doesn't appear to be like other Jedi in terms of emotional balance, certainly not in AOTC and by the mid point of ROTS after he has the rant at not being granted the rank of Master. When he is then subjected to isolation from the Jedi Council (after Palpatine manipulates the situation) it is clear he will get swayed to the dark.

 

Am sure they can make Anakin more likable if he's in the new movies in some capacity as Anakin. Hayden should technically be the Force Ghost Anakin in the ST since he replaced the old man version. Or there is some flashbacks of him training someone, Hayden hasnt changed that much since 2004/5.

 

I'd still prefer the original Anakin (older version) as Force Ghost. Still never explains how Anakin figured out how to make himself become a Force Ghost in the first place, but what're you gonna do?

 

I presume in Lucas' mind, it had to do with meeting Jinn on Mortis. But if he learned the power from Jinn sometime after season 6 of TCW, then what was the point of Jinn specifically seeking out Yoda if he was gonna train Anakin on his own again and bypass even the Force Priestesses who apparently chose Yoda like they chose Jinn?!

 

It is, though, especially in the later seasons(particularly 5 and 6). Anakin begins to show distrust in the council. Ahsoka's expulsion from the Order and subsequent refusal to re-join was a major factor that influenced this.

Anakin was given Ahsoka specifically to help his attachment issues. If the council had handled her arrest better, it's entirely possible she wouldn't have left and Anakin would have learned to let go.

 

Thank you. I'm glad someone else feels the same way I do about Ahsoka's actions during the "fugitive" arc.

 

If the council had offered support, assurance, and/or help to Ahsoka when she was being tried for the bombing, then she wouldn't have left the Order, and Anakin might have finally learned to learn wha tYoda was hoping would be taught to him.

Instead, they expelled her and left her completely on her own and in the dark. She had no guidance, no nothing from them. The councils failure to handle the situation led to her refusing to rejoin after her name was cleared.

If the council had offered her some support, had given her guidance, and/or reassured her the they were one expelling her as a precaution and that she could rejoin if she was found innocent, then Ahsoka would not have had to fend for herself.

If she wa still in the picture, Anakin would still trust the council(at least, more than he later did in S6).

It is entirely the councils fault.