"He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker..."

First of all, I know Lucas isn't following every line to the T, and I know this may not be the first time this has been brought up. But I'm watching RotJ right now and Obi-Wan's speech to Luke about Vader and all that struck me like it never has before, one line in particular.
"He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and he became Darth Vader."
In a way, it could be said that this transformation will be, to say the least, absolutely shocking. If it goes according to this line, then we will be seeing the complete and utter destruction of the character we know as Anakin Skywalker. No more little boy from Tattooine. No more innocent little guy joking about dictatorship. If this is done right, this will be the most incredible thing we have ever seen. You may liken it to the end of Apocalypse Now, when Mr. Sheen rises out of the pool of whatever to go and kill the Colonel, but drawn out over an entire movie (or three). How cool could this be?

 

Extremely. I love your idea!

I don't think Lucas will skimp on this aspect of the Anakin=>Vader transition. It will be something.

 

This is the whole idea of his character, that he ceases to be Anakin Skywalker and becomes Darth Vader. He chooses to push away all that is good about him, because those things make him Anakin Skywalker and that's not who he wants to be. Anakin Skywalker will have no reason to live, nothing left to live for.
In the end though, he realises the truth: You cannot escape who you are.
He never actually ceases to be Anakin Skywalker, but his personality changes so much that Anakin could just as well be dead.



Star Wars is a saga
Watch and believe
/LM