what happened to Anakin when he turned?

A point was just brought up in the saga forum that got me thinking. In the moment when Anakin pledges his allegiance to Palpatine and becomes Darth Vader,it appears that something happens to Anakin physically. He kneels down and he almost starts acting like we would think of someone who is drunk. His eyes start rolling back into his head and its almost like he is now overcome by a trance.

What is everyone's interpretation of this? Is he simply "drunk" with the darkside? Does he really fall into a trance?

 

bad acting?

 

What scene are you talking about?

I just watched from the disarming of Mace to the march on the Temple and I didn't see any of the stuff you're talking about.

 

Sorry, I wasn't rolling my eyes at you. That being said, are you serious that you don't know what I am talking about?

 

Yes, I've got the scene up right now and I don't see any of it. In certain moments he's definitely emotionally shellshocked, but I didn't see his eyes rolling in the back of his head or drunken movements.

If you could pinpoint the exact moments you're talking about, that would help.

 

Well maybe those were bad descriptors. To me, is like he goes into some sort of trance when he says "I pledge myself to your teachings".

 

don't get me wrong

I'm not one of the ones who think Hayden is a bad actor,

just at this scene I don't think he was given much direction at all by Lucas

and please don't roll your eyes at me, i'm entitled to think it was not a good acting day for Hayden,

i wouldn't roll my eyes at your suggestion.

Don't think everyone is trying to be smart, because not all of us are

 

I think it's a combination of poor acting exection and shell-shocked defeat and mopey desperation. Also, if you seek others' interpetations on a scene why do you disgard the answers provided?

 

Okay, I watched that part.

First, when Mace is flung out the window he says "what have I done?". He realizes the implications of his actions and he is devastated. He's emotionally sickened, he's breathing heavy, he actually looks naseous, as if he's about to vomit.

Then "Just help me save Padme's life, I can't live without her". Overwhelming desperation. He begs Palpatine to help him.

Here's the moment you were speaking of, Palpatine says: "To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together..."

Then they show Anakin's face. At this point, it's hard to read his emotions for sure. It seems reasonable to say he is swallowing his outrage (he definitely looks angry) at the fact that Palpatine doesn't actually have the power to save Padme at that moment. If you were to read his thoughts, you might hear "What?! You mean you don't know how to save Padme?". I don't think he's in a trance or drunk, I just think he's definitely an emotional wreck and possibly trying to hide his feelings of outrage from Palpatine. It's impossible to say for sure.

Regardless, it seems at that moment he believes he has no other option and resigns himself to his fate. Emotionally staggered, he slowly kneels and says "I pledge myself to your teachings".

I guess at that point, in Anakin's mind he is "all-in" when it comes to the dark side.

Side note:

Hilarious line later.

Palpatine: When the Jedi learn what has transpired here they will kill us.....along with all the Senators.
Anakin: I agree. The Council's next move will be against the Senate.

lolwut? C'mon Anakin, you know that's not true.

 

I am not disregarding answers being provided. His first reply was worded in a two word sort of snide manner which could be viewed as trolling. He did come back and explain himself which I appreciate.

But I am also not looking to debate if this was an example of good vs. bad acting. I am looking for people's thoughts as to what is going on with the the character in that moment. I have no problem with people seeing that as a desperate bit of begging rather than being engulfed in sort of a darkside trance.

 

my response was meant to be read as a suggestion

not, "this is me making fun of PT"

if i wanted to do that

i'd make my own board or post on some sort of anti-star wars board

if there is any out there.

 

I'm not looking to debate either...I rather dislike it as it often ends up as an argument and I strongly dislike conflict. I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were solely speaking to Anakin 'in character'. I thought you were asking about all aspects viewers believe are in play during the scene in question.

 

I agree that it is like Anakin is in a trance. He's not just making a decision to join Sidious, there is something supernatural going on there. He has given into fear too many times, and this sets up the scene, where IMO he sells his soul.
Also, Sidious' heavy breathing has been described as him sucking out Anakin's soul. Like has been said, Anakin has passed the point of no return by helping kill Mace, but this is not the only factor in the change.
I like the touch where he moves into the shadow, becoming a silhouette. He's crossed a point significantly, I can totally see the earlier moment as being drunk on the dark side.

 

He didn't pass the point of no return when he killed Mace, he only thought he did.

 

That inability to acknowledge he could redeem himself is what made it the point of no return. Only Luke had the ability to change that. For all intents and purposes it was the point of no return in the sense of him giving himself completely to the dark side...

 

I LOVE that moment, I think it's just great acting from Hayden

Yes, he looks like he's "drunk" with the darkside, or in some sort of trance (it's not just the acting, is the composition of the shot). Just in that moments the music becomes eerie and mystifying, almost seductive (until that point it's just the Emperor's theme). The voice of Palpatine is also different, and everything looks like an iniciation, a ritual of the Dark Side.
My take is that the darkside is like a drug. Accepting the Sith willinglly is like taking a big hit of something.

 

Its good to see that at least a few others see what I see there, and to know I am not crazy and imagining things. I think the moment works a lot better when you see him as going into a darkside trance or something or the darkside suddenly affecting him like a drug would rather than him it just being him begging and being under shock. It's more erie and more supernatural that way to me.

 

if you want a glimpse of what the characters were feeling or thinking try reading the novels...they are cannon

 

I am not sure if its the very moment you meant but in this scene I see an Anakin who give himself to the dark side. So, its possible that he fell in some kind of ''trance'' when the dark side just poure out completely in him. I dont think Hayden Christensen made a bad interpretation of this. The scene is credible for me and that show how Anakin fell a this moment.

 

I've always viewed it as being a little bit like that very first slight "buzz" you get with you drink alcohol or take drugs.

I don't think he is acting "drunk" but more like he's just starting to feel the buzz of the dark side hitting his senses. His pulse is speeding up. His mouth is going dry. His ears are starting to buzz. His skin is starting to tingle. His brain is releasing endorphins that are flooding his blood stream.

George Lucas does equate the dark side with drugs, i.e the more you have, the more you want until eventually it completely consumes you, so Anakins initial response to giving himself to the dark side does make sense.

 

Though it makes sense why he'd think he did. I mean, he just killed a Jedi master instead of the Sith Lord. What are the other Jedis going think? He's already in hot waters for that Tusken slaughter and the whole being married and expecting kids.

 

Its clear that after have been in most part responsable for the death of Mace Windu, Anakin probably knew he couldn't be a Jedi anymore. He would be ban of the Jedi Order after the Jedi Council find out what he did. So he choose to turn into the dark side a few moment later. Thinking it was is only one option to among other thing, saving Padme from a certain death. But there was anothers options. It seems that Anakin has just not consider them. He was probably too deeply affected by his contradictory emotions.

 

I always thought it was Sidious who was doing that to him when he agreed to join him, and the whole lulling of the mind thing was the Dark Lord tapping his thoughts to see if he was being duplicit in his decision to join the Sith. That, combined with nauseousness of his betrayal to the Jedi Order.