George Lucas’ Star Wars saga begins as a tragedy, but ends as a triumph. It opens with the discovery of Anakin Skywalker, a Chosen One born by the will of the Force and destined to restore the balance of light and darkness (although the films themselves are silent on what “balance” actually looks like in practice). By the end of the prequels, Anakin has fallen to the dark side and become Darth Vader, the franchise’s iconic villain. He would only be redeemed decades later, by the redemptive love of his son, Luke.
Where did it all go wrong for Anakin? Some viewers point to his character flaws; they accept Yoda’s argument that there was always fear in Anakin’s heart, and that this fear would inevitably lead to anger, to hatred, and ultimately to suffering. Others argue those flaws could have been dealt with had the Jedi been more empathetic, had they offered a support network and taught Anakin how to manage his attachments. But, surprisingly, George Lucas had a very different idea.
Lucas Believed Anakin Shouldn’t Have Been a Jedi
Modern Star Wars tends to venerate Qui-Gon Jinn, arguing the maverick Jedi had a better perspective on the Force than his contemporaries; the general opinion is that he was right to want Anakin trained as a Jedi, because it was the will of the Force, and that he’d have done a better job than Obi-Wan. In contrast, Lucas believed Qui-Gon was a bit of a rebel Jedi who was completely wrong to want Anakin trained. As he explained in a 1999 interview with Cut Magazine (via David Talks SW):
“I think it is obvious that he [Qui-Gon] was wrong in Episode I and made a dangerous decision, but ultimately this decision may be correct. The ‘phantom menace’ refers to the force of the dark side of the universe. Anakin will be taken over by dark forces which in turn destroy the balance of the Galaxy, but the individual who kills the Emperor is Darth Vader – also Anakin.”
When it comes to Anakin, George Lucas actually believed the Jedi Council made the right choice in refusing to train the Chosen One. They were right about what they sensed in him, and about its implications; this child had too much fear, too many attachments, and would not make a good Jedi. Qui-Gon’s death forced the Council’s hand, making them go against their better judgment, and it all led to tragedy when Anakin fell to the dark side and participated in Order 66.
It all turned out for the best in the end, of course; the will of the Force won through, because light is stronger than darkness and love cannot be truly vanquished by hatred. But the redemptive love Darth Vader ultimately demonstrated in Return of the Jedi is very different, in that it was selfless compassion for his son; Vader did not personally gain anything by attacking Palpatine, but instead was simply acting to protect another. In that moment, Darth Vader finally overcome the possessive sense of attachment that had driven him to the dark side.
Anakin Was Never A Great Jedi
This logically leads to a very difficult truth; that Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Clone Wars, was never a great Jedi. Yes, he was powerful. Yes, he was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, and personally won so many different victories. But “wars do not make one great,” as Yoda taught Luke. To be a great Jedi is to have faced your inner darkness and found a place of balance within yourself. It is to have learned how to handle your attachments, how to resist the darkness and commit yourself to the light. Anakin never achieved this.
Just look at the Clone Wars. Anakin is no team player, instead showing a cockiness and self-confidence that only pays off because of his own power, and he sets an example that led others to stumble when they fell. Far from handling his attachments, he found himself caught between two conflicting attachments; his forbidden possessive relationship with Padmé and his continued membership of the Jedi. The tension between these two desires gave Palpatine the opportunity to manipulate him, turning Anakin to the dark side.
Partly influenced by Lucas’ protege Dave Filoni, modern Star Wars viewers have unwittingly reinterpreted the Skywalker saga in a very different way. We assume Qui-Gon was a true hero, making the right judgment over Anakin, when Lucas thought very differently. Focusing on feats, we think of Anakin as some sort of exemplary Jedi, when he was anything but. Lucas’ own perspective offers a very different view of the Skywalker saga.
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