Teaser poster for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.  

The story of Anakin Skywalker - better known for his colorful moniker - Darth Vader, closes the cycle of the eternal slave, first he was a literal slave in his planet, Tatooine, then a slave to his fears, and finally to the dark side. How twisted can a person come to be after letting his fears control him? Skywalker is the most tragic and complex character of the Star Wars Saga. 

Anakin Skywalker, who was a child with a noble heart and bright future, ended up becoming the dreaded Darth Vader. His fear of loss, damaged self-esteem since childhood, and the constant need to feel valued, ended up being part of the terrain on which his downfall was built. But to be able to understand how such a monster was created, one must start from his infancy.  

Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith. Directed by George Lucas. 

Raised only by his mother, Shmi, Anakin forms a deep bond with her, since she was the only person in his life. But with them being slaves, the fear of separation was a constant in their lives; that’s why he felt the need to cling to her. So, when Qui-Gon offers to train him as a jedi, Anakin must make the decision to leave his mother behind. Not long after, he loses Qui-Gon, his mentor and the first person who ever believed in him. As a child, that pain stayed with him, feeding his fear of losing the people he loves, and with it his need to protect them at all costs.  

Anakin never truly belonged among the Jedi. As the first movie shows “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace”, the Jedi council was reluctant to train Anakin, since his old life contrasted with the teaching they preached, like detachment and control over emotions. While other apprentices are trained from infancy and have no family ties, Anakin arrived with the very present memory of his mother and an emotional void that he needs to fill. For someone as emotional as him, the Jedi philosophy is very difficult. What the Jedi asks of him, to let go of his fears and emotional ties, is precisely what Anakin cannot allow himself.  

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Directed by George Lucas. 

Moving on, in the second film “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”, we see him as a Padawan with an arrogance problem. Anakin’s master, Obi-Wan, worries that his arrogance stems from the sheer talent he possesses — though in reality, it’s rooted in deep insecurity. As a slave he was treated as property, as if he were worth less than everyone else, leaving deep marks on his self-esteem. Being treated as inferior left him with the constant need for validation. Since being freed, he felt the need to prove to himself and others that he was worth as much as anyone, or even more. That’s why he did not dream of being just another Jedi; he wanted to be the best of them all, to be the chosen one everyone seemed to believe he was. Which makes him sensitive to how others perceive him; any criticism, distrust, or comment that makes him feel inferior is seen as a personal rejection. That’s why he constantly complains that Obi-Wan is too hard on him, and it also hurts him every time the Jedi Council distrusts him, in his mind that’s a sign that he’s not good enough.  

 Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones. Directed by George Lucas. 

In the third movie of the trilogy, “Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith”, we see Anakin’s demise. In this movie, Anakin is played like a fiddle by Chancelor Palpatine, someone who he thought he could trust, but instead was the Dark Sith he was after all this time. He feared he would lose Padme, just like he lost his mother in the last movie, so he submits to the teachings and receives the name of Darth Vader. Since he began having visions of Padme’s death, Anakin´s greatest fear returned with full force. He began to feel that he was once again going to lose someone he loved, and he wouldn't be able to prevent it. That’s how Palpatine played his cards to perfection, he offered him what the Jedi could not: the power to conquer death. The dark side was the perfect temptation because it seemed to give Anakin everything he most desired: validation and having the power to cheat death. And so, Anakin chose Palpatine and betrayed the Jedi.  

Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith. Directed by George Lucas. 

Given these points, it can be seen how behind Anakin’s transformation there’s a lot of unresolved pain. When Anakin chose to embrace the dark side, he believed he was making a necessary sacrifice to save Padme. But in that desperate attempt to avoid losing her, he ended up doing just that. Ironically, what he feared would happen was exactly what he caused with his decisions. Palpatine manipulated him by planting the idea that everyone had betrayed him. Anakin stopped trusting everyone, and when he finally realized that it had all been a lie, it was too late; thus, a self-fulfilling prophecy was completed; out of fear of losing her, he lost everything.