6 Key Takeaways The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Missed From Dune

George Lucas may have taken some inspiration from Frank Herbert's Dune series for Star Wars. However, the prequel trilogy could have been improved if it had learned these six lessons. The trilogy covers a range of events, including the invasion of Naboo and the fall of the Jedi Order. But its main focus is on Anakin Skywalker's journey to becoming Darth Vader. While his fall was necessary for peace in the galaxy, it could have been even more tragic.

How To Foreshadow Anakin's Fall

Star Wars borrowed several elements from Dune, with a striking resemblance seen between Anakin and Paul Atreides. Both characters serve as fallen heroes and challenge the idea of a Chosen One prophecy. However, the paths they take towards becoming villains differ significantly. In the recent release of Dune: Part Two, viewers witnessed Paul's descent in a detailed manner, sparking discussions on whether this portrayal surpasses Anakin's fall in Revenge of the Sith. By incorporating six key aspects of Paul's downfall, the Star Wars prequel trilogy could have enhanced Anakin's journey to the dark side.

Anakin's Fall Took Him By Surprise, But Paul Dreaded His At The Beginning

Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides wearing a stillsuit and Fremen robes in the desert of Arrakis - Anakin's Fall Took Him By Surprise, But Paul Dreaded His At The Beginning - How To Foreshadow Anakin's Fall

The Bene Gesserit had foreseen Paul's fall from grace and his role as the Lisan al Gaib for centuries, which made his descent into evil truly tragic. Despite having visions and dreams warning him of what was to come, Paul attempted to avoid his fate. In Dune: Part Two, he strongly opposed traveling to the fanatical South of Arrakis, knowing that he could not escape his destiny as a Messiah there. Even though Paul understood that the prophecy would cast him as a villain, the inevitability of it made his story all the more dreadful.

In contrast, Anakin's fall to the dark side came as a shock to everyone except the audience. Prophesied to bring balance to the Force, the Jedi Order interpreted this as a prediction of his vanquishing the Sith. The suddenness of Anakin's fall in Revenge of the Sith lacked the sense of dread that permeated Paul's journey in Dune: Part Two. While Anakin's descent felt abrupt, Paul's fall was the result of extensive foreshadowing and centuries of planning. Allowing Anakin and the other characters to anticipate his fall could have led to intriguing story developments.

How To Give Padmé A Bigger Role In Anakin's Fall

Chani Saw What Was Happening To Paul And Tried To Stop It, And Padmé Should Have Done The Same

Padme Amidala in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. - Chani Saw What Was Happening To Paul And Tried To Stop It, And Padmé Should Have Done The Same - How To Give Padmé A Bigger Role In Anakin's Fall

Chani was Paul's love interest in the Dune series. In the movie Dune: Part Two, her character was portrayed as being in conflict with Paul's decisions. Throughout the second half of the movie, Chani questioned everything Paul did and was the only Fremen who saw the changes in him. Despite her efforts to bring him back to his former self, she couldn't prevent Paul's downfall. Chani's role in the movie made her one of the most tragic characters due to her active involvement in Paul's transformation.

Anakin's fall to the dark side could have been even more tragic if Padmé had played a more active role in opposing him.

Padmé's Role in Anakin's Descent

The Jedi And The Fremen Bear Striking Similarities, As Do The Sith And The Bene Gesserit

Anakin Skywalker stands before the Jedi Council in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - The Jedi And The Fremen Bear Striking Similarities, As Do The Sith And The Bene Gesserit - How To Explain The Context Of Anakin's Fall

Paul and Anakin's rise to power was heavily influenced by the systems in place in their respective worlds. In Star Wars, Anakin's downfall was orchestrated by Darth Plagueis and Palpatine, who expertly concealed their true intentions. However, the Jedi Order's vulnerabilities made Anakin susceptible to Palpatine's manipulation. This highlights how institutional complacency can lead to the erosion of once great establishments, although this aspect was not fully explored in the prequel trilogy.

In Dune, Paul's transformation into Muad'dib was intricately linked to the systems established by Herbert. The Bene Gesserit had carefully crafted Paul's abilities and prophesied his role as a messiah long before his birth. By leveraging the Fremen's fanatical devotion, Paul was able to assert control effortlessly. While Palpatine's scheme was well-crafted and has been further developed in recent media, Anakin's fall could have been more impactful if Lucas had laid more groundwork for it, similar to Herbert's approach.

How To Write A More Subtle Villain Than Darth Vader

Paul Was Evil, But Anakin Flaunted It

Anakin Skywalker killing a room full of younglings. - Paul Was Evil, But Anakin Flaunted It - How To Write A More Subtle Villain Than Darth Vader

In Revenge of the Sith, Darth Vader's shocking moment was when he killed the Jedi younglings, showing his true dark side. On the other hand, in Dune: Part Two, Paul was more strategic in his actions. Initially seen as a hero for freeing Arrakis from the Harkonnens, his eventual downfall was unexpected. The gradual changes in Paul's character were subtle, unlike the sudden turn in Darth Vader's character. The Star Wars prequels could have taken notes from the surprising development of Paul's fall from grace.

How To Give Darth Vader True Power

Anakin Was The Emperor's Right Hand, But Paul Wanted More

Anakin Skywalker faces forward and Obi-Wan Kenobi looks on behind him on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith. - Anakin Was The Emperor's Right Hand, But Paul Wanted More - How To Give Darth Vader True Power

In the Dune series, Paul became the Emperor of the Known Universe and extended his control across the Imperium. He even spread the Fremen religion to various planets, positioning himself as a god-emperor. On the other hand, Anakin never advanced beyond being Palpatine's follower. Despite his limited power as Vader in the original trilogy, Anakin's downfall was due to his pursuit of power. He committed terrible acts in his quest to save Padmé, but unlike Paul, he did not continue to seek more power. It would have been intriguing to see how Anakin's thirst for power unfolded further.

How To Give Darth Vader A Horrific Legacy

Anakin's Children Saved The Galaxy, While Paul's Became An Abomination

Star wars return of the jedi empire strikes back leia luke - Anakin's Children Saved The Galaxy, While Paul's Became An Abomination - How To Give Darth Vader A Horrific Legacy

Anakin and Paul share a common theme in their stories: to illustrate the dangers of unlimited power and how a hero can spiral down. Paul fulfilled this theme in a more satisfying manner, albeit posthumously. In the books, Paul and Chani had a son named Leto Atreides II, who surpassed his father in darkness by committing some of the most heinous and bizarre acts in the Dune universe. Leto II's actions tainted Paul's legacy with pain, death, and unnatural atrocities.

Anakin's children, Luke and Leia, had a different fate compared to Leto II in Star Wars. They became heroes by destroying the Empire, redeeming their father, and saving the galaxy. Their goodness is a key part of the main theme of good versus evil in Star Wars. However, they also softened Anakin's image as a villain, despite his past actions as Vader.

While Anakin's fall to the dark side could have been influenced by Paul's fall from grace, it is probably a good thing that it did not include those details. Star Wars has always been a more hopeful and optimistic story compared to Dune. Some aspects of Paul's story are too dark for the franchise. Including those details could have made Darth Vader more terrifying, but it might have made his redemption less believable, which is a crucial aspect of Anakin's character development in Star Wars.

Editor's P/S:

The article delves into the potential improvements that could have been made to the Star Wars prequel trilogy by drawing inspiration from Frank Herbert's Dune series. It highlights six key lessons that the Star Wars prequels could have learned from Dune: Part Two to enhance Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side. These lessons include foreshadowing Anakin's fall, giving Padmé a more active role, exploring the similarities between the Jedi and Fremen, crafting a more subtle villain, granting Darth Vader true power, and providing a horrifying legacy for Anakin.

The article effectively demonstrates how incorporating elements from Dune: Part Two could have enriched Anakin's journey and made his fall more impactful. However, it also acknowledges that the Star Wars franchise has a more hopeful tone compared to Dune, and incorporating some of the darker elements from Dune might have contradicted the overall narrative of Star Wars. Nevertheless, the article provides valuable insights into how the prequels could have been improved by exploring the themes and character arcs of Dune: Part Two.