The Untold Story: Anakin Skywalker's Biggest Prequel Trilogy Blunder Unveiled

Summary

Star Wars: The Clone Wars filled in the gaps left by the prequel trilogy and provided a much-needed exploration of Anakin Skywalker's character as a Jedi Knight.

The introduction of Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars brought a newfound depth and complexity to Anakin's narrative. It revealed an alternative facet of his character and illustrated his progression as a Jedi. By shedding light on Anakin's journey before succumbing to the dark side, The Clone Wars enhanced the prequels. It showcased his Jedi abilities, self-assurance, and potential as the Jedi Order's future.

The Clone Wars significantly enhanced Anakin Skywalker’s development and offered a superior approach to Darth Vader’s backstory in the prequel trilogy. This series, which was released three years after the conclusion of the prequels, takes place between Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Unlike the non-canon Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series, The Clone Wars is an official part of Anakin’s journey. Alongside other familiar characters, such as Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker is featured in Clone Wars, introducing new names to the Star Wars universe.

The introduction of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars exemplifies the profound impact this 3D animated series had on reimagining the prequels. Suddenly, Anakin Skywalker has a Padawan during the events of Episodes II and III. Moreover, Clone Wars delves into Anakin's various missions across the galaxy, shedding light on different facets of his character. While the show encompasses episodes that aren't centered around the movie Jedi, those that focus on Anakin consistently remain highlights of the series.

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Clone Wars Told The Anakin Skywalker Story George Lucas’ Prequels Skipped Over

In the original Star Wars movie, Obi-Wan Kenobi praised Anakin Skywalker, hailing him as the "the best starship pilot in the galaxy," a "cunning warrior," and a "good friend." However, it was only in Clone Wars that audiences truly witnessed these remarkable traits of Anakin. This is because Star Wars: The Clone Wars delved into the untold story of Anakin's time as a Jedi Knight, which the prequel movies overlooked. The Phantom Menace introduced a young Anakin who was yet to grasp the extent of his powers, while Attack of the Clones portrayed him as a Padawan. It was only in Revenge of the Sith that Darth Vader emerged, marking a significant turning point in his journey.

Clone Wars illuminates three significant years in the life of Anakin Skywalker, where the young Jedi Knight engages in numerous battles and overcomes various challenges. In Attack of the Clones, Anakin is depicted as still in the process of learning, while Revenge of the Sith centers around his descent into the dark side. Conversely, Clone Wars portrays Anakin as a highly skilled Jedi Knight who quickly establishes his reputation in the galaxy. Throughout the Clone Wars, it becomes evident why Anakin possesses a special status among the Jedi. This version of Anakin, referred to as "prime Anakin," showcases his peak abilities and unwavering commitment to Jedi missions.

By delving into Anakin's identity as a Jedi prior to his transformation into a Sith Lord, Clone Wars enhances both the prequel and the original trilogies. Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin explores the character's human side, revealing that Darth Vader once possessed emotions and attachments like any other individual. Additionally, Clone Wars highlights another crucial aspect of Anakin's character: his confidence and respectability as a Jedi Knight, suggesting that he could have represented the future of the Jedi Order. While retroactively improving the prequels, Clone Wars also underscores the missed opportunities in George Lucas' original trilogy in terms of Anakin's narrative.

How The Phantom Menace’s Anakin Origin Story Doomed The Rest Of The Prequels

The Anakin episodes in Clone Wars greatly enhanced the character and were far more captivating than Attack of the Clones. It would have been ideal to have a separate film focused on Jedi Knight Anakin during his prime, especially considering the need to depict his fall to the dark side in the last movie of the prequel trilogy. However, this was not possible due to The Phantom Menace starting the story 32 years prior to the events of A New Hope. Since Episode I introduced a nine-year-old Anakin and Episode II followed a relatively young Anakin still in training as a Padawan, it was only in Episode II that audiences were finally introduced to Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin. As Episode III marked the conclusion of the prequel trilogy, Attack of the Clones was the sole film to follow a Jedi Anakin from beginning to end. It was a mistake not to have a dedicated movie for Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, a legendary figure since Return of the Jedi. While it was the right decision to humanize Anakin and develop him as a flawed character, the limited screen time for Jedi Anakin did not succeed.

By the time Revenge of the Sith occurred, there had been little portrayal of Anakin as a Jedi in the movies. Attack of the Clones only touched upon Anakin's yearning for greater power and his struggle to detach himself from his connections. George Lucas' Star Wars prequels overly emphasized Anakin's descent to the dark side, neglecting to establish his identity beyond his tragic past. This narrative approach could have been altered if the prequels had depicted an adult Anakin Skywalker right from the beginning, allowing each film in the trilogy to showcase more of Jedi Skywalker.

Clone Wars Is What Attack Of The Clones Should Have Been (To Improve Anakin)

A major improvement to the Star Wars prequel timeline would have been to rearrange George Lucas' trilogy and present Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side more effectively. Instead of Episode II, the story of Attack of the Clones should have been told in Episode I, featuring a young Padawan Anakin undergoing early training with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Naboo crisis from The Phantom Menace and Count Dooku's story from Attack of the Clones could have been seamlessly combined into a single narrative focusing on the emergence of the Separatists. The significant moments involving a young Anakin and his mother on Tatooine could still be included in Episode I but as poignant flashbacks.

Episode II could have been titled Clone Wars, rather than telling the story of Attack of the Clones. It missed the opportunity to showcase a major story set during that period, which was hinted at in the first Star Wars movie. The decision to save most of the Clone Wars content for a show released years later was underwhelming. The Clone Wars series demonstrated the potential for captivating stories, particularly with Anakin. Instead, Episode II could have been an extended two-hour movie, akin to an episode of the Clone Wars show.

Revenge of the Sith would remain unchanged, with the exception of allowing audiences to spend more time with Jedi Anakin before his descent to the dark side. Portraying the events of the Clone Wars on screen would have further contributed to Anakin's fall, illuminating his growing disillusionment with the Jedi Order. Needless to say, this alteration would have a significant impact on the Star Wars prequels as a whole. For instance, Qui-Gon Jinn would likely have no place in this version of the prequel trilogy. Interestingly, George Lucas' original pitch for Anakin Skywalker's backstory solely focused on the events depicted in Episode III and did not encompass characters like Qui-Gon or Maul.

The benefit of releasing Clone Wars after the prequel trilogy was that the series could learn from what worked and didn't work with Anakin in the prequels. This allowed them to explore different aspects of Skywalker. George Lucas' direct involvement with Clone Wars makes it just as much a part of his Star Wars legacy as the prequels. Thankfully, Star Wars' transmedia approach enables the combining of elements from the live-action movies and other parts of the canon. As a result, Anakin in Star Wars: The Clone Wars is not separate from "movie Anakin". They are different chapters in the story of the same character.