The Psychology Of Anakin Skywalker

With the premiere of the new Star Wars trilogy, the passion for the epic seems to have been rekindled. Despite the positive reviews and box office success of the new films, something is missing from the two original trilogies. We are, of course, talking about Anakin Skywalker’s character.

Anakin Skywalker, later known as Darth Vader, was one of the main characters in the first six Star Wars films and became a true icon. The Chosen One is, within the universe of the epic, the most complex character of all present in the original films.

His actions are not easy to understand. How could he change from a warrior who once fought for peace to the right hand of a tyrant oppressing the entire galaxy? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Anakin Skywalker’s psychology to find out the answer to this question.

Anakin Skywalker’s Psychology: Star Wars’ Most Famous Character Explained

Despite not being as acclaimed by fans as the original trilogy, the three prequels hold the key to understanding Anakin Skywalker’s psychology. In fact, The Phantom Menace , Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith revolve almost exclusively around this character’s development.

They give us insight into Anakin’s story, which begins when Anakin is still a child and ends when he massacres an entire city and destroys the Jedi Temple. Later, as Darth Vader, he terrorizes the galaxy for several decades before redeeming himself and returning to the Light.

What caused these sudden changes in Anakin’s personality? Let’s look at the key to his story.

The consequences of a difficult childhood

To understand Anakin Skywalker’s psychology, we need to go back to his childhood. The story begins when Anakin is nine years old.

Together with his mother he lives on Tatooine (a sandy planet with terrible living conditions), they are slaves of a junk trader. Little Anakin has to worry about his mother’s well-being from a very young age.

Several studies indicate that not having a father figure can hinder a child’s development. Among other things, it can cause a person to develop an avoidant attachment style, something we can see with Anakin. This is particularly evident in his relationship with Padmé.

People who exhibit this type of attachment disorder prefer not to express their emotions and try to be completely self-sufficient. This is something we can observe in Anakin Skywalker’s psychology. He values ​​his own decisions more than his teacher’s advice, even though he does appreciate and respect them.

At the same time, Anakin shows many of the characteristics of a gifted child. However, the fact that he is so intelligent causes more problems for the boy than he can initially solve.

It causes him problems with his master, makes him feel different and makes him too innocent and idealistic. All of these qualities will eventually play a role in his fall to the Dark Side.

Adopted by the Jedis

When Anakin meets Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn, he believes he has found the way out of slavery and will finally be able to help others. We already know how important this is to him, as he often complains about how no one is ever there for those in need.

For young Anakin, the Jedis represent all that is good in the world, so he idealizes them. While joining the Jedi is all he could wish for, it unfortunately brings a lot of complications in the end:

• To leave with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan, Anakin must abandon his mother. She is the only person who has shown him unconditional love. Even with the advanced technology of the Star Wars universe, he probably won’t be able to communicate with her if they’re apart.
• Despite Qui-Gon’s assurance that Anakin will be the one to destroy the Sith and balance the Force, the Jedi Council refuses to train him. They argue that Anakin is too old, but in reality they are afraid for the future of the child and so they reject him as a Padawan (apprentice). This generates a strong sense of rejection in Anakin, who gradually loses faith in the Council.

• One of Anakin’s most important qualities is his independence. However, the Jedi masters try to impose a huge amount of rules on him to prevent him from doing damage. This, along with the pain of his rejection, causes Anakin to hold a grudge.

Some turbulent relationships

In the three prequels, we can see Anakin go from an innocent child to a rebellious teenager and eventually into a narcissistic adult.

The young Skywalker is sure of his superiority, but at the same time insecure and unable to open up to others. This makes him feel isolated and misunderstood. His relationships also cause him many problems, such as:

• Obi-Wan Kenobi, his master, is an older brother rather than a mentor to him. Although they have an excellent relationship, there is also rivalry between the two.
• Anakin has been in love with Padmé, his wife, all his life. This makes him idealize her. The situation worsens because they have to spend a lot of time without each other. So he can’t really get to know her. In addition, they both have to hide their relationship because Anakin’s position within the Jedis would be jeopardized if it were made public.
• Chancellor Palpatine, greatly admired by Skywalker, is in fact a Sith Lord who wants to corrupt him. The Chancellor sows uncertainty in Anakin, both directly and indirectly. The two develop a toxic relationship.

The complications in his main relationships and the fact that he feels isolated from the rest of the world makes Anakin very lonely and insecure in his dealings with others. This eventually leads to his conversion to the Dark Side.

Betraying his ideals

When Anakin, now a young Jedi, discovers that the Tusken Raiders (aka the Sand People) have killed his mother, he is blinded by wrath and kills every member of this race in Tatooine, including women and children.

This goes against all of Skywalker’s ideals, making him even more arrogant and furious.

During the early films, Palpatine pits him against the Jedi council, showing him how his masters’ interests differ from his own. When Anakin discovers Padmé is pregnant and begins to have ominous dreams about her death in childbirth, he turns to the Chancellor for advice.

At that point, he reveals his true identity as a Sith Lord and tells him that the Dark Side of the Force can save Anakin’s wife.

Overwhelmed by doubt (a central element in Anakin Skywalker’s psychology), young Jedi Palpatine reports to the Council. But when he sees Mace Windu threatening to kill him, Anakin chooses to defend his mentor. He betrays the Jedis and becomes the apprentice of Darth Sidious (Chancellor Palpatine).

The Downfall of Anakin Skywalker

Under the command of his new master, Anakin (now Darth Vader) begins committing atrocities that plunge him into a spiral of hatred and self-destruction. One of the most shocking is the destruction of the Jedi Temple, where he kills all the Jedi present in it.

After losing everything and about to die after a battle against Obi-Wan, Palpatine rescues Anakin and makes him his servant. So even though Anakin hates him for everything he lost because of him, because of his isolation from the world and self-loathing, he has no choice but to join him.

Nevertheless, this hatred of the Emperor enables Darth Vader to sacrifice himself to save his son. He kills his master in the process. This allows him to return to the Light and once again meet his true master Obi-Wan. This time in the form of a spirit of the Force.