logo Sign In

Post #706134

Author
Wannabe Scholar
Parent topic
Fall to the Dark Side?
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/706134/action/topic#706134
Date created
19-May-2014, 3:53 PM

Like many people said, the way Episode 3 handled his fall was rushed. It's kind of surprising because when I looked at Clone Wars media (comics, both 2003 and 2008 cartoons, and the novels), I thought Anakin was more prone to anger despite of his good heart and loyalty to the Republic. 

I think it would have been better to have Anakin be corrupted by war. As the Clone Wars, he would make controversial choices that lead to his fall to the Dark Side. It's much like how I assumed about the fall of the Jedi Revan from the KotOR games.

Years before the game, Jedi Knights Revan and Malak broke away from the Order to fight the Mandalorians who were attacking the Republic. With their fellow Jedi, Revan and Malak defeated the Mandalorians and saved the Republic.

But there were small hints of Revan's fall. In KotOR 2, his old mentor and one of your companions, Kreia, mentions that the Mandalorian Wars changed Revan to the point he despised weakness. His fall would be complete after the Mandalorian Wars, when he ventured into the Unknown Regions.

Or you could follow the Prequels' idea of having Anakin gaining power to protect his loved ones. However, use a different method. Have Anakin believe he can conquer the Dark Side and let his arrogance grow until he finally falls completely. It can be done like this:

  • As the war rages on, Anakin grow weary of battle and wants to end the war. He believes the Jedi ways aren't enough as the Clone Wars continue and seeks the knowledge of the Sith. Obi-Wan and the other Jedi forbid his research, but Palpatine takes advantage of this and feeds Anakin small snippets of Sith history that twist the young Jedi's mind until he sees the Jedi as enemies.
  • Or Padme's nearly killed and a paranoid Anakin seeks Palpatine's help to protect her. Palpatine gives Anakin Sith knowledge, turning him to the Dark Side.

You could also base Anakin's fall on his own hubris and jealous. In Shakespeare's tragedies of Othello and Macbeth, the titular characters are good men at first but small whispers of doubts and lies from someone they know causes mistrust and brings their downfall. Do something similar with Anakin's fall as Palpatine whispers lies into his ear. 

...But those are just my ideas.