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Post #1482358

Author
Vladius
Parent topic
The Prequel Radical Redux Ideas Thread
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1482358/action/topic#1482358
Date created
1-May-2022, 5:58 PM

sade1212 said:

Oh yeah, “From my point of view…” is a notoriously silly line, but personally I don’t think it really contradicts his character too much at that point (he does have reasons to hate the Jedi even outside of the coup, like their lies and endless distrust of him, and general heartlessness towards his mum/Padme/Ahsoka, even if calling them ‘evil’ is a bit hyperbolic), it’s just Lucas-tier dialogue. I was trying to limit myself to removing just the one line that stood out to me as being detrimental for the audience’s understanding of Anakin’s motivations, since this is for a reasonably light-touch edit focused on making Anakin seem less stupid.

While you certainly can justify Anakin’s behaviour towards the end as the dark side jumbling his mind up so much he can’t remember what’s actually true, I’ve always thought that was a bit of a cop out. I do think there’s genuinely enough substance there in the save-Padme-and-himself plot thread of the movie to motivate each step towards his fall without resorting to him just going insane, or forgetting that Palpatine is the Sith Lord that orchestrated the war.

It’s not necessarily that he can’t remember, just that he doesn’t want to remember. Just like anyone else, he wants to think that he’s being principled even though deep down he knows he’s not. He’s trying to justify himself to Obi Wan.

Also I think people often miss that the dark side is supernatural evil and it exerts a supernatural influence. That’s Palpatine’s main ability, to use that influence and temptation. When people fall to the dark side, it doesn’t have to make complete sense in real life terms. It goes a lot faster than someone “falling” in real life would. It has an addictive quality and affects people’s sanity. If Anakin’s words and actions seem a little baffling, that’s the point.