TheBoost said:
RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT TURNING TO THE DARK SIDE:

Since eventually Anakin has to do it, here are two non-Star Wars movies that I think contain excellent looks at positive characters that, for very real seeming reasons, become the villain.

THE PRESTIGE: If you've seen the film, there's a truly great moment where the Scarlet Johansen character says to the Hugh Jackman character that, "Learning his secret won't bring your wife back." and the Jackman character responds, "I don't care about my wife, I care about his secret." After he says it, Jackman takes a moment, and the look in his eyes as he realizes that what he said was true is chilling. THAT is what turning to the dark side could be like, when you realize that whatever high ideals you once thought movitvated you are not true anylonger.

TO KILL A KING: Great film about the English Civil War with Tim Roth as Oliver Cromwell. The relationship between Cromwell and Fairfax (Dougray Scott) is a study of falling to the Darkside. THroughout the film Fairfax is horrified as Cromwell betrays the ideals he thought they shared in a ruthless effort to consolidate power, all for the 'greater good' in Cromwell's point of view.

Just tossing out ideas. I don't know about you guys, but for all the talk about 'the power of the dark side,' Anakin entering a Faustian bargain with Palpy struck me as a little anticlimactic. I thought when he iced the sandpeople village, that was a major character point, but in the end it didn't factor into his 'turn.' Nailing Anakin's fall thematicallly will be pivotal.

Or the granddaddy of them all, Michael Corleone in The Godfather/The Godfather Part II.