#anakin the tragic hero

[geneticdriftwood]

rots obi-wan kenobi is horatio-coded, send tweet.

[anakinfolkloredreams13]

It is Star Wars Day so I decided to experiment and make more Anakin gif sets. Every day I'm experimenting, having fun and learning something new.

Anakin Skywalker looking super hot as always!! This scene omg ❤️🥵🥰

Thanks again @lacebird for your help and patience for those little details and techniques! May the 4th be with you!!☺️

[starwarskid]

A Tragic Hero=Anakin Skywalker

What is A Tragic Hero?

A tragic hero is a character in a literary work, typically a play, who possesses admirable qualities but also has a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. They are often faced with a conflict or dilemma that they cannot overcome due to their own flaws or errors in judgment. Despite their good intentions, their actions ultimately result in their own destruction or downfall. Tragic heroes evoke both pity and fear in the audience, as they are relatable and their tragic fate serves as a cautionary tale.

Anakin Skywalker

Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars saga is often considered a tragic hero. He possesses several qualities that align with the archetype of a tragic hero. Firstly, Anakin is a character with great potential and admirable qualities. He is incredibly talented and skilled, displaying exceptional prowess as a Jedi Knight. He is brave, loyal, and has a strong desire to protect those he cares about. However, Anakin's fatal flaw is his deep-seated fear of loss and his attachment to his loved ones. This fear and attachment drive him to make impulsive and reckless decisions, leading him down a path of darkness. He is seduced by the promises of power and control offered by the dark side of the Force, ultimately becoming Darth Vader. Anakin's downfall is tragic because it results from his inner struggle and conflicting emotions. He is torn between his love for his family and his duty as a Jedi. The choices he makes, motivated by his fear and desire to prevent loss, ultimately lead to the destruction of his relationships, his identity, and his own physical and emotional well-being. Anakin's story evokes pity and fear in the audience as we witness his descent into darkness and the tragic consequences that follow. His journey serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked emotions and the consequences of succumbing to one's own flaws.

Anakin Skywalker=The Tragic Hero

[nerdyerror]

There are two types of tragic heros:

The ones that have to much faith in their own judgment.

And the ones that do not have enough.

[dhampiravidi]

achilles vs. anakin

so I've been thinking--these 2 are similar AF:

has 1 divine parent

is the Chosen One...?

very cute uwu

close to their mom

BFF is a little more than that

ultimately chooses love over honor/others' praise every time

soldier who started too young

killed at least 1 kid that we know of

they're younger & less disciplined than their love interest

badass w/a weapon

berzerker rage followed by intense ugly cry

people judge them on their actions & label them as crazy

I guess their main differences are that Achilles wasn't ever taught to let go of passion or rage, while Anakin was told those are feelings that lead to the Dark Side of the Force. Anakin had lived as a slave while Achilles had grown up as a prince(ss) who took classes.

[faint-taste-of-almonds]

yes there's a lot of things to criticize about Star Wars but one thing i will always love it for is being so unabashedly tragic

i'm sure it's been said before, but one of the main things i think powers the SW fandom (fics in particular) is the (in)evitability of it all

time travel fix-its are one of the most popular sub-categories of fics that i've seen (for the prequels at least) but i see it much more rarely in other fandoms. i know each fandom has their own niches that they dig into but star wars fic writers took one look at this decades long story of people who were doomed from the start and said 'not in my house bitch'

and i'm never tired of it, because there's so many places where just one different action could have changed the story entirely, but didn't

was it over the moment Palpatine succeeded in feeding Anakin's fears and his distrust toward the Jedi? the moment the Sith gained control of the senate? what about when the war started, when the Jedi were made generals of men designed to be their executioners? what about when Dooku left the order? when Qui-Gon Jinn died, leaving barely-knighted Obi Wan Kenobi to raise a child he had no idea how to care for? when the Jedi massacred the Mandalorians at Galidraan, leaving Jango Fett primed (hah) for revenge? when Palpatine, and thus the Sith, first gained influence? when the Jedi were tied to the Republic, all the way back at the Ruusan Reformation?

there are so many little moments that turn into this huge web of cause and effect when you take a step back. and in canon, these characters are dooming themselves while we watch, but what reason do they have to do anything different? they don't know they're in a tragedy - its dramatic irony at its goddamn finest

but there's this thing about decisions: for it to be a choice, there has to be another option. and our heroes make their mistakes because that's what they do, while we aren't privy to that other option, leaving that little what-if. it's a favorite human pastime, to think about what might have been.

we start at episode 4, though, fourty or so years after what you could arguably call the start, and find ourselves watching the dominoes fall in place throughout 1, 2, and 3.

and we can hate the choices, hate the tragedy, hate what happened to our beloved characters, but we knew. we had the luxury of knowing.

it's a love story, it's political intrique, it's sci-fi at its finest, and they were dead from the start.

[intermundia]

my favorite thing about anakin as a character is the inherent nuance lucas wrote into his story, like he's neither an innocent victim nor an inherently evil monster, he's just some guy put in a series of Situations and ultimately failing the test of his humility and self-control. he was certainly flattered and shaped by the devil, spiraling into something unrecognizable, but he chose to take every step down the pathway to hell. lucas knew he would lose a certain demographic by making him basically a greedy pawn in the larger story, not a righteous betrayed macho badass, but he did it anyway. he made him an awkward romantic and a loyal friend, a generous boy and a brilliant teen. he made sure he had all the positive qualities that meant that he had potential to be so much more than vader, but it was clearly his choice to lie, murder, and fully squander that potential. there are no excuses for what he became, no acceptable reasons to commit mass slaughter. he became an unbelievably selfish and impatient man, reckless and wantonly violent. hayden captured that nuance so well, nobody can match the sweetness of his smile and the absolute horror of his scowl on mustafar. to view him through a single lens as either pure victim of manipulation and (canonically unsupported) emotional neglect, or a creepy evil villain, denies the heart of his story and the weight of his tragedy. he's neither an angel nor a demon, he's both and neither, he's deeply human, a classical tragic hero with a flaw of greed. lucas made a choice with the prequels to tell a story that not everyone wanted to hear, and the result was a character that i think is one of the best of modern pop culture, mostly because he feels to me so very, very ancient and eternal.

[the-far-bright-center]

#'all i want is your love' his wife pleads with him#'love won't save you! only my new powers can do that!' he answers while drowning in the dark side#'love can ignite the stars' the story stubbornly insists and it doesn't give up until it saves him and the entire galaxy (via @caracynthia)

#FEAR DESTROYED HIM. LOVE SAVED HIM.#HIS FEAR OF LOSING THOSE HE LOVED OVERRODE HIS LOVE AND CAUSED HIS FALL#HIS LOVE FOR HIS SON OVERRODE HIS FEAR OF PALPATINE AND CAUSED HIS RISE!!!#ITS ABOUT LOVE!!! (starts crying) ITS ABOUT LOVE!!!!!! (via @inked-explores)

^YES! All of the above!

i actually have one more thing to say. love saved anakin. love literally saved anakin. the love anakin skywalker had for his wife and subsequently their children, the love luke had for his father, is what saved anakin. it’s what destroyed the dark side. star wars is very much a love story. thanks. 

[heartofmortis]

✧ exile (what a ghostly scene)

. *. ⋆ Anakin / Vader x Reader

summary: you were bail organa’s ward, raised on alderaan with your younger sister. in the twilight of the clone war, you and anakin fell in love. when the war died, it dragged you and anakin to early graves with it — leaving only darth vader behind. even after years without you, he still wants you back. and there is nothing he would not do to bring you back to him. . .

tags: angst, tragic romance, suitless vader, no y/n, gn reader, inspired by the 2020 vader comics & vader immortal, past major character death, mourning, vader needs a hug, resurrection

note: my first reader/second person fic — i’m sorry if the tense is bad ajsjwjwjqjq. i’ve had this in my drafts for soooo long and i finally decided to finish it 🫶

word count: 1k

part 1 of 4

The stars have died, fizzling out into oblivion. All that remains is a charcoal heart that once belonged to Anakin Skywalker.

The boy from Tatooine is unreachable now, trapped inside the twisted soul of Darth Vader. The galaxy’s beloved Hero With No Fear is gone. With the rise of the Empire, the Jedi and their sympathisers will be erased from memory. A clean slate to start a new era.

Three years after the creation of the Empire, Darth Vader stands alone. His tower on Mustafar is isolating; its strategic position is a constant reminder of that day. His injuries still hurt sometimes: phantom itches on his now metal legs; scars from his burns that did not fully heal. The medical droids say he is lucky — the fire could have done more serious damage, and he could have been forced to rely on a suit keeping him alive for the rest of his days. Instead, the ebony coloured mask and suit he wears are to conceal his identity. A precaution so that Anakin Skywalker can fade from people’s tongues and memory, leaving the tyranny of Darth Vader in its place.

The weight of his failures is not the heaviest burden. Darth Vader drowns in his anger and grief. He was not strong enough to kill Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was not strong enough to save you.

(All things die. Even stars burn out.)

You were the stars in his sky, his light in the dark, the silvery moon to his blazing sun. So tender and kind. Perhaps your heart was too good for this world. Perhaps, it was your weakness all along. (How could peace ever love a dragon?)

Since you met, you had been Anakin’s sun. You anchored him; guided him home. You were his destiny. And, without you, the galaxy had turned cold. The fiery world outside, all hot air and lava fields, only stood as a reminder of his failure. He’d lost you. After everything Anakin had tried — surrendering himself to the dark side, betraying the light — he could not save you. Time had not quelled the pain.

Vader wonders if you would still recognise him. His copper hair has grown longer (he remembers how you used to cut it for him after he returned from another mission, and you’d giggle as you braided thin locks together), but his face hides behind an obsidian mask. You always loved the blue of Anakin’s eyes, but now they are blazing amber.

Mornings are the only time Vader allows himself to dwell on the past. It is when he finds himself alone and does not have to hide.

Vader recalls how you arrived on Mustafar like it was yesterday. (You haunt him every waking moment.) He could sense your conflicted emotions as soon as you disembarked your ship. Vader wasted no time approaching you, drawing you into his arms (where you belonged; where you were safe). His lips reconnected with yours, fitting together like puzzle pieces as he kissed you hungrily, his hands settled on your hips to keep you close.

You and Anakin had met after turning nineteen. He and Obi-Wan were called to Alderaan to protect the Queen and Viceroy from an assassination attempt. Being their ward, you had been there the whole time and quickly formed a connection with the young padawan — your relationship had blossomed during the Clone Wars.

He rested his forehead against yours as you spoke. “I heard terrible things. Tell me none of it is true.”

Vader hadn’t replied immediately and instead drew his head back to look at you. He would tell you any sweet lie if he needed to as he fought to quell the anger flaring in his eyes. “What have you been told?”

“Obi-Wan told me—”

Vader’s grasp around you tightened protectively. “Obi-Wan is alive?”

“He said you’d killed Jedi. Killed younglings.”

“You must not believe him, my love. He’s a traitor.”

It wasn’t the answer you sought, and you took a step backwards out of your husband’s grasp. “What have you done?”

“I did this for you. To save you.” He cupped your chin in his flesh hand and whispered your name. “I love you.”

Your eyes trained into his. There was no denial, no remorse in his stature; his only regret was letting Obi-Wan tell you anything.

He repeated his words. “I did this for you.”

From the shadows of your cloak, you drew a blaster. Only a small, weak thing. Vader watched your hands tremble. He did admire your courage. “Fix this,” you demanded. “Please,” you begged.

Anger flickered in Vader’s eyes. He had never seen you unimpressed with him. With an easy glide of his hand, Vader used the Force to knock the blaster out of your grip and pin your arms by your sides

“I am stronger than the Chancellor now,” he explained desperately, drawing you to his side. “I can overthrow him. Then you and I can be together; we can run away — just like you always wanted to.”

(But you didn’t. He lost you. Some might call you a traitor — Vader maintains that you were misguided.)

Three years later, regret still festers inside Vader’s hollow soul. There must have been a way to save you.

He misses you endlessly: craving your touch and the sound of your voice. (There is nothing Vader desires more than to have you back in his arms.)

Part of him wants to forget. To cast his memories of you into an abyss; to put the past behind him. But it is an impossible task. You are too well tangled into his soul. You haunt him. (And you’ll haunt him until his death.)

Today, there is no time to focus on you. A new morning brings meetings and training. You were Anakin’s Achilles Heel — but Darth Vader shows no such weakness. As Vader sits on his throne, reading over mission logs and other updates from the spread of the Empire across the galaxy, he receives a message: he must make his return to Coruscant immediately. (Your memory pulls him under the ocean again until he can no longer breathe.)

[galactic-rhea]

what do you like about Anakin?

-gestures at the enterity of my blog- Welp, I dunno what gave you that impression, I think we can say I don't like him too much.

In all seriousnes, though, I do love him, greatly! I think he's an amazing character. I'm very biased in this aspect because as I have said before in this blog, was getting into SW what took me from a long and awful period of depression and art block and brought me some interest into actually creating things!

Partly my love for Anakin comes from yes, the fact that my expectatives were stupidly low for him (and SW in general). But not only he's one of the most impactful and well known villains in the history of cinema, but he's really compelling and complex, and as much at it really hurts, the tragedy is so very well crafted, the contradictions of his character can be painfully viceral because another thing I love about him is that he's an imperfect victim (and you can see this in fandom); he does show almost by the book every bad and maladaptative response to complex trauma, but the movies don't soften the blow at all.

Yeah feels like i'm channeling Padme with the "i actually like him with the red flags*

Anakin/Vader is the perrrrfect monster that the systematic failure and opression of failed organizations and institutions and apathy and cruelty create. He's the Star Child for 'Product of a failed system', he's twisted, violent, insecure, contradictory, an enforcer and yet all that he wanted was to free slaves and have a family, he loved so very deeply, he even loved Palpatine, and in the very end; he did manage to stop the horrors! Because the very same love! And that was so refreshing.

He's everything I could ask for lol

He's cool and pathetic and funny but also tragic and sad and relatable and a hero and an ultimate despicable monster! He's a cute kid that risks his life to help strangers and you can not not like, he's an awkward teenager with an impossible crush and daddy issues that murders in disociative rage for his mom, and he's a disturbed traumatized albeit charismatic general who's loved by everyone who's close to him who's overenjoyed about being a father, and he's also a sleep deprived, groomed, manipulated and deeply conflicted man that sold his soul to the devil and burned the world down only to retaliate against his wife and cause her death, and he's also a servant and an enforcer tortured and suffering with nothing to live for but his master and the Empire in a mockery of destine and the desilusion of peace after 3 years of war..and then he's a repentant ghost that learned to stand against his master for the love of his son, because even monsters have someone who loves them. He was born like a literal prophetized divine hero but spent most of his life as a slave. Truly what a character, love him!

He's such a contradictory character, he was so capable of absolute lows and evil but he did impossible feats for good as well; bc the guy that kills children is also the guy that was concerned about slavery and a great master and general and a lovestruck husband.

Really he needed therapy, I have always thought that Luke is pretty close to what Anakin could have been, had not the whole universe aligned to mess him up over and over and over.

And I find him so so very relatable and cathartic, personally, bc of a lot of (traumatic) things in my life despite being a very calm and not quick to anger person lol, but that's a story for another day!

[the-far-bright-center]

#people don’t love padme they just hate anakin#it’s never about her it’s just about him (via @darlin-djarin)

Exactly...and it's so infuriating. I've already written extensively about why Padme is not 'unhinged' for loving Anakin. But I've realised that it's futile because fandom can't see beyond their own oversimplified and reductive view of his character. They dismiss him as 'if evil, why hot' and therefore assume that Padme views him the same way. It fuels the misconception that Padme must therefore be a 'freak' who is turned on by 'bad boys'. Not only is this fanon idea of Anakin untrue (you literally cannot have a fall to the Dark Side storyline if the character in question was always evil to begin with), but it is also an inaccurate assessment of Padme's view of him. Padme has known Anakin since he was a little boy and percieves that inner light and goodness that still exists inside him and staunchly believes in it all the way up to her very last breath. Despite tumblr's sarcastic claims that Padme has 'great taste in clothes, bad taste in men', Padme isn't into 'evil' dudes and is certainly not attracted to Anakin because of his darker qualities. But neither is she unaware of his flaws or blind to his failings (if anything, Padme is probably far more aware of the reasons WHY he struggles than most of the other characters). It's just that, from the time Padme reunites with Anakin in AotC, throughout the Clone Wars, and up until RotS, she (correctly) sees that his good qualities balance out these flaws. Padme views Anakin as a troubled but heroic young man who is fighting for the sake of the Republic alongside her. She admires him. She's proud of him. Even when she sees him at his lowest in AotC, she does NOT think he's 'evil'.

And she's right. He's not.

He's a flawed hero—but a hero all the same—right up until his fall.

But fandom is stuck in the flippant 'if evil, why hot' mindset and refuses to understand this, despite the fact that the existence and persistence of Anakin's goodness (his 'True Self') even in the midst of seemingly unconquerable darkness is the most essential part of the entire saga.

Star Wars (aka the Lucas saga) is a Romantic story with a capital 'R'. It's both high tragedy and uplifting mythic space-fairytale all in one. And as such, it's not meant to conform to contemporary fandom views of what is 'unproblematic' or not. Padme is the Voice of Truth in this story, and her views of Anakin ARE, believe it or not, true. She's not wrong about him! Anakin is wrong about *HIMSELF*. Padme's dying words are proven RIGHT by Luke. And Anakin's dying words are a direct response. 'Tell your sister...you were right' might as well be Anakin speaking to Padme across the stars, telling her she was always right about him ('you're a good person') and that HE was wrong. 'Love won't save you'.... oh yes it will.

Almost every "padme deserved better" fan just dunks on padme herself and it's so weird like how are you claiming to love padme but you don't even understand who padme is at her core or why she loved anakin like bro did we even watch the same movies?

Yall hate padme and love the headcanons or fanons you've made of her cus you hate anakin and it shows.

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

I’m gonna be honest. The more I think about it, the more I’m believing that the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy could’ve been better than the Original Trilogy if the script was tighter (a lot tighter). But George needed to let other people handle the script and he needed way more help with bringing his vision to life.

I mean, just think about it. The OG trilogy was a fairly straightforward, good vs evil storyline. Jedi and Rebels good, Emperor and Sith bad. Amazing storyline, but fairly simple. In comparison, the Prequel trilogy is far more complex in terms of what it was trying to achieve. If you look past the shitty dialogue and questionable storyline choices, the story that George came up with deals with:

1) Duty vs. Desire (Anakin trying to remain a Jedi but wanting to pursue Padme)

2) Questioning the Jedi Code instead of just blindly accepting it as gospel. Because despite how much Anakin was struggling with his complicated emotions, the Order doesn’t notice. In fact, the Order encouraged him to bury his emotions, which we see led to disaster since that led him right to the Dark Side.

3) An actual attempt at more complex politics rather than just evil empire versus good resistance. For example, it’s a meme that Anakin made an argument in favor of fascism, but in the hands of a better writer, that could’ve been a really good moment. We get an idea of why the Empire would have its supporters, despite being the obvious bad guys. It humanizes the Empire in a way that it doesn’t make you sympathize with them, but makes you understand how someone could end up on that path. That’s more true to life than just evil people being evil. (Andor is probably the one Star Wars media that understood this, which is partly why it’s one of the best Star Wars content out there)

4) The hero is genuinely a tragic character. He’s a child prodigy who was freed from slavery with the promise of a better life. But as he grows up, he becomes frustrated with how his life is turning out. He’s powerful, but not powerful enough to save his mom. He falls in love, but can’t be with Padme since it’s against the Jedi Code. Obi-Wan looks over him, but Anakin doesn’t feel he’s respected. The Order assigns him dangerous mission after dangerous mission, but he doesn’t get the rank of master. Anakin’s arc is about a man who feels like he’s not in control of his life (which is doubly sad when you remember he grew up in slavery) and, in his lowest moment, turns to a man who claims to be able to give Anakin everything he’s ever wanted. And that becomes his downfall since he ends up losing way more than he gained.

I’m sorry, but, that storyline is way more interesting than Luke and Leia’s story. No offense to Luke and Leia, but their dad’s story sounds like a Shakespearean tragedy. What messed it up was that George Lucas needed someone else to write the script.

[comicaurora]

top three changes to the star wars franchise?

Like, top three things I would change if I was in charge of the franchise top to bottom?

This is Big Cheating calling it "one change", but scrap the prequels. The original trilogy already implied an incredibly simple by-the-numbers dark fantasy origin story for Obi-Wan and Anakin and if we strip away the space veneer we can easily see that Anakin's original backstory was implied to be "prodigy warrior-wizard is tempted by dark magic (and an established evil sorcerer-emperor who has clearly been in power for more than a scant 18 years by the time of the original trilogy) which slowly corrupts and twists him into a monster who eventually has a fight with obi-wan that he loses, also he has a relationship with a woman who survives to raise Leia for at least a few years". Those are the only points you need to hit, and you could tell a very compelling simple-meal-well-made sword and sorcery adventure with a guaranteed tragic ending. The original prequels fail at holding to the ONLY points of canon they needed to hit - the innately corruptive power of the dark side SLOWLY leading to Anakin's downfall, the empire being an existing threat for a long time and the jedi correspondingly being an ANCIENT religion rather than being less ancient than 9/11, and Padme being alive enough for Leia to remember her a little bit. Close your eyes, clear your mind, let the tropes flow through you - a By-The-Numbers Story will come to you and you will see the completely inoffensive prequel tragedy we could've had. Also, never show Yoda, preserve the fun twist in the original movies.

Easy change for this one. Finn's a force-user with a plot about inspiring a stormtrooper rebellion, another plot that literally writes itself, also let the sequel trio actually all hang out for more than five fuckin minutes because the only thing that ever made Star Wars work was the raw charisma of the actors having a good time and the chemistry was really solid for the only time in the final movie they were allowed to share screentime.

And while we're gutting the sequels, how about letting the hero's victories actually fucking matter. Luke gets to actually reinvigorate the jedi way and doesn't have all his victories ripped away in the name of sequel bait, and can serve as an extremely powerful but very busy Jedi Ex Machina who turns up in the darkest hour to save the day, Mandalorian-s1-finale style. The Empire doesn't just get magically replaced with Empire 2, Now With Less Charisma, let the threat be something actually new or a natural consequence of a newly liberated galaxy in sudden turmoil - feudal tyrants ruling over planetary fiefdoms squabbling to fill the Emperor's power-vacuum, more sith lords coming out of the woodwork now that their greatest rival is gone. Leia and the other rebel leaders struggling to reinstate some semblance of democracy in a scarred and shattered galaxy too accustomed to the crushing totalitarianism of the empire. How goddamn unoriginal to start a sequel by undoing every happy ending from the original series for retreaded drama, as if the universe could only ever hold three problems in it.

[blackkatmagic]

When Legacy comics were coming out, there was some controversy when Krayt's identity was revealed. A lot of people said that A'Sharad made a bad sith lord (he was too good jedi etc.) and that Claws of the Dragon arc didin't explain well enough how he fell.

I think that if Amongst dust had been out then, people might have had a different opinion. At least for me, when reading Amongst dust, it is easy to see that this A'Sharad is the same man, as the man who is in top of the sith food chain in Legacy. Like, it has been amazing to read how A'Sharad slowly slips down the hole. And I'm not saying he is falling to the dark side now, but the fic is highlighting all his qualities that make him fall in canon, like pain and guilt and obsession with his failure (staying silent about Anakin). And the contrast between the first chapters and the latest chapters is huge. But when the chapters are read in order, the change in A'Sharad happens very subtly. It's rather delicious (and well written!).

To be completely honest, I'm not a huge fan of A'Sharad falling to the Dark Side, either. I think it's not great to have a man from a culture that's based partly on the Arab Bedouin tribes, and who's noticably darker-skinned than some of the heroes, be the leader of an organization that's largely rooted in sabotage and terrorism, so I'm kind of iffy about the whole premise.

That said, given the way A'Sharad is written, I definitely see the roots of where Darth Krayt comes from. amongst dust is basically me trying to figure out how he gets from A to B, just on an accelerated timeline. I'm really glad it makes sense! He's very much falling over the course of the story, and all the cracks that his decisions/circumstances created in his soul are getting bigger.

I just...I think that with the way the Dark Side is presented, it's always possible for any Jedi, no matter how good, to fall. That's kind of the point, imo. For A'Sharad, all his very normal human flaws were massively exacerbated by the fall of the Order leaving him without any sort of support system, and it's the most tragic thing about him. One of the big points of amongst dust is that A'Sharad doesn't manage to save himself. It's all the people around him who pull him out of his spiral, who give him a reason to go on. He makes the decision to save himself, but all of his friends and family give him a reason and the strength to do it.

Sorry, that was a lot. I just have a lot of feelings about the Jedi in general and A'Sharad in particular, as you can probably tell. xD

[the-far-bright-center]

Anakin is definitely George Lucas’ blorbo, lol. It’s not even gatekeeping to say that if people don’t want to accept that Anakin is the central figure of the saga, then Star Wars is probably not for them. It’s just the facts.

That being said, Anakin is not even a ‘bad person’. Not inherently. He’s a tragic hero, with tragic flaws, yes. But he’s ultimately good. The whole point of the story is that he’s a good person who turns his back on himself and suffers immensely for it. This what Lucas means when he describes Anakin/Vader as ‘pathetic’—that he’s a figure of pathos, in the same vein as a hero from a Greek tragedy. He lost everything, including himself, and we the audience are supposed to experience the horror and anguish of that alongside him, and feel pity for his fate. The resolution of the story is all about him returning to his True Self….aka re-embracing his own inner goodness and light. Sacrificing his life for his loved one. Lucas even says that Anakin/Vader is the hero in the end.

it's so funny that actual people hate anakin because he's a bad person. like. yeah. but george lucas made a whole bunch of movies about how there's nuance to it. you're kind of supposed to feel bad for him. that's, like, the point of star wars. he's george lucas' poor little meow meow

[muxshwriting]

talk

Anakin Skywalker x reader (Orpheus and Eurydice retelling)

summary: the greatest love story ever told, that's simultaneously the most tragic || summary: angst, main character death, a lot of death || word count: 1773 || masterlist

There have been many great love stories throughout the centuries, but none were more famous than the tragic tale of Anakin Skywalker and his wife, Y/N. And it begins with her death.

The urge began with a voice pounding at the back of his mind from the moment he had found your body. With every second it grew louder and louder until it was sounding off like a cannon in his brain.

"I'm going to the underworld."

It was a short and direct statement.

Obi-Wan's face paled. "You can't be serious Anakin! That's reckless and dangerous. You're writing your own death warrant."

"I'm rewriting hers." He argued.

"This is insanity!" Obi-Wan cried.

Anakin turned away. "Don't try and stop me. I'm going either way."

His mind was set, there was no change Obi-Wan would be able to find. He walked for days and nights, battling against those who tried to stop him on his journey. Nothing would stop him from getting to you.

The darkness didn’t bother Anakin as he walked, his eyes were set on a goal far ahead. All he could think was that you were alone and probably scared. He needed to get to you. No one had made this journey before, it had been fabled but never done. His journey seemed never ending but Anakin persevered, kept his head down, his plan secret.

On the nights when all hope seemed lost, when the thoughts echoed through his head and told him he couldn’t save you, he push on. It was your voice that rang through his head the mornings after those thoughts. It was a simple whisper, a murmur that you were walking with him and waiting for him on the other side, that you loved him and always would.

After a forever of walking, Anakin was standing outside the gates to the underworld. His journey here had been challenging but to travel through the underworld would be nigh on impossible.

His eyes were trained to the ground as he ignored the screams of damned souls and the cries of condemned asking for salvation. Every step meant he was closer to you, every step was a step closer to your freedom. His hood stayed drawn over his head and his robe was wrapped tightly around him. His lightsaber would be useless here and so he didn’t even bother having it easy to hand. Drawing a weapon in Hades’ domain wouldn’t be wise, anyone could tell you that.

The halls of the Underworld were enormous, rising above his head to the heavens with pits of fire. Hades sat upon his throne, watching the young Jedi enter his halls and slowly approach.

"Anakin Skywalker." He sneered slightly.

Anakin found the courage to meet the King’s eyes. He noticed the slight redness to them no one had discussed before. Beside him sat his wife, Persephone, on a throne of her own, looking like she owned the Underworld. Or course, she did but no one would say that in front of Hades. Even if they did, he would probably agree before ending their life.

"What brings the Chosen One to my domain?" Hades asked but Anakin knew better than to answer. "The Hero with No Fear has come to beg me for a soul, no?"

Persephone reached over and placed a gentle hand on her husband’s arm. He met her eyes and instantly softened.

"My wife has taken a liking to you boy. Perhaps you will entertain me for a while."

Anakin swallowed his fear and stood a little straighter, "I come here seeking my love, she was taken too soon, as many are. But she deserved a better life than what she was given. And I didn’t care if they called me crazy, if there was a chance I could get her that life, I was going to try." He took the chance to read their expressions for a moment. Persephone looked proud while Hades seemed perplexed. He continued, "When she’s with me, my world is complete, because it is her. I dread to think the kind of person I would be if she was not beside me and I fear for my future without her alive. My heart will darken and grow evil without her light to ward to away the shadows."

"Go on…"

"I walked here, my head to the ground, my name unspoken. I walked through the Underworld for the chance to see my wife and hold her in my arms once more. Perhaps she has passed on, choosing a greater life than what I could provide. But even if I came her in vain and I never leave again, I know I tried. I did not sit idly and ponder what might have been, I tried even if I fail. I have nothing to lose because she was everything and I lost her."

Hades was silent as two guards entered the hall and began to drag Anakin away. He let himself be taken, refusing to look away from the rulers face. He watched as Hades put his head in his hand. Persephone comforted him, reaching a hand for his face and her other for his. Then the doors slammed shut and Anakin was left with his thoughts once more.

He lost count of the number of steps he was dragged down, the people he passed. But then there was a cage surrounded by a dozen others all empty except one. A cage with you inside.

His strength returned and he had freed himself in an instant running to you with a shout of your name. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

You couldn’t believe your eyes. Anakin, your Anakin was standing in front of you in the Underworld. He had journeyed to the Underworld for you.

"Yes! I’m alright, what are you doing here?"

"Bringing you home."

"Anakin-"

The cage between you two barely mattered as you pressed your lips to his between the bars. You hand intertwined with one another, holding on as tightly as you could. You had lost each other once, you would not lose each other again so easily.

"I love you." You confess. You’d said it to him many time before but never with such reverence as you did now. "I love you Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin’s eyes shined with tears, "It’s a long journey back, dangerous and cold."

"I’ll walk with you every step of the way." You promised. "You’ll never be alone."

Behind Anakin, Hades had arrived, his Queen only a few steps behind. Tentatively he turned to them, his hands still gripping yours. "Can we leave?"

In truth, Hades had no answer. He had come down the deepest dungeons to talk with you and Anakin and he had done so without an answer.

If he said no, he was just as heartless as the tales say he is. He would have no compassion for a man and his wife and the love they shared. He would be a hypocrite and his own wife would never quite forgive him. If he said yes, he would be doing something never done before. He had no moral code, no rules for the Underworld. He would be governing a lawless realm where people could come and go as they pleased.

He was damned either way.

The reality was this: Hades would let them go under the conditions he would set. Yes, he would be a forgiving and understanding King who knew the perfect punishment for any who demanded anything of him. Anakin Skywalker, the leader would walk ahead of his wife all the way out of the Underworld. And if he looked back to check she was following, she would be dragged back down into the depths.

She is out of sight, he is out of his mind. Anakin would foolishly agree, doing anything to have her back, not realising what he’s truly agreed to.

Since agreeing to Hades’ terms, you and Anakin hadn’t looked away from each other.

"Are you ready?" He asked you.

Silently, you nod. Anakin takes a steadying breath, his hands brushed against yours as you held one to your chest, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. He squeezed his eyes shut and span on his heels, beginning the long walk without you by his side.

The world went silent as your hand slipped from his and he felt utterly alone. He took the first step, trusting you would be right behind him.

As he walked, his footsteps echoed through the Underworld. But what tore his heart into pieces was the lack of your footsteps echoing behind him. He resisted the urge every single day to glance back at you. He prayed this was a part of Hades’ sick terms, that he would be unable to tell if you were behind him until you were out. A few days into the journey, he had started talking to you. It began as a quiet beg that you were still there, a promise he believed, a proclamation of his love. It had escalated when he received no response.

Behind him, you were never more than three steps behind. You heard every word that he said, unable to respond, unable to reach out. More often than not, you would be walking with tears streaming down your face, praying that Anakin would stay strong enough to get you both out.

You both ignored the pain in your feet and in your hearts as the end of the Underworld grew closer. When one morning, you felt the sun on your face for the first time in weeks as the exit was just ahead of you. Anakin’s pace remained steady but his steps seemed more sure, a quiet optimism. You let yourself smile, you were getting out.

The shuddering breath Anakin made as he stepped over the threshold made you almost weep with delight. But then he turns and your heart sinks to the pit of your stomach. You glance to the floor and your worst fears are confirmed.

"Y/N." He breathes your name in a way that makes his love clear as day.

"Anakin…" Your face has fallen as you look at him with nothing but despair.

You see him glance down at where you’re standing, just inside the threshold of the Underworld. He had turns too early. You hadn’t had time to get out. He hadn’t thought… he just needed to see you after so long.

Through your tears, you muster up a smile for him, "I love you."

You feel your soul being wrenched backwards as you tumble backwards, down, down, down back to your cage in Hades’ town. It was all for nothing.