#my my this here Anakin guy

[the-far-bright-center]

In discussions of TCW-Anakin vs. film-Anakin, I understand why some people see them as being incompatible or entirely different portrayals. But whatever problems I personally have with TCW are more to do with certain OOC dialogue lines that I don't agree with, or the overly-contrived situations that TCW tends to force him into just so an episode or scene can function as a 'meta-commentary' on his character or storyline. Believe me, I have issues with specific aspects of TCW's writing for Anakin, but the fact he's more outwardly 'suave' or 'dashing' than some people expected is not one of them. If anything, I see the 'Skyguy' persona as perfectly in keeping with Anakin as portrayed at the beginning of RotS, and I would argue that a great deal of the TCW characterisation is pulled directly from those Battle of Coruscant scenes. TCW Anakin is also heavily inspired by Jake Lloyd's Little Ani in TPM, which, lest anyone forget, counts as FILM-Anakin. Seriously, do people not recall how much swagger and self-confidence little Ani has at the beginning of TPM? (🎵Do you see him hitting on the queen, though he’s just nine and she’s fourteen.’ 🎶 😅) He's a hotshot little ace podracing pilot and he knows it! And in AotC, the only reasons Anakin comes across as more 'awkward' at the beginning is that he's nervous about seeing Padme again after so long. Once he knows for sure she reciprocates his feelings at the battle of Geonosis, the suave, confident Anakin is back! And thus by the time of the Clone Wars, it makes sense that after being a general in the war in charge of many men, he'd have to have a certain level of outward charisma no matter how much inner doubt or turmoil he might be feeling. So, in my opinion, the actual baseline 'persona' for both versions of the character isn't as different as some seem to think. I'm tired of the idea that film-Anakin ISN’T supposed to be seen as ‘cool’ in-universe, just as much as I’m tired of the idea that TCW-Anakin ISN’T supposed to be viewed as a figure of pathos by the audience, either.

Imo, they’re both takes on the same character coming from different angles, set at different stages in his life, and portrayed through different mediums — an animated series heavy on self-aware, darkly ironic humour in a more contemporary style intended to entertain and increase enjoyment of the Prequels-era and its characters. vs. a more serious Greek tragedy with Shakespearean overtones made with old-Hollywood-style sensibilities as part of a mythic six-film saga.

While there are plenty of things that TCW gets wrong about Anakin (see my 'TCW discourse' tag for more on that), dismissing him because he is ‘too macho’ seems to miss the mark a bit. Just because TCW Ani doesn’t shed literal tears on-screen doesn’t mean he’s not emotional or emotionally vulnerable. As far as I remember, there's even a scene where Obi-Wan and Anakin discuss the fact that Anakin has trouble keeping his emotions hidden, especially when it comes to his feelings for his loved ones, which is the opposite of the stereotypical stoic, self-reliant 'macho' ideal. And the amount of times we're constantly bashed over the head with dramatic irony about his fate as Vader in that series surely drives home the point that his trajectory is a decidedly tragic one. (The way he cries out in agony in the Mortis arc, 'I will do such terrible things!' gets to me, every time.) Despite his powers and prowess, TCW Anakin is even shown as being physically vulnerable at times, as well — see the Jedi Crash storyline which he spends mostly knocked-out unconscious, the nod to his mechanical arm as a liability in the Zillo Beast and Citadel arcs, and the scene of him futilely struggling like a wild beast before being captured with ropes in the Zyggerian arc, or the fact he gets captured and tortured by Dooku in 'Shadow Warrior'. I see endless jokes about TCW Ani getting electrocuted every other episode, but then fandom uses this to fuel the dismissive view of him as just some dumb himbo instead of understanding that this, too, is supposed to add to the character's pathos.

Likewise, fandom claims that Prequels-Anakin is 'uncool' and 'cries all the time', which is simply not true. As noted above, film-Anakin banters, jokes, laughs, makes daring jumps out of speeders, does bold piloting moves, is in fact an imposing duellist, and so on. Sure, his character is not supposed to be seen as aspirational (obviously!) and the most memorable and dramatic moments of the latter two Prequels films feature him in the midst of extremely intense emotions. But the oft-repeated view of him as 'uncool' completely ignores the fact that by the time that RotS starts, film-Anakin is supposed to be a well-known and widely-admired charismatic general, aka the Hero With No Fear, who is viewed as almost singlehandedly saving the Republic. The audience may be privy to Anakin's inner struggles with his fear of loss, but in-story he is supposed to be seen as THE golden boy of the Jedi Order and the Republic. The RotS novelization frequently mentions that Anakin has 'dash', 'boldness', and a 'presence' 'like the Holo-Net hero that he is'. It literally says he's the best at what he does and he KNOWS it. He's not just supposed to be an awkward idiot in the way some people seem to perceive him solely based on certain scenes in AotC. Rather, he's supposed to be shown as falling from a 'great height'. By the time of RotS, film Anakin has just as much swagger and self-confidence in his role as General Skywalker as he does in TCW. Just because that side of him is not the main focus of the film doesn't mean it's not supposed to be there.

[whim-prone]

one of my special talents is knowing ONLY the weird al star wars lyrics to american pie and singing them over the actual song when it comes on the radio

[mudpuddless]

AU where Obi-wan is Can Drallig's illegitimate son except of course everyone knows and no one cares except for qui-gon of course.

based on this post by @twinterrors29

[aviyx]

[waketoearth]

orange blood .. the qr code works!

[gladiatorcunt]

han solo wants what atton rand has

[astroslayyy]

he just got too silly :(

[roostertuftart]

This is so NICHE

[mandomaya]

Episode 5 is literally all I've ever asked for in life.

[bitegore]

i really have to look moer into fanfictions these days. i know in ye ancient days of 2016 it did not feel like anyone was writing the onesided obikin obiwan->anakin nonsense that I wanted to read, but now everyone's talking about found divorce and shit so maybe there are finer things in the fandom now.

[animazi]

I’ve been rewatching rebels recently, and do forgive me for being a bit critical, I am very aware that a lot of this comes from my own comparative lack of interest in the uh. Rebels. As opposed to the tcw ladderinos who are there

but the way the show pivots from haha funny silly adventures to malachor is honestly ridiculously quick and for me at least felt really out of left field. + I honestly don’t like ahsokas arc that much? In theory I’m down for it, but in practise I was left wondering where the meat of it was. Seeing ahsoka (and rex) begin to put together that vader is anakin before the big reveal would have been really interesting, and would have made her arc and her general presence + the impact and suspense for malachor so much better. I know why they didn’t do this - ahsoka isn’t the main character - but I think in that case don’t introduce vader as your looming big bad for the early seasons; maybe at most have him make some camos and a few fight scenes, but he is kinda irrelevant to the Rebels? He’s not their former master turned Sith Lord, kanan pretty clearly doesn’t feel more anger towards him than he did to the clones, aside from as a representative of the empire, vader doesn’t have the same meaning to them, and it just doesn’t quite click.

(edit: I do know that what maul says in tcw siege of mandalore + general force bs is enough for ahsoka to put two and two together and get vader , but I still think there is a lot of emotional stuff there (esp with rex involved!) that really feels like it should have been explored better. (+ I am a believer that unless something is specifically set up as a sequel you should be able to watch/read it without having seen the connected works) - I don’t think it’s inconceivable that ahsoka figures anakin is vader without a lot of effort, but showing her putting the pieces together and either rejecting or becoming more sure of her conclusion would have made malachor not only hit harder, and her arc feel less like a hanger on from tcw)

anyway. Please don’t shoot me I still think rebels is mostly really good (I don’t like the world between worlds stuff, but that’s personal, and I didn’t like mortis either) and this lil rant thing was mostly prompted by me getting really bored in ep20 and then checking how many were left and being genuinely shocked ghat it was twilight of the apprentice already. This is all obviously just my own thoughts.

[themyscirah]

People need to stop putting Batman in everything this is painful

[7-ratsinatrenchcoat]

i know this doesn't have anything to do with any content on my blog but I think Anakin really just goes through it in clone wars s4. like we have the slaver arc, Obi Wan dies, there's UMBARA (which doesn't have anything to do with Anakin but FUCK PONG KRELL ALL MY HOMIES HATE PONG KRELL)

anyway. season 4 is the best angst season other than s6 because Ahsoka leaving the order was the only clone wars episode that made me ugly cry

started out as boo hoo anakin and ended with fuck pong krell.

[yardikins]

Personally I think Anakin’s Force ghost should just follow Baylan around on Peridea and annoy him until he agrees to join up with Ahsoka - Anakin is entirely able to and it would be funny

[symphonic-snapdragon]

[trannydean-moved]

hate hate hate how my dad doesn't like that the sw prequels gave anakin a backstory. like ah yes it's bad to show that he was an actual person with reasons and feelings and relationships and shit!! everything is black or white and there is no in between right?? no not right fuck you