#this Expanded Universe novel was so good and basically the antithesis of TFA

[the-far-bright-center]

Anakin's goodness and positive influence outlasts him and reverberates around the galaxy. I wish more people would realise that, despite everything, he DOES leave a positive legacy behind.

“You have brought hope to those who have none”

Shmi told that Anakin, after he won the podrace. She meant their new friends who could buy now the needed parts for ship and finally go back to home / Republic. But Padme and Jinn - and by extension people of Naboo -  weren’t the only one “freed” by Anakin’s victory.

Remember Anakin’s two friends, who were part of his “pit crew”?

In additional sources, like Tatooine Ghost, we learn that winning Boonta Eva Classic brought hope to his childhood friends as well.

Kitster (the human boy) was the best friend of Anakin. They grew up together in slavery under Gardulla’s regime and kept in touch even after Anakin & Shmi were brought by Watto. Before young Skywalker left Tatooine, he gave Kitster some of his prize credits. Kitster bought Par Ontham’s Guide to Etiquette, a book that helped him to get good job and earned enough to buy his own freedom by the time he had grown up. The book was one of the most precious things of Kitster, who strongly believed it was thanks to Anakin (who won the race and shared money with him) that he finally was a free man.

After Anakin’s departure, Wald (the rodian boy) remainded close friend with both Kitster and Shmi. At some point Shmi found in Anakin’s room his old design of swoop bike and gave it to Kitster and Wald. Using it, boys together  built machine “nearly as fast as a Podracer”. Thanks to such swoop bike, Wald won important race and with that, his own freedom.

Anakin brought hope to those who had none - it’s his victory that inspirated other slave children to dream of freedom. It’s Anakin (and Shmi’s) kindness - the act of sharing, giving something valuable (like money or design/ a reminder of son) with those in need put both boys into the path for their own freedom. It’s shame that Anakin never had a chance to learn that his closest friends freed themselves from slavery, never had a chance to meet them at least one more time before war spread for good through the galaxy.