Nearly two decades afterStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, I finally understand whyDarth Vadertruly believed he killed Anakin Skywalker—and it’s so much more brutal than I thought. The fall of Anakin Skywalker is one of the most crucial moments intheStar Warstimeline. Not only did Anakin’s turn to the dark side mean the creation of one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sith Lords, but also, his fall coincided with Order 66 and the rise of the Empire, both things that arguably may not have happened without him.
In addition to the weight of these events, though, what has always compelled me about Anakin’s fall to the dark side was the fact thatDarth Vader insisted that he killed Anakin Skywalker. In part, this was a Sith tradition, as evenPalpatine’s backstoryincluded the notion that his former self, Sheev Palpatine, had died. However, unlike many other Sith, Vader seemed nearly obsessive about insisting that Anakin Skywalker was gone, and he had been the one to kill him. Sadly, the reason for this distinction is even more tragic than it originally seemed.
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Darth Vader Believed Anakin Died With Padmé… & He Killed Her
Notably, when Padmé runs to Anakin on Mustafar, she continues to call him Anakin, although he had already been christened by Darth Vader. Of course, Padmé would not have known about this change, but, given the vehemence with which Vader rejected the name followingRevenge of the Sith, it’s odd that he didn’t correct her or tell her not to use that name anymore. Even stranger,Obi-Wan also continued to call him ‘Anakin’ on Mustafar, and Vader didn’t reject the name or insist that he had killed Anakin.
Clearly, a massive shift happens between the events on Mustafar inRevenge of the Sithand the Dark Times. In fact, in bothStar Wars RebelsandObi-Wan Kenobi, Vader insists that Anakin is dead to Asoka Tano and Obi-Wan, respectively. However, Vader’s newfound insistence that he had killed Anakin Skywalker makes sense in light of one key event at the end ofRevenge of the Sith: the death of Padmé Amidala.
When Vader comes to after the construction of his iconic suit is complete inRevenge of the Sith, his first question is whether Padmé is safe. Palpatine then (falsely) tells Vader that in his anger, he had killed her.The way Padmé diedremains a bit ambiguous in the franchise; although the medical droid said she simply lost the will to live, someStar Warstheories suggest otherwise. Nevertheless, it isn’t exactly true that Anakin/Vader killed her.
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Although Vader initially reacted with disbelief that Padmé could truly have died, in the end, he accepted this truth and the notion that he had been the one to end her life, and, quite literally, it killed him. Anakin had said it himself inRevenge of the Sith; he couldn’t live without her.In Vader’s own mind, Anakin Skywalker died with Padmé. As the person who had killed Padmé (at least based on what Palpatine told him and what Vader himself believed), he had therefore been the one to kill Anakin.
Anakin had said it himself inRevenge of the Sith; he couldn’t live without her.
It is for this reason that Vader could not hear the name Anakin moving forward, which also explains why his rejection of the name only came after Padmé’s death. In fact,the rage with which Vader responded to the name even a decade later suggests how painful the memory of what he had done still was. Moreover, this name and identity being so tied to Padmé’s loss and Vader’s role in it has fascinating implications for Anakin Skywalker’s redemption inReturn of the Jedi.
What Does This Interpretation Mean For Return Of The Jedi?
At the end ofReturn of the Jedi, Vader told Luke to remove his helmet so that he could look upon his son with his own eyes. However, as Vader’s helmet was life-sustaining, he knew that this act would kill him. Yes, Vader said that he was going to die anyway, butthe real reason Darth Vader diedmay have been a bit more complicated. Specifically,Anakin Skywalker may have been unable to return and continue living while knowing what he had done toPadmé.
Even having saved his son and returned to the light side of the Force, it would have been untenable for Anakin to continue on knowing that he had played a role in Padmé’s death. Thus, in Vader’s mind, Anakin truly did die with Padmé, and even returning to the light side could not fully bring him back to life. While this is a tragic revelation, it proves thatAnakin Skywalker/Darth Vaderwas telling the truth inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith; Anakin couldn’t live without Padmé.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Cast
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker’s transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin’s internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
