Star Wars tells the story of Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side, and his eventual redemption. As the Jedi Anakin Skywalker, he did great acts of heroism, and as the notorious Sith Lord Darth Vader, his acts of villainy were legendary. He is particularly remembered for his worst deeds, such as Order 66, killing Obi-Wan Kenobi, and allowing Darth Sidious to kill Mace Windu.
While Anakin has committed many acts of wanton cruelty, he eventually proves himself to be a hero with his ultimate sacrifice. Along the way, some of his finest and most compassionate acts serve to remind viewers that he is ultimately not a villain.
9 Training One Of The Most Benevolent Characters In Star Wars
In her appearances in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano has proven herself to be consistently kind-hearted and courageous. Despite her time away from the Order, and at times considering herself to be not a Jedi, she is considered by fans to not just everything Jedi are, but everything they should be.
Throughout, Ahsoka is always mindful of the fact that it was Anakin who trained her. She never fails to acknowledge the influence he had on every part of her, from her outlook to her skills. Having had so much influence on one of the kindest characters in the franchise is a sure sign that Anakin was never all bad.
8 Speaking To Rey From Beyond The Grave
Some heroism continues past a person’s death. At the climax of The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine appears to be victorious, brutalizing the Resistance fleet above Exegol, and with neither Rey nor Ben Solo in a position to stop him. In the darkest hour, Rey finally manages to tune out her surroundings and commune with the spirits of fallen Jedi.
Amongst the others who speak to her— Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Yoda, Luke, and others— Anakin’s voice can be heard prominently. It is his voice that serves to begin Rey’s recovery, imploring her to return balance to the Force and to stand up and fight. Speaking with the other Jedi, including those who were his enemies in life, shows clearly that Anakin was redeemed.
7 Dueling Barriss Offee To Try And Save Ahsoka
When Ahsoka is put on trial by the Senate for a suspected terrorist act, Anakin is one of the only Jedi standing by her side, even after she is cast out of the order. While her trial is ongoing, Anakin, sure of her innocence, begins his own investigation into the true culprit— which leads to him attacking Barriss Offee, a fellow Jedi and Padawan of Anakin’s ally Luminara Unduli.
Had Anakin been wrong, attacking another Jedi in the Temple could have seen him severely punished for his actions, even outside of other negative consequences. Nonetheless, he is willing to take that risk on blind faith.
6 Refusing To Leave Obi-Wan To Die
During the fateful duel with Count Dooku aboard The Invisible Hand, Obi-Wan Kenobi is knocked unconscious, leaving Anakin to finish the fight alone. After Anakin slays Dooku and frees Palpatine, the two are faced with the prospect of escaping the damaged ship.
With Obi-Wan unconscious, Palpatine instructs Anakin to leave him behind, claiming that he would slow them down. Despite Palpatine’s clear sway over Anakin, he still nonetheless refuses to even entertain the idea, taking Obi-Wan’s unconscious form with them, explicitly even if it leads to their deaths.
5 Denying An Alliance With The Son
In the Mortis Arc of The Clone Wars, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka end up on the planet of Mortis, a mysterious world strong in the Force and inhabited by avatars of the Dark Side, the Light Side, and Balance. The Son, the embodiment of the Dark Side, courts Anakin, as the Chosen One, to help him with his goals.
However, Anakin resists the Son’s temptations throughout, to the extent that the Son needs to break him psychologically by showing him his future evil to make any headway. Resisting the Dark Side in its most literal form demonstrates Anakin’s ultimate lack of villainy.
4 Rushing To Obi-Wan’s Rescue
In Attack of the Clones, Anakin learns that Obi-Wan is in danger on the planet Geonosis, while he himself is on the planet Tatooine, and assigned to protect Padme against potential assassins. When Anakin discovers this, Mace Windu explicitly orders him to remain where he is.
Anakin is torn between his loyalties, claiming that Obi-Wan is “like a father” to him. Ultimately, he is unable to let his friend and Master suffer, and he and Padmé travel to Geonosis in an attempt to save Obi-Wan.
3 Refusing To Harm Ahsoka When She Attacked Him
Another manipulation from the Son in the Mortis arc sees Ahsoka infected by the Dark Side. In her possessed state, she attacks Anakin and Obi-Wan viciously, without concern for her or their lives. Anakin fights exclusively defensively against her, refusing to harm her no matter how dangerous she becomes.
This is especially notable due to Anakin’s fighting style. Unlike Obi-Wan, who could defend himself all day, Anakin practices Shien, a style built around counter-attacks and power strikes. Every one of Anakin’s instincts would be screaming at him to strike back, but he resists to avoid hurting his Padawan.
2 Almost Submitting To Become A Slave To Free His Friends
The Zygerrian Slavers arc of The Clone Wars sees Anakin, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Rex captured when they attempt to infiltrate the slavers of Zygerria to free their Togrutan slaves. At the climax of the episode “Slaves of the Republic,” Queen Miraj of Zygerria offers to set the others free, if Anakin voluntarily submits as her personal slave.
While ultimately the group free themselves, Anakin seriously considers accepting Miraj’s offer. Despite having been a slave before, and clearly having unresolved issues over it, Anakin is willing to return himself to that fate to save his friends.
1 Saving Luke From The Emperor
In one of the most famous redemptions in film, at the climax of Return of the Jedi Darth Vader is being forced to watch as the Emperor tortures his son to death with Force Lightning, after Luke refused to strike him down.
Unable to bear hearing his son beg, Vader seizes the Emperor, hauls him above his head, and throws him down a reactor shaft, killing the Emperor at the cost of irreversible damage to his life support suit from Force Lightning. It is Vader’s ultimate redemption that proves most compellingly that Anakin Skywalker is not truly a villain.
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