10 Things You Didn't Know About Anakin Skywalker

Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, and arguably the most powerful Jedi of all time. Much has been told over the saga that bares his name, examining his training, the peak of his power, and his fall to the dark side during the prequels. However, in the already expansive and constantly growing Expanded Universe, there is still much to learn about young Skywalker. Here are some of the lesser known facts about this powerful Jedi Knight from books, comics, and deleted scenes. These facts will solely cover Anakin Skywalker before his fall and transformation into Darth Vader.

1. Post-Race Fist Fight

In a deleted scene from The Phantom Menace, a 9-year-old Anakin Skywalker is seen getting in a scrap with a youthful Rodian. Surrounded by their peers, these two wrestle through the sand, each landing several blows on the other. The fight ends quickly when a disappointed Qui-Gon arrives to see what the fuss is about. The crowd quickly disperses, and Anakin and the Rodian are left sitting sheepishly in the sand. When pressed for details, Anakin explains his actions by saying that the Rodian had accused him of cheating. Unimpressed, Jinn asks if Anakin had. Taken aback, Anakin says that of course he didn't. Looking at the Rodian, Jinn asks if he still believes Anakin cheated, which he confirms he does. Jinn explains to a frustrated Skywalker that he knows the truth, and will just have to learn to live with the Rodian's opinion, since Anakin can't change it. Upon the departure of the Jedi and his soon-to-be apprentice, we learn that the Rodian in the scuffle was in fact Greedo when one of his friends warns him he will "come to a bad end."

2. Tripping Kenobi

After the Battle of Coruscant and the defeat of Count Dooku, we see a brief scene of Skywalker and Kenobi needling each other. Kenobi dooms Skywalker to face the politicians, while Anakin rebuts in kind that Kenobi owes him for "saving his skin for the tenth time." However Kenobi corrects him, saying it was only the ninth as that "business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count." This fascinating story is told in James Luceno's Legends novel Labyrinth of Evil, where we find Obi-Wan and Anakin on Cato Nemoidia attempting to track down and capture Nute Gunray, leader of the Trade Federation. When Obi-Wan reaches for his rebreather during this mission, he finds the pouch empty, having it knocked off him during an earlier scuffle with CIS droids. Forced to fight through a cloud of strange, streamer-like spores, Kenobi takes shelter in a crashed LAAT gunship. Anakin is able to find him a while later, using his own rebreather to avoid the ill effects of the spores. Obi-Wan is not as lucky, however, as the spores have caused him to hallucinate and act extremely loopy, and semi-present. The scene is extremely humorous as the normally straight-laced Kenobi appears to be enjoying the drugging effect of the alien fungus, laughing at nothing and telling Skywalker strange tales that obviously never happened.

3. Wartime Propaganda

Needless to say, Anakin is one of the most successful generals of the Clone Wars. Leading the elite 501st Legion on some of the war's toughest missions and deadliest battles and usually emerging victorious led to Anakin having quite a reputation. This view of him as an efficient military leader is not limited to the Jedi, however. As word of young Skywalker's deeds spread throughout the Republic, so too do the legend of the "Hero With No Fear." Coined by the HoloNet news network, encouraged by the office of the Chancellor, and circulated throughout the Republic, this nickname not only serves to exalt Skywalker in the eyes of the people, but also alienates him further from the Jedi.

4. Brief Exit

According to the canon comic miniseries Obi-Wan & Anakin, in the early days of his training, a 12-year-old Anakin nearly leaves the Jedi Order. After a discussion with Palpatine, in which the Chancellor reveals that the Jedi are unable to stop crime and the flourishing black market in the lower levels of Coruscant, Anakin begins to question his path in life. Disillusioned by the shortcomings of the Jedi, Anakin begins considering his own place within the Order. Uncomfortable with having his entire life decided for him, he turns his lightsaber over to Obi-Wan. However, Kenobi is able to convince him to stay for one final mission. During the mission, Anakin sees first-hand how Kenobi is able to use the power of the Force and his status as a Jedi for the good of common people. Anakin agrees to remain a Jedi under Obi-Wan's teaching, and the Master returns his apprentice's lightsaber. However, in a later conversation with Master Yoda, Obi-Wan reveals that had Anakin left the Order, he would have gone with his wayward apprentice, keeping his promise to the dying Qui-Gon to train the boy.

5. Lonely Youngling

Anakin has always been headstrong and determined to forge his own path, shirking authority and pressing forward on his best intuition. This mentality is only encouraged by his troublesome youth at the Jedi Temple. Uncomfortable with the whispers of "Chosen One" among his peers and resentful with most authority figures, Anakin seeks solitude when not on missions with his Master. This makes him an outsider among fellow Padawans in the temple, with his only real friend at the time being his Master. From his first steps in the Jedi Temple onward, Anakin is certain that any offer of friendship is just due to the speculation of him being "the Chose One." He also regards any correction from teachers or authority figures as an attempt to control him, or as a critique of his young Master's teaching style. Combined with deep-seated resentment over the fate of his mother, Anakin has few friends in the Temple until the days of the Clone Wars.

6. Not The Council's First Knight

One of the most iconic scenes from Revenge of the Sith is the appointment of Anakin to the Jedi Council as the Chancellor's personal representative. As with most of the Chancellor's actions during the Clone Wars, this leads to distrust and discordance between Anakin and the Council. These feelings are just exacerbated when Windu agrees that Anakin can join the Council but is not to be granted the rank of Master. While Anakin claims that this has never been done in the history of the Jedi, in the stories now classified as Legends, it is revealed that Ki-Adi Mundi follows a similar path. Appointed to fill the spot of Master Micah Giiett after his death fighting the Yinchorr, Mundi is appointed for his knowledge and wisdom, but has not yet become a Master of the Force.

7. Market Chase

One of Anakin's most notable accomplishments before meeting the Jedi is the building of C-3PO to assist his mother in her duties. Built almost entirely from scavenged parts, the protocol droid is also host to an array of modifications made by Skywalker himself. These modifications serve to make the droid more resistant to the harsh conditions of Tatooine, both sand and sun. Anakin is able to find exactly the photoreceptors that he needs to give his droid vision, in a market in Mos Espa. However, these particular parts have also caught the three eyes of a Gran droid builder. Attempting to rob the young slave, the Gran is surprised by the resourcefulness of young Skywalker as he takes off through the market, dodging through the crowds and stalls to lose his pursuer. Eventually, Anakin is able to lose the greedy Gran when he kicks the supports out from an Ithorian's stall, dropping the heavy hide awning on his adversary.

8. Power Cell Sacrifice

Growing up as a slave in a junkyard on a backwater world like Tatooine, Anakin develops a particular set of skills. Similar to the girl who would one day carry on his name, Anakin is a gifted scavenger finding parts for C-3PO and his podracer among the junk of Watto's shop. Tasked with disposing of the crushed hull of a speeder that Watto deems worthless, Anakin is surprised to find an intact power cell still housed within the rubble. Elated, Anakin extracts the cell and rushes home, eager to install the exact part he needs for his podracer. However, as he approaches his home, a violent swoop bike gang rides into town sowing havoc and mayhem. An errant blaster shot tears through the power generator of the medical center, all but destroying it. Anakin leaps into action, volunteering to help repair the damaged generator before the lack of power costs the lives of patients inside. As he works on the generator, he realizes that the final repair is to replace the damaged power cell, the exact same part that he wants for his podracer. Without a second thought, Anakin sacrifices his power cell and reboots the med-center generator, saving the lives of multiple patients inside.

9. Artoo Remembers

As a wedding gift from Padme, R2-D2 accompanies Anakin on virtually every mission he undertakes during the Clone Wars. As either his astromech co-pilot or serving on the bridge of Anakin's flagship, The Resolute, Artoo sees a good portion of the war. All of these experiences and tactical information are stored within Artoo's memory banks, as with all Republic droids during the war. However, unlike other Republic droids, Artoo never has these memory banks whipped. Not having the heart to submit his little blue buddy to the procedure, and finding it extremely helpful to use Artoo as a tactical reference during battle, Anakin declines to wipe Artoo's memory. This becomes a military emergency when the astromech goes MIA during a battle and is captured by a Trandoshan junk trader. The ill-kept secret of Artoo's intact memory quickly draws the attention of General Grievous as he and Skywalker race to capture the droid and his valuable intel. This long and intact memory also helps to explain why Artoo has more personality than the average droid. Without a factory reset, R2-D2 has developed a cantankerous and feisty attitude to rival even that of his Skywalker masters.

10. Defeats "Darth Maul"

As young Anakin progresses through his Jedi training under Obi-Wan, his powers grow exponentially. This leads to him becoming a bit of a show-off in an attempt to impress his peers. About three years after the Battle of Naboo, when Anakin is 12 years old, he is dispatched from the Temple to undergo one of the most sacred Jedi rites of passage: the Gathering. Upon completion of this trial on Ilum and the construction of his first lightsaber, Anakin returns to the Jedi Temple, determined to test out his new weapon. In preparation for the resurfacing of the Sith, Anakin programs several training droids to imitate the fighting style of Darth Maul, as related by Kenobi. These droids have been able to defeat several Knights in combat, leading to the Council realizing how few exceptional swordsman are in the Order. However, that changes when young Skywalker, new saber in hand, defeats the Darth Maul droid for the approval of his fellow Padawans. Skywalker goes on to rival even Master Yoda as a swordsman.

Written By Weston Erickson

Source(s): Wookieepedia

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