Anakin Skywalker, or Darth Vader, has become one of the most debated “Star Wars” characters in the entire franchise, and much of this discussion boils down to his dual identities. Should he be regarded as one of the greatest Jedi of all time who kept the Republic safe throughout the Clone Wars and redeemed himself in the end, or as an oppressive Sith who carried out the fascist vision of Emperor Palpatine? An argument can be made for either his Anakin or Vader persona being the dominant one, since he spent roughly the same amount of time embracing each.
As established, Anakin was only 22 when he adopted the Vader persona, which he’d go on to carry for multiple decades. He spent years hunting down Jedi, stepping on the weak and downtrodden, and falling deeper into the ways of the dark side. One could even claim that all the evil he did as Vader was equivalent to the good he did as Anakin. When he finally met his end aboard the Death Star II in “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” he was only 45 years old, having spent the past 23 years in his Vader armor.
Anakin Skywalker lived an immensely tragic life that has spawned endless fan debate and was cut short for many reasons. If nothing else, at least his story is among the most compelling of any character in the “Star Wars” universe.
