Summary
InStar Wars, Anakin Skywalker is portrayed as a tortured young Jedi who struggles to navigate the line between light and dark. While he ultimately fell to the dark side and away from the purity of being a powerful Jedi, his lifebefore the transformation into Darth Vaderwas one full of love, heartbreak, and internal conflict. Many ofAnakin’s most memorable quotesshowcase all three of these and more, divulging a complex narrative for a character who chooses to feel too much, thus becoming a Sith, rather than fighting for the light that comes with protecting humanity.
Before his downfall - or, as some would say, his glow-up -Anakin was the source of some memorable quotesthat truly highlighted the depths of his journey as a Skywalker while also shining a light on his innermost feelings.
A crucial turning point in Palpatine’s many manipulative conversations with Anakin is when he sharesthe story of Darth Plagueiswith him. While Anakin argues that the Jedi are wholly good and their intentions remain infinitely selfless, Palpatine argues that both the Jedi and the Sith are far more similar than anyone acknowledges.
Dark Plagueis' story becomes an eerie foreshadowing for Anakin before he turns to the dark side, eventually becoming Darth Vader. If not for Palpatine sharing this tale, perhaps Anakin’s future could have been far brighter.
Anakin, or “Ani” as Padme affectionately refers to him, shared a playful relationship with Padme when they were united once again as adults. This playfulness is seen in Padme’s teasing, along with Anakin’s sarcasm and quick wit, which is very much evident through this quote fromAttack of the Clones.
Rather than an upfront explanation of his negotiations, Anakin instead refers to his lightsaber battle as “aggressive negotiations,” but that’s technically still a civil conversation, isn’t it?
8"General Grievous… You’re Shorter Than I Expected."
Anakin To General Grievous
Even as an adult, Anakin doesn’t shy away from a fight. He’d never give up a chance to throw some sass around, especially when it comes tosuch an enemy as General Grievous.
After the general is captured, Anakin throws this insult back in response to Greivous remarking that he thought Anakin would have been “older” given his reputation. It’s a low blow, but it’s still a fair one dealt by Anakin’s never-wavering wit.
InThe Phantom Menace, viewers meet a very young Ankin who isdetermined not only to be a pilotbut to be the best there ever was. While his current situation in this movie is dire, Anakin - at any age - is not one to allow circumstances to dictate the outcome of his future.
One of the more memorable moments of foreshadowing from this movie sees Anakin’s admitting that he wants to fly away from Tatooine. Though his situation makes this idea seem like nothing more than an impossible dream, the young boy perseveres and eventually makes this dream of his come true.
6"If You Are Suffering As Much As I Am, Please Tell Me."
Anakin To Padme
While the root ofStar Warsis the classic battle between good and evil,the romance between Anakin and Padmemust never be forgotten as one of the most tragic love stories of any franchise. Their forbidden love affair comes to a head inAttack of the Clones, however, with Anakin leaving Padme one desperate message:
From the moment I met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven’t thought of you. And now that I’m with you again… I’m in agony. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you- I can’t breath. I’m haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me. My heart is beating… hoping that kiss will not become a scar. You are in my very soul, tormenting me… what can I do? I will do anything you ask.
This particular scene showcases Anakin at his most emotionally vulnerable, and what makes it even more compelling is the fact that Jedi are taught to avoid embracing such emotions.
5"Love Won’t Save You, Padme."
As the internal war wages within him, Anakin’s thoughts and behaviors become more erratic while he gradually falls to the dark side. In an effort to reach Anakin, Padme travels to see him on Mustafar after Obi-Wan tells her about his slaughter of the younglings in the Jedi Temple.
At this point, Anakin’s paranoia has gotten the best of him, and he views Obi-Wan as the enemy when he sees him emerge from Padme’s ship. Blinded by his fear of losing the woman he loves, he directs the anger he feels for Obi-Wan back at Padme, and in a horrible twist of fate, he ends up almost killing her. Moments before this, he was fully committed to giving in to the dark side in order to save her life, but the dark side’s corruption led him to attack her instead.
4"I… I Killed Them. I Kill Them All."
In a moment of vulnerability with Padme, Anakin reveals that he killed all the Tusken Raiders who kidnapped his mother in retaliation after she died in his arms. He loses control of himself in this moment, and all Padme can do is watch as the young Jedi breaks down and fully gives in to his anger.
This interaction showcases the darkness that is buried deep within Anakin. It’s a darkness that threatens to break through to the surface the more he’s manipulated by Palpatine and turned against his fellow Jedi.
3"If You’re Not With Me, Then You’re My Enemy."
Anakin to Obi-Wan
While this line is short and sweet, it’s also one of the most heartbreaking pieces of dialogue in all ofStar Wars. Despite Obi-Wan’s final attempt to reach Anakin, it’s not enough to turn him from the dark side and back to the light.
Anakin chooses to stay and fight Obi-Wan, though he is eventually proven to be outmatched in terms of experience and general power. The battle ends with Anakin being several limbs short and Obi-Wan exclaiming that he once viewed him like a brother, which makes the “If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy” line feel even more heartbreaking.
2"I’m A Person, And My Name Is Anakin."
A Young Anakin
Young Anakin is still quite a force to be reckoned with and not one to be swayed away from who he truly is. When Padme meets him for the first time, she unknowingly refers to him as simply a slave.
His response is to promptly correct Padme - a queen - by informing her of his name and the fact that he’s a person, not an enslaved child. Even in his youth, Anakin had no shame in standing up for himself or his beliefs.
1"I See Through The Lies Of The Jedi."
When Obi-Wan tells Anakin that he has become the “very thing he swore to destroy,” Anakin’s response is to turn the tables and claim that it’s the Jedi who are the truly evil force. A tragic sequence of events follows, marked by Anakin’s true turn to the dark side.
Once destined to become the Chosen One, Anakin embraces his future as Darth Vader in this moment,fully embracing Palpatine’s lies about the Jediand their true intentions. His fear of losing Padme and the way he was treated by the Jedi Council have warped his mind, leaving him as nothing more than Palpatine’s puppet during the final moments of the movie.
