There is no character as central to the Star Wars franchise as Anakin Skywalker. After being introduced as the iconic villain Darth Vader in the original trilogy, Anakin has since been explored in much greater depth through the prequel films, various animated series as well as live-action shows. Although his son Luke Skywalker may have been the lead character of the original films, Anakin has become one of the most important characters to the broader Star Wars galaxy as a whole.
After being brought to life by James Earl Jones, David Prowse and Sebastian Shaw in the original three movies, Hayden Christensen then stepped into the role for the prequel films, and he has continued to play the role in the years since. Then there is also Matt Lanter, who has voiced the character throughout his various animated appearances in the shows from Dave Filoni.
Through all of these appearances, Anakin has delivered some of the most iconic lines in all of Star Wars. While the dialogue in the prequel films may not have been the greatest, there were some really outstanding gems scattered throughout them. With that in mind, we’ve gathered what we believe to be 10 of the best quotes from Anakin Skywalker over the years. This list excludes anything from the time in which he was operating as Darth Vader (though we do have a separate list of Darth Vader quotes), meaning anything from after his turn to the Dark Side in Episode III – Revenge of the Sith through to his redemption in Episode VI – Return of the Jedi is off the table.
10 “This is where the fun begins” – Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
One of the very first lines spoken in the finals of the Star Wars prequels comes as Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi fly toward General Grievous’ starship and prepare for the epic space battle that kicks the story off. As they plunge into the conflict, Anakin delivers the line with a bit of excitement in his voice. Not only does this communicate to the audience that he actively enjoys his time in battle, but also that he doesn’t take it as seriously as he probably should. Beyond that, Revenge of the Sith is undoubtedly the best of the three prequels, so the line can also serve as a bit of a meta comment about along the lines of “Okay this is where it actually gets really good.”
9 “One is never too old to learn, Snips” – Ahsoka
Just this year, Hayden Christensen returned to the role of Anakin once again in the new live-action Ahsoka series on Disney+. He appeared to Ahsoka within the world between worlds, as some kind of Force ghost, saying that he was there to complete her training. This was the first time that Anakin and Ahsoka, whose relationship was a cornerstone of the Clone Wars animated series, had appeared together in live-action.
Christensen delivers one of his best performances in the role to date, and this particular line stands above the rest both in terms of his delivery as well as how representative it is of Anakin’s overall lesson for his former-apprentice. Plus, Christensen using Anakin's nickname for Ahsoka is something that Clone Wars fans have been dying to hear for years.
8 “I don’t like sand. It’s course and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere” – Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
Okay, the inclusion of one of the prequels’ most infamous lines on this list might seem strange, but hear us out. While all the memes and jokes about Anakin not liking sand are fun, the line does also speak a lot to his overall personality as a character and the development he undergoes throughout the franchise. While many fans see this line simply as Anakin complaining about trivial things, it actually has a deeper meaning about the character’s view of his own history.
Anakin had a rough childhood as a slave on the desert planet Tatooine, and he never really lets go of his own bitterness about it. This line in Attack of the Clonesshows isn’t about Anakin actually hating sand, it’s him hating the memories he has associated with it. He hates the cruelty he experienced as a child, and he hates how that cruelty has a tendency to infect everything and everyone around it.
7 “What? He was gonna blow up the ship!” – Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Much of the best character development for Anakin comes from Filoni’s Clone Wars animated series, in which Matt Lanter consistently gives an incredible performance as the voice of Anakin. One of the earliest moments in the series that directly teases Anakin’s descent into becoming Darth Vader comes in the 13th episode of season two, titled “Voyage of Temptation.” Obi-Wan and the Mandalorian Duchess Satine are in a stand-off with the traitor Tal Merrik. Both are hesitant to kill Merrik, as he was an important and influential political figure.
However, while Merrik is gloating and threatening to destroy their ship, Anakin sneaks up behind him and ignites his lightsaber, piercing through Merrik’s chest and killing him instantly. This happens immediately after Merrik asks Obi-Wan and Satine which one of them will pull the trigger and label themselves a cold-blooded killer. It’s clear that Anakin does not see his act as a dramatic one. He pays little attention to Merrik, and he feels justified in making the choice, despite Obi-Wan’s shock and disapproval. John Williams’ iconic Darth Vader theme can also be heard in the background following Anakin’s action.
6 “Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi’s life” – Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
Another line from Attack of the Clones that showcases Anakin’s early deviations from the traditional teachings of the Jedi comes as he talks with Padmé Amidala about the Jedi rules against love and attachment. It’s clear that he disagrees with the teachings of his Masters, especially in the face of his burgeoning romance with Padmé.
Despite love and attachment being forbidden by the Jedi Order, Anakin’s personal definition of compassion leads him to stray from his teachings, even going as far to say that this definition further indicates that “we are encouraged to love” in a way. The best part about this line is that Anakin is not being unreasonable. It highlights that not all the Jedi teachings are perfect, and there are genuine reasonings for dissent regarding them.
5 “General Grievous, you’re shorter than I expected” – Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Another early line from Revenge of the Sith, Anakin makes this quip to the cyborg general upon coming face to face with him for the first time. Though they were both well aware of one another throughout the Clone Wars, this did mark the first occasion that they actually met. Anakin’s comment is an insult to Grievous, and it also provides another example of him approaching serious situations with humor, as Grievous is over seven feet tall and easily taller than Anakin. Grievous’ height was one of his most imposing and intimidating qualities throughout the Clone Wars, so Anakin immediately making light of it was a quick way to show his lack of respect for the Separatist leader.
4 “The best way I can protect you is to teach you how to protect yourself” – Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
Although Anakin has primarily been depicted in animation through The Clone Wars, he also appears in a few episodes of the new animated anthology series Tales of the Jedi. One episode in particular focuses on the untraditional ways that Anakin teaches Ahsoka how to fight, as he pushes her harder than any other Master pushes their Apprentice. This episode is one of the best in terms of how it showcases the relationship between these two characters. We’ve picked out this line in particular because of how it mirrors the ramifications of Anakin’s training.
He teaches her to protect herself, specifically through the use of Captain Rex and his clone troopers. Inadvertently, Anakin directly trained Ahsoka on how to survive the onslaught of Order 66. His teachings were the reason for her survival, even after he became Darth Vader and was responsible for the deaths of countless other Jedi.
3 “I understand. More than you realize, I understand wanting to walk away from the order” – Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Another one of Anakin’s best lines from The Clone Wars comes in the finale of the show’s fifth season, as his apprentice Ahsoka Tano leaves the Jedi Order, her training and her friends behind. After a rollercoaster of events that led to Ahsoka being ejected from the Order, Anakin was able to prove her innocence and earn her both an apology from the Jedi Council and an invitation back to into the Order.
However, Ahsoka chooses to walk away from it all. It breaks Anakin’s heart, though he expresses to her that he empathizes with her decision. It’s one of the most emotionally potent moments in the entire series, delivered perfectly by Lanter, and it’s yet another example of Anakin’s awareness of how the Jedi Order is failing.
2 “Just for once, let me look on you with my own wyes” – Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
This line is one of the few that Anakin has after he has been brought back from the Dark Side by his son Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi, and it is one of the last things that he said before his death. After choosing to abandon his hatred and lust for power in favor of saving his son’s life, Vader ceased to exist, and Anakin returned. This is most clearly seen in this line, as Anakin asks Luke to remove his mask so that he can see his son completely on his own, without the evil filter of Vader’s viewpoint.
This is the only moment in his life that Anakin got to simply be in the presence of his son, with all the joy that comes with that. It’s a semblance of the future he had once hoped for, in which he could live freely with Padmé and their two children. He was finally able to have a moment of that in the end, and he made it happen not through power, but through love.
1 “What have I done?” – Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Finally, at the top of this list are some of the final words that Anakin speaks before he is completely taken over by the evil of Darth Vader. His love for Padmé and his desire to protect her from death leads to him saving Darth Sidious’ life at the expense of Jedi Master Mace Windu. In that moment, he knows that he has abandoned the Jedi in favor of his own interests. He immediately recognizes the tragedy of his actions, and he is horrified by what he has done.
This line serves as Anakin’s last gasp for air before being plunged entirely into the darkness of Vader. He's scared, he's desperate, he's heartbroken, and he's in agony. Christensen is able to perfectly embody all of these emotions in four simple words, and it makes one of the most haunting lines of the entire franchise.
Comments
Post a Comment