Star Wars Hints the Force Robbed Anakin Skywalker of Free Will
In recent stories, Star Wars is subtly embracing one of the most mind-blowing possibilities of the Force, implying a dark truth about Anakin Skywalker's life. When George Lucas launched the prequel trilogy with Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, he introduced a concept that took many viewers by surprise: the prophecy of the Chosen One, a being foretold long ago who is destined to bring balance to the Force. The prequel trilogy was never entirely clear what this meant — indeed, Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith hinted the Jedi themselves had misinterpreted it. But the very existence of this prophecy nonetheless hinted at a dramatic change in the franchise.
The core question is whether the existence of the Force allows for free will. If Anakin Skywalker's fate could be accurately foretold millennia before it happened, then there is no free will — only the will of the Force. After all, for Anakin to play his role, so many other things needed to happen: the Sith needed to be driven back, with Darth Bane establishing the Rule of Two; the Republic had to expand, and then crumble; Qui-Gon Jinn had to stumble upon a young miracle child on the desert sands of Tatooine; the Clone Wars, the rise of Palpatine and even Order 66 had to be preordained. The clear implication is that the Force has a will, one that controls everything that happens in the galaxy. The (non-canon) Knights of the Old Republic 2 featured a Sith Lord who rebelled against this deterministic view, Darth Traya. "I hate the Force," she seethed. "I hate that it seems to have a will, that it would control us to achieve some measure of balance when countless lives are lost."
Related: Darth Vader's First Apprentice Has the Dark Side's Most Horrific
Read more on screenrant.com
