This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Read at your peril.
2005 Hayden Christiansen girlies rise, it’s our time.
Revenge of the Sith is returning to theatres on April 25 for a week-long appearance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the movie’s release. The film is perhaps the most well-known in the Star Wars universe for its endless supply of meme-able moments, such as “It’s over, Anakin. I have the high ground.”
It’s a momentous occasion for any diehard Star Wars fan who never got to see the movie in theatres (me) and anyone who is a big prequels nerd (also me). This is also huge since Attack of the Clones was never re-released in theatres for its 20th anniversary in 2022.
The plot of Star Wars is something that has always fascinated me ever since I watched The Empire Strikes Back with my father for the first time and fell in love. The original trilogy is beloved by many fans because it is where the saga started, with a young boy from a small planet being sent on the journey of a lifetime to take down an unjust system. Through this journey, he discovers who he is, meets his best friend and his sister (a revelation that shocked many audiences), and ultimately defeats the forces of evil, with some consequences.
While I agree that the humble beginnings of Star Wars are something to be valued, the prequels have always had a soft spot in my heart. I love to see how stories start or maybe I’m just a sucker for a good love story. (If anything, that’s Anakin and Padme’s fault. They started this for me.)
The prequels tell the story of young boy Anakin Skywalker, who goes on to become the legendary cinematic villain Darth Vader. We first meet him as a young slave on Tatooine, a nine-year-old boy who is a prodigious mechanic working for Watto, a junk shop dealer. He attempts to make conversation with Padme Amidala, a handmaiden of the Queen of Naboo, whose ship is stranded on his home planet. For her and her crew to get the money they need to repair the ship, he volunteers to enter a podrace on their behalf, since he is the only human capable of it and their only ally.
He ends up winning the race, getting the money and his freedom, which allows him to travel with Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi back to Coruscant, capital of the Galactic Republic, to become a Jedi. He then becomes Obi-Wan’s apprentice after Qui-Gon’s ill-timed death.
Fast-forward ten years: Padme, now a senator on behalf of Naboo, has become the target of a few assassination attempts, and Anakin is assigned to be her bodyguard. At this time, he is a brash padawan who is aware of the fact that he is, in fact, the chosen one, expected to bring balance to the force. Padme is a queen turned Senator, serving her planet and struggling to get her ideals seen by the greater part of the Republic. The two of them are sent to Naboo, where they end up falling in love (again, for real this time) and getting married in secret.
This is when the events of Revenge of the Sith come into play. Anakin is now a well-known Jedi Knight general who has made a name for himself in the Clone Wars, and Padme has a better standing in the Senate. When Anakin comes home from rescuing the Chancellor, Padme reveals that she is pregnant, and thus begins the downfall of Anakin Skywalker.
Paranoia begins to consume Anakin when he starts dreaming that Padme will die in childbirth. Since he was helpless to stop the death of his mother, he began searching for a way to prevent the death of his wife and his child. When Anakin discovers his favorite mentor, the Chancellor of the Republic, is the Sith Lord behind the Clone Wars, he makes the pivotal decision to join him because he believes it is the only way to save Padme.
As it turns out, Palpatine (the chancellor) orchestrated the entire Clone Wars to get Anakin (the chosen one) to turn to the dark side so he could tip the balance in his favor. This is followed by some of the best duel footage in recent cinematic history.
After force-choking his wife and losing his legs in a duel on a very hot lava planet, Anakin is left broken, both physically and emotionally. Palpatine then reconstructs the remains of his body into who we know as Darth Vader. Meanwhile, Padme gives birth to twins and dies shortly after, fulfilling Anakin’s tragic prophecy — one brought on by his own fear, paranoia, and actions.
So, Anakin ends up alone, fighting to keep the Galactic Empire in power before he is redeemed by his son, Luke Skywalker, years later.
“You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi
The prequel saga is always truly heartbreaking to watch because it shows what paranoia and fear can do to a person. It is done in a way that shows how it all begins with Anakin from a very young age.
“Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering,” is what Yoda says in The Phantom Menace. This has always stuck with me because it perfectly encapsulates Anakin’s evolution. Of course, no matter how many times you watch the movies, the outcome will always be the same, and, unfortunately, Anakin doesn’t get a happy ending.
So, for all fans of the Star Wars movies, get ready to head back to the theatres. It’s time to watch the best Star Wars movie in the prequel trilogy on the big screen. In the words of Anakin Skywalker: “This is where the fun begins.”