The Role of Anakin Skywalker: Would His Survival Alter the Events of The Rise of Skywalker?

Coruscant, in the final throes of the conflict between the Jedi and the Sith, witnessed the desperate hours of Anakin Skywalker before his tragic fall to the dark side. The prequels detail his journey as an Anakin, from a young boy to the fearsome Darth Vader. This article explores the hypothetical scenario where Anakin survived his duel with Obi-Wan and never embraced the dark side, and how it might have affected the events of the sequels, particularly in The Rise of Skywalker.

The Anakin We Knew

Before we delve into the hypothetical, it's important to revisit the Anakin we know. The prequel trilogy predominantly depicts him as a man falling to the dark side after years of manipulation from Emperor Palpatine. He descends into darkness, becoming Darth Vader, and plays a significant role in the fall of the Jedi Order and the eventual rise of the Galactic Empire. However, if Anakin never turned, the course of events would have been quite different.

Would Sidious Be Able to Cheat Death?

In the original trilogy, it’s established that Darth Sidious used Anakin’s midi-chlorians to cheat death by transferring his consciousness into synthetic bodies. This is a key aspect of the Empire's power dynamics. If Anakin had remained on the light side, he would have been a formidable opponent for Sidious. Consequently, Sidious might not have been able to use the Sith to cheat death, which means The Rise of Skywalker would be drastically different.

Preventing Order 66 and the Fall of the Republic

One of the pivotal moments in The Rise of Skywalker is the revelation that Order 66 was pre-programmed by Palpatine. Without Darth Sidious or Darth Vader manipulating events, Order 66 would not have been carried out, and the Jedi would have been able to fight back effectively on the ground. This could lead to a different outcome for the Clone Wars and the eventual fall of the Republic. Obi-Wan Kenobi might have had more time to train a new generation of Jedi, potentially including his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano.

Achieving Greater Jedi Titles

The balance of power within the Jedi Order could have been different as well. For instance, if Anakin had lived and remained a Jedi, he might have ascended to the rank of Grand Master. There was a precedent for this in the old Jedi Order with Grand Masters like Yoda and even Luke Skywalker in the new order. However, if Yoda had retired, Anakin could have become Grand Master, leading to a return to the system of multiple grand masters that was used in the past. This would have significantly altered Jedi governance and potentially prevented some of the issues that led to the rise of Kylo Ren.

Influence on Kylo Ren's Path

One of the key developments in the sequels was the turn of Rey, Finn, and Supreme Leader Snoke to the dark side. Snoke's identity as a failed clone of Emperor Palpatine is a critical plot point. If Palpatine hadn't used the mystic transfer technique, Snoke and possibly other clones may not have existed, altering the path of both Rey and Kylo Ren. It is possible that a stable, uncorrupted Anakin Skywalker could have had a profound impact on the trajectory of Luke and Rey, potentially focusing his influence on the path towards redemption and a new balance with the Force.

Lucasfilm’s Legends Continuity

It's worth noting that in the Legends continuity, Anakin does turn to the dark side but briefly returns to the light. Similarly, Luke also flirted with the dark side in a temporary and slight manner due to a curse from Emperor Palpatine, but he always returns to the light. If Anakin’s light-side path was continued in the expanded universe, it might have provided a richer tapestry of possible outcomes, exploring the complexity of Jedi moral codes and redemption.

Conclusion

The hypothetical scenario of an uncorrupted Anakin Skywalker raises intriguing possibilities for the Star Wars universe. His survival would most likely have altered the galaxy’s fate in significant ways. From preventing Order 66 and the fall of the Republic, to influencing the destinies of many other characters, Anakin's light-side path would have created a vastly different narrative. Although we cannot know for certain, the hypothetical exploration offers a fascinating glimpse into the many possible directions the Star Wars saga could have taken.