MOVIE NEWS – This Star Wars story answers a burning question from the prequel trilogy and helps explain how the Dark Side took over Anakin Skywalker…

The story sheds light on a burning question from Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and confirms exactly when Anakin Skywalker’s fall began. It’s fitting that the story is being told now, given that Hayden Christiensen is set to return as Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming Ahsoka series and that he will also appear as Darth Vader in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

The specific scene mentioned in the novel takes place after Anakin Skywalker sees his mother suffering in a dream on Tatooine. He then travels to the planet in search of her, only to learn that the slave-owner Watto has sold his mother to a moisture farmer, Cliegg Lars. When he travels to Lars’ farm, he discovers that the Tusken Raiders kidnapped his mother during their latest attack.

In his haste, he devises a rescue mission to free his mother: he sneaks into the Tusken camp and slaughters them all in revenge after her mother dies of wounds sustained during her captivity.

When we return to the Jedi temple in the next cut of the film, we see Master Yoda and then hear Qui-Gon Jinn’s voice saying, “Anakin! Anakin! No!” But it’s never revealed whether Anakin heard him in this scene or if it was just Master Yoda hearing the fallen Qui-Gon’s beckoning.

E.K. Johnston’s forthcoming novel, Queen’s Hope, clarifies the situation. StarWars.com recently posted a new excerpt from the book, the third in a trilogy focusing on Padmé Amidala. The scene focuses on Padmé and Anakin on their wedding day. Before the wedding, Anakin pays his respects to Qui-Gon at the shrine built on the planet in honour of Qui-Gon’s sacrifice, who died there years earlier at the hands of Darth Maul. At that moment, Anakin recalls hearing Qui-Gon’s voice on Tatooine, but ignoring it:

“He’d heard Qui-Gon’s voice in the desert, begging him to listen to his better nature, not to give in to his hatred. He hadn’t listened. At the time, he’d told himself he was imagining it, but he knew he was lying. If Qui-Gon was out there, somehow, Anakin owed him an apology. And he would always appreciate the Master’s advice.”

“But he found nothing. Anakin looked deeper. There was so much fighting in his future, but it was all for the good of the Republic, for order. Maybe that was what Qui-Gon wanted him to see. There was always a way for him to make it right.”

This detail sheds light and helps clarify an obscure, previously much-debated scene and helps define the depth of Anakin’s downfall. He found it increasingly difficult to justify his actions, to justify his actions, and felt less and less able to please his former – or even current – master. Star Wars: Queen’s Hope will be in stores on April 5.

Source: StarWars.com