We’ve arrived at what is widely considered the best movie in the Prequel Trilogy and one of the best in the Skywalker Saga itself: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Debuting in 2005, Revenge of the Sith is fascinating in its positioning in the saga. Originally, Episode III completed the saga by ending where it began at the Skywalker Homestead as Obi-Wan delivers an infant Luke to Owen and Beru Lars beneath a binary sunset. In that way, it is an ouroboros of sorts, offering a sense of closure, beginning, hope, and catharsis.
Revenge of the Sith completes the story of Anakin Skywalker, though well established non-chronologically. Though completing that narratively simple task, it manages to convey a number of themes throughout its runtime: betrayal, guilt, best intentions ran afoul, and how death of a republic can all too easily give birth to tyranny.
Complexities aside, for the most relatable moment in Episode III we’ll backtrack to its fundamental plot of the fall of Anakin Skywalker. Throughout the Clone Wars, Anakin’s exploits became legendary across the Galaxy. While known among friend and foe as the Hero Without Fear, he was indeed afraid of one thing: losing the ones he loves.
While a common misconception perpetuates that Anakin fell as a result of missing out on a job promotion, being denied the rank of Master was rather the straw that broke the eopie’s back. After being rescued from slavery, all of a sudden there was a limit on his newfound freedom. Additionally, after losing his mother he is now plagued by nightmares of history repeating itself with him losing his wife, and potentially their children. If he can control anything, he would certainly do whatever it takes to avoid these nightmares from becoming a cruel reality.
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, of course, know all of this. To a degree, he has played an active role in Anakin’s development as a Jedi and as a man. However, Palpatine reveals himself to Anakin as the Sith Lord behind the Clone Wars, however not without the promise of knowing how to rescue Padme from certain death. After the destruction of General Grievous by Obi-Wan and a refusal to unseat himself as Supreme Chancellor, a contingent of Jedi Masters move to arrest the Sith Lord. A swift duel develops, witnessing the death of several sitting Counsel members.
Bested by Jedi Master Mace Windu, Palpatine lies on his back in the shattered window overlooking the Coruscant skyline. Anakin arrives just in time, or perhaps too late - too late was worse than never. Windu deflects Sith Lightning back at Palpatine, deforming him - or revealing his true nature - while each plead their case among the chaos. In a break in the melee, Windu winds up the killing blow. After years of Palpatine’s machinations, Anakin eventually gives in to his manipulation. He will do whatever it takes to save Padme.
Anakin (literally) disarms Mace Windu, rescuing Palpatine but also creating an opening for him to strike victory. Palpatine blasts Windu with one more arc of lightning, forcing him out the window to his death. Anakin Falls to his knees:
“What have I done?”
What. Have. I. Done. Hayden Christiansen delivers this line with such heartbreak and sadness. All he ever wanted, needed, to do was save others. He was willing to betray himself to accomplish this, but along the way he also betrayed everything he, Padme, Obi Wan, and the Jedi stood for. We all know the saying about a certain road being paved with best intentions, and as such we have all made mistakes, some more grievous than others. Sometimes, like Anakin, these mistakes cause us to detach into self pity and self hate to manage the guilt leading us to ask the same question.
Now the good news from this is that we don’t have to betray our sorcerer-monk order or even slay younglings to come to this realization. Thankfully, Anakin’s fall is depicted as a cautionary tale as much as it is a hopeful one - at least in the end. For as certain as we are to fail ourselves and others, we are equally certain to earn redemption. Anakin found his redemption through his son Luke many years later. Similarly, it is possible for us to find our redemption.
Well this was a little heavier than our previous entries here at the Spaceport. However, I hope this heavier examination into Anakin’s fall provides a mirror of sorts for some of you out there. But what do you think of this moment from Revenge of the Sith? Is there another scene you’d nominate as the most relatable from Episode III? Let me know in the comments section, feel free to share, and as always - may the Force be with you!