Anakin Skywalker
A Tragic Hero
The Six Qualities of a "Tragic Hero"
- Embodies nobility and virtue and is full of greatness
- The hero is great though he or she is not perfect
- The hero's downfall is partially his or her own fault
- The hero's misfortune is not wholly deserved
- The hero's fall is not pure loss
- The tragedy does not leave its audience in a state of depression
Anakin's Story In a Nutshell
Anakin Skywalker is the tragic hero of the Star Wars series. In Episode I Anakin Skywalker is just a young slave on the planet of Tatooine. He is rescued by the Jedi and the Jedi, Obiwan Kenobi is tasked to train him. In Episode II Anakin is still working for the Jedi Council but he soon starts to dislike them because he believes they mistrust him. He then goes off and gets married even though his people are forbidden to marry. In Episode III Anakin keep falling further and further into the Dark Side until swearing his allegiance to Evil. He then becomes Darth Vader.
Throughout Episode IV and V, Darth Vader, is portrayed as the main bad guy. He is the main antagonist to the new protagonist, Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader continues doing evil until in Episode VI when Darth Vader killed the Dark Emperor to save Luke. Anakin died though at the end of Episode VI.
Why should this person be considered a "tragic hero?"
Despite being portrayed as the bad guy throughout the last three movies Anakin Skywalker wasn't necessarily all bad. He fell to the Dark Side but eventually redeemed himself by stopping the Emperor. His downfall was his mostly his fault, he is great but not perfect, his fall was not pure loss, and his misfortune was not wholly deserved.
Anakin Skywaler as Darth Vader
Darth Vader fighting his son, Luke Skywaler
Anakin's death
Star Wars: Luke Skywalker vs Darth Vader vs Darth Sidious
Darth Vader redeeming himself by killing the Emperor.