 Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is. Anakin had visions of death, of suffering, someone close to him. Like any regular person, what he wanted was to protect those around him so that he may not feel the pain that comes with loss. But Anakin Skywalker was not a regular person nor a regular Jedi. He was the chosen one. He had a good heart. But Anakin Skywalker had both sides of the Force raging inside of him and certain factors contributed to his fall from grace. His connection to the Force unmatched, greater than any Jedi. However, to the Jedi Council and by the Jedi Code, Anakin was flawed, very flawed, because of his emotions. To the Council he was angry and violent, but one may call it passion for those he cares about, for his mother, for his lover, for his mentor, and for his Padawan. Anakin's story truly began following the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, when he becomes Obi-Wan Kenobi's Padawan. During this time Anakin and Obi-Wan's conflicting ideas are shown. Anakin believes Jedi should fight with their instincts and do what they feel is right. While Obi-Wan wants to adhere to the rules, and the order of the Council, Anakin later encounters Padme Amidala, the senator that he develops intense feelings for. He cares for her immensely. His goal becomes to protect her, even placing her above his Jedi duty. This attachment parallels the one that he also has with his mother. But Anakin also had nightmares about her. Every time Anakin wants to share something about the way he is feeling, rather than listening to understand his problems, people listen to inform him about the Jedi way and about detachment. When Anakin shares with Obi-Wan that he's having nightmares about his mother, Obi-Wan tells Anakin that dreams pass in time. As the nightmares get worse, Anakin finds the location of his mother and when he finds her she was already dying, and later died in his arms. Anakin then slaughtered the village of Tuscan Raiders and when he returns to Padme, a powerful scene is shown. His confusion was brought to light, and he shifted the blame from Obi-Wan to himself, and his moral struggle was announced. He knew that killing the children and women was wrong, and he says that he knows better than what he's shown. Anakin reverted back to his very nature, a very human nature at that. He was consumed by grief and pain, and he acted in vengeance. Though I do believe Obi-Wan took the time to discuss these dreams, and the components inside of it, and Anakin's feelings, it could possibly have led to Anakin saving his mother in time. Anakin later begins to have nightmares of Padme dying, and as his focus was completely towards protecting her, the Jedi way did not offer him any such benefits. But Chancellor Palpentine tells Anakin to join him, to join the dark side as he ensures the safety of Padme. An easy decision for him, but I also want to take a look at Anakin's relationships, which provide more insight to his fault than simply what I have stated. With his mother gone, Anakin was leaching onto those that provided him comfort and care, as the Jedi Council offered none. And these were Chancellor Palpentine, Padme Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and finally his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. I want to begin with Palpentine. Palpentine cultivated a relationship with Anakin that was like father and son, which then became master to apprentice. Chancellor carefully manipulated Anakin, using his emotions and his passion against him. During his encounters with him, the Chancellor makes subtle critiques towards the Jedi Council, whether it was telling Anakin that he believes he should be a Jedi Master, or going against the Jedi Code of Attachment, telling Anakin that he doesn't believe in it. He slowly cultivated this relationship, and the final manipulation of Anakin Skywalker was manipulating the possible life of his love. He used the story of Darth Plagueis to drive his point, telling Anakin that the dark side of the Force can provide abilities like none other. That like Darth Plagueis, he can help save those that he loves. That Anakin can help save Padme. Speaking of his love, Padme Amidala was the driving force of Anakin's motivation. She was his lover, the one who he desired to protect more than anyone else. After his mother passed, Anakin was confused, distraught, and unstable after she died, and Padme was there to console him. Though they did not mesh in terms of ideology and in their relationship, Anakin possessive and angry, he did not believe there was any way that either side of the war could find peace, whereas Padme believed in peace. The Jedi and the Senator, already in their positions alone, they were not compatible, but love doesn't choose. And Anakin, having lost his mother already, could not bear to lose Padme, and so he sacrificed himself for her, claiming that everything he did was for them, for her. Next, looking at Anakin's mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi. Although stylistically Obi-Wan and Anakin did not agree, Anakin being emotionally driven and Obi-Wan driven by order, Anakin respected and idolized Obi-Wan, showing great trust in him. Their relationship developed into one of two brothers. The Clone Wars show gives us much more insight into their relationship, as it brought Anakin depth and it makes their final battle that much more tragic, because of the bond they had. Obi-Wan seemed to be rubbing off of Anakin, as he began to show signs of restraint and intelligence during battle. But as things got worse, Anakin fell further and further, until the point of no return. And the only person to take him down was his brother Obi-Wan, in tragic fashion. As Obi-Wan tried to bring him back to the light, but he knew that it was too late. And finally, looking at his paduan, Ahsoka Tano. Initially, Ahsoka was chosen to be Anakin's paduan, to teach him about what he did not have, the ability to let go, to detach himself from another person. Anakin and Ahsoka are in many ways alike, talented, brash, and passionate. Ahsoka displayed the same stubbornness towards Anakin that he did towards Obi-Wan. And this stubbornness, in fact, the Clone Wars series as a whole, rounded Anakin as a character. It gave him a breath of new life and it gave him more of a reason to leave. And one of the reasons were Ahsoka herself. As Anakin idolized Obi-Wan, Ahsoka idolized Anakin, as she was the paduan of the chosen one. The two grew very close, creating a bond that was like brother and sister. And though Anakin tried to help her, Ahsoka made the decision to leave the Jedi Council, when they didn't believe her. A decision that pained Anakin, having lost another person after his mother. This also created a further distrust between him and the Jedi Council. Because they casted away his student. His sister. Speaking on the Jedi Council, I do believe the code was flawed. It is true. Emotions can cloud judgment. But completely erasing said emotions cannot be the answer to their problems. And as shown not dealing with it, can cause a Jedi to snap. I think if the Jedi focus on controlling rather than suppressing emotions, they could have possibly changed their own fate. But back to Anakin. Anakin's story is a sad one. One that was a tragedy the moment he was introduced to the Jedi world. Anakin did not fit in with the ideals of the Jedi. And loss gives way to anger. And more pain. Losing his mother rendered him an even more possessive person. He wanted to control everything. To make sure everyone around him was safe. Anakin had good and evil waging war inside of his body. Then Ahsoka, getting chased out of the Jedi Council, brought him even more pain. And the final nail in the coffin was the idea of losing Padme. It's what drove him to the dark side. The Jedi had nothing left to offer him. Anakin Skywalker had a good heart and the stunning potential and natural talent to match. He started off his journey at the top of the mountain. He was the chosen one. Born to bring balance to the Force. Destined to be the greatest Jedi of them all. But his mother, his padawan, and his lover. And a little false hope was what it took for the chosen one to become the executioner of the Jedi. For Anakin, loss, the only thing he couldn't control, was the bane of his existence. You were the chosen one. It was said that you would destroy this and not join them. Bring balance to the Force. Not leave it in darkness. You were my brother, Anakin.