A New Star Wars Novel Confirms A Tragic Detail About Anakin Skywalker
The story of Anakin Skywalker is anything but niche at this point. The majority of the "Star Wars" story as we know it is dedicated to charting this tragic character's rise and fall. From becoming a Jedi Knight leading the armies of the Republic to acting like a ruthless warmonger hellbent on dominating the very people he once protected, Anakin's story makes for one compelling saga. That doesn't mean, however, that there isn't more to explore in the life of the man who becomes Darth Vader.
Thankfully, that's just what the authors of the novels in the "Star Wars" expanded universe have been doing. Most recently, the official "Star Wars" site released an excerpt from the upcoming novel "Star Wars: Queen's Hope," which delves deeper into a critical moment in Anakin's fall to the dark side. The book, which is the third in a series by author E.K. Johnston, follows Anakin's wife, Padmé Amidala. The story also confirms a tragic detail about his role in the slaughter of the Tusken Raiders who murdered his mother, a scene which is presented more ambiguously in "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones."
Anakin heard Qui-Gon Jinn's voice in this pivotal scene
While much of author E.K. Johnston's Amidala trilogy is written from the perspective of Padmé Amidala, other sections are told through the eyes of different characters. In this case, we step back into the shoes of Anakin Skywalker during the brief interim between the beginning of the Clone Wars and his marriage to Padmé. As discussed on the official "Star Wars" website, while staying on Naboo in preparation for their wedding, Anakin takes the time to visit the memorial of Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi who first rescued him. During this time, Anakin thinks back to his fight with the Tusken Raiders.
Part of the excerpt from Johnston's book reveals, "He shrugged off his worldly concerns and reached out with the Force. 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."
This moment hearkens back to the scene immediately following Anakin's attack on the Tuskens in "Attack of the Clones," in which a meditating Yoda hears Qui-Gon's voice calling Anakin's name (via YouTube). In the film, it is ambiguous whether only Yoda hears this call or if Anakin also hears but chooses to ignore it. However, Johnston's novel confirms that Qui-Gon's spirit was talking to Anakin and that Yoda had merely tuned into this otherworldly broadcast while Anakin brushed it aside.