Week 13 Story: The Man in The Suit

Anakin Skywalker was born a slave with his mother, Shmi Skywalker.   He had no father by birth, but he was instead conceived by the midi-chlorians,  microscopic organisms that live within every living organism and can speak with The Force.  Ani, a nickname for Anakin, worked for his master, Watto, in his junk shop.  As a slave, Ani was allowed to have many sorts of hobbies including pod racing and droid robotics.  He spent his free time creating and developing his very own droid, C-3PO.  In his hobby of pod racing. Ani proves that he is both talented at pod race design as well as pod race piloting.  He builds his own pod race to take involvement in local pod races in his home planet Tatooine.
One day, Ani meets Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi Master shopping at Watto's junk shop.  Feeling as if slavery holds a lifetime of joy and happiness from his and his mother, Ani pleads and begs for Qui-Gon to use his Jedi powers and free Ani and his mother from slavehood.  Qui-Gon finds himself amazed by Ani's birth history.  He discovers that Ani has the highest count of midi-chlorians living within him, even higher than Jedi Master Yoda.  Intrigued by Ani, Qui-Gon promises to free Ani from the clutches of slavery if Ani can win the local pod race that is scheduled for next week.  If Ani can win the pod race, Qui-Gon can buy materials for repairing his space ship with the prize money.  Ani uses his homemade pod racer to win the pod race for Qui-Gon and he prepares to be taken in my Qui-Gon to the Jedi Order. 

When taken into the presence of the Jedi Council, Ani felt immense fear.  However, his fear was not of the Jedi Order, but it was of his ability to protect the ones he loves.  Jedi Master Yoda hesitantly allowed Anakin to be a padawan, or Jedi Apprentice, under Obi-Wan Kenobi, the former padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn.  As Anakin trained, his skills of both the lightsaber and the Force improved astoundingly.  Through his fears of wanting to protect his loved ones, Anakin grew prideful in an attempt to mask his own insecurities.  Nevertheless, he and Obi-Wan Kenobi brought an end to the Clone Wars, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and its rebelling Separatists.  As a result of his unending valor and honor for his service in the wars, Anakin wished to be rewarded with a promotion.  The Jedi Council appreciated Anakin's endeavors and hard work.  They promoted Anakin to become a full-fledged Jedi. 

At last, Anakin held the power and responsibility of an official Jedi Knight.  Through his passion, Anakin continued mission after mission in an attempt to confirm his abilities.  His fear drove him to improve in strength.  Anakin, feeling as if he had become powerful enough to hold more responsibility in the Jedi Order, requested to be promoted even further to a Jedi Master to confirm his strength.  Sensing that Anakin's power had found source from Anakin's fear and instability, the Jedi Order denied Anakin's request. Seeing this, Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic but secretly a Sith Lord, gazed his eyes upon Anakin.  Palpatine, or Darth Sidious, also sensed the fear and anxiety of the vulnerable and powerful Anakin Skywalker.  In his plan to undermine the Galactic Empire and become a dictator, Palpatine planned to manipulate Anakin to do his bidding.  Palpatine took advantage of Anakin's insecurities and planted fear into Anakin.  He promised Anakin immeasurable power if he were to come to the dark side of the Force. Anakin, seduced by the raw power of the dark side, was forced to battle with his former master Obi-Wan Kenobi.  The former allies battled for hours on end, but Obi-Wan Kenobi proved to be the superior duelist.  Obi-Wan, seeing that his once loved brother Anakin was no longer able to be saved from the dark side, left Anakin to die.  However, in the midst of this, Palpatine defeated Jedi Master Yoda and completed his scheme of becoming the Emperor of The Galactic Empire.  Palpatine found Anakin's body to be no longer able to support Anakin, and had Anakin encased in a black suit of darkness.  Becoming the 2nd in command to the Emperor, Anakin was given a new name of evil: Darth Vader.  Anakin finally found himself to have the high rank that he for so long desired.  However, Darth Vader despaired, as he finally had the power to protect the ones he loved, but instead he traded the ones he loved for this very power.

Anakin growing his strength and power as a Jedi Knight

This story is based on the Laotian story of "The Man in the Moon" but is retold using the story of Star Wars.  The man in the moon was never satisfied with his own life.  As a blacksmith, he complained of the hard and heavy work.  He became a stone-cutter but also expressed disappointment in this profession.  In the end, he asked to be a blacksmith again, but he instead became the moon, forever cold and lonely.  Anakin's story is very similar in nature.  He wished to no longer be a slave and to be a free Jedi Padawan.  Afterward, he asked to be a full-fledged Jedi Knight.  Growing in his own capabilities, he found himself dissatisfied with being just a Jedi Knight. He then desired to be a high ranked Jedi Master.  However, seeing the darkness inside of Anakin, the Jedi Council denied his wishes.  In the end, just like the moon, Anakin was forced to become Darth Vader, forever cold and lonely.  The similarities between the blacksmith and Anakin are that they are both insecure about their places in life.  They both wish to be something better.  However, they both end up an empty shell due to these endeavors.