What do you really know about the hero of the Republic? Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his partner Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi have gained fame and adoration by citizens across the Republic for their heroic actions in defense of peace and democracy.
Sources within the Jedi Temple and other sources reveal conflicting accounts of just who is Anakin Skywalker, from mysteries about his origins, controversy about a prophecy and curious relationships with politicians.
I) Political Ambitions?
Anakin Skywalker has friends in some very high places. It is curious and has this reporter wondering whether this Jedi harbors some political ambitions. It has been a long time since the Jedi have taken an active role in Republic politics, but not unprecedented for the Republic which has had Jedi Chancellors in the past.
In what is a rather unique friendship and mentorship, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker has a very close relationship with Chancellor Palpatine and is when he is on Coruscant often seen going to and from Republic Executive Building and the Senate Complex. It appears that these two first met when Anakin was but a boy, in the events surrounding the Battle of Naboo. What at first appeared to be a small trade skirmish, but in retrospect was the tinder that set the galaxy ablaze in this civil war.
When asked for comment the Chancellor's office had the following say regarding Anakin:
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine considers Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to be a dear friend. Not only is Anakin a hero to the Republic risking life and limb on the front lines against the vile Separatist threat, he is also a man of great intelligence and wisdom. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine appreciates Jedi Knight Skywalker's friendship and advice in their mutual efforts to protect the citizens of the Republic and to restore peace. The Chancellor expects Jedi Knight Skywalker to make a great Jedi Master one day soon and to take a place on the Jedi Council.
This is very high praise, and speaks to both the respect and admiration that the Chancellor shows for one of the leading champions of the Republics cause. The Jedi tend to live a rather reserved life and certainly few if any can claim such a high profile friend as Anakin can in Chancellor Palpatine. There is another member of the Senate that Anakin is often seen conversing with, and that is the Senior Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala.
When asked for comments regarding the Senator's friendship with Anakin, the Senators spokes-Gungan had this to say;
Senator Amidala considers both Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to be close friends. These two heroes of the Republic helped save the people of Naboo from the Trade Federations attack and have helped save the Senator's life. The Senator hopes that the war will soon end so that the Jedi and all those now fighting may return home safely.
II) Prophecy of the Chosen One
This is where the story of Anakin Skywalker gets really interesting. Sources inside the Jedi Temple reveal information about Skywalker's position within the Jedi hierarchy. Apparently some with the Jedi ranks consider Skywalker to be what is called "The Chosen One." While shrouded in mystery, this much regarding an ancient prophecy is known. A massively powerful Force-user will be destined to bring balance to the Force.
The Jedi guard their secrets rather carefully, but this much is clear, "The Chosen One" is a mythic figure who could potentially deliver us from the trying times that the Republic now faces. Is Anakin this "Chosen One?" The Jedi will neither confirm or deny officially, but Anakin's past may give us some indication about this.
III) Mysterious Origins
The search for answers regarding the origins of Anakin Skywalker lead to a remote world in the Outer Rim, Tatooine. Tatooine is a desert world, featuring twin suns and hard living on the fringes of society. What emerges out from Tatooine is a story of triumph and tragedy.
Shockingly protector of freedom and democracy, Anakin Skywalker began life as a slave of Gardulla the Hutt. Anakin's mother Shmi was also a slave and he was born into this position.
Anakin made a number of childhood friends on Tatooine who still tell tales of the curious young boy who built his own podracer and used it to win a race and his freedom in the Boonta Eve Classic. It was following this race that Anakin traveled with Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and then Obi-Wan Kenobi to Coruscant and began what would become his life as a Jedi.
But what of the life that Anakin left behind? Friends of Anakin led us to the Moisture Farm of Cliegg Lars. The first thing you notice about Lars is the hoverchair that he needs to get around. Lars fell in love with Shmi Skywalker when she was still a slave and bought her freedom from Gardulla the Hutt after Anakin left Tatooine. Lars would have been Anakin's step-father but he never got to meet the boy until years later in the most unfortunate circumstances.
As Lars tells it, Shmi was abducted by Sandpeople, an indigenous tribal people of Tatooine known for their mercurialness and their propensity for violence. Lars launched a search and rescue mission with a number of other farmers, however their mission failed when they where attacked by Sandpeople and Lars was maimed.
This is where the story takes an interesting turn, according to Lars, Anakin returned to Tatooine and upon hearing the tale of what happened immediately set off on his own to find his mother. Tragically Anakin returned the next day bearing the body of his mother, who died at the hands of the Sandpeople.
As tragic as this story is, the real bombshell that Lars reveals is something that Shmi had told him. According to Lars, Shmi claimed that Anakin was spontaneously conceived. For those species unfamiliar, humans are a mammalian species that requires a male and a female to reproduce. Shmi told Lars that she had not been with a man when she became pregnant with Anakin and could not explain it but considered it a miracle.
Attempts to get to the bottom of this mystery have met with stonewalling from the only being that may have the answers. Attempts to get Anakin's Birth Holo-records from Gardulla the Hutt have been rebuffed. What is Gardulla hinding? Attempts to see if the Jedi may have a duplicate record of Anakin's Birth Holo-records where met by a mysterious non-answer by the Jedi Archives Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu, ""If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist."
What are the implications of whether or not Anakin was a miraculous conception on the prophecy of "The Chosen One?" At this point we are left to wonder, but the story of Anakin Skywalker, Hero of the Republic is more complex then the Holonet would have you believe.
