I was rewatching Revenge of the Sith the other day, and it hit me again – Anakin really could’ve had it all. No lava, no suit, no Palpatine breathing down his neck.
Every time I get to that part, I start thinking about the version of him that stayed in the light. So I figured I’d get into it and lay it all out here.
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He’d Probably Reach His Full Potential
Anakin was supposed to be the most powerful Jedi ever. That wasn’t just talk – he actually had the highest midi-chlorian count on record, even higher than Yoda or Palpatine. George Lucas himself said that if Anakin had stayed in the light, he could’ve become twice as powerful as the Emperor.
But once he fought Obi-Wan on Mustafar and lost most of his body, that potential dropped. After the injuries and the trauma, he wasn’t the same. His Force connection was still strong, but not like it could’ve been. So yeah, if he had stayed a Jedi or turned back earlier and survived, he would’ve likely reached that full potential. No question.
The Suit and the Trauma Slowed Him Down
After Mustafar, he gets put in that black suit and becomes Vader. I always thought the suit looked awesome, but it had some serious downsides. In the old stories, the Emperor actually had the suit built with crappy tech to keep Vader angry and dependent on him. In newer stories, Vader gets to upgrade parts of it himself, so it’s not completely useless. But still – he’s slower, in pain a lot, and limited in how he can move and fight.
And then there’s the mental side. Everything he lost – his body, Padmé, the Jedi – it all hit him hard. That kind of trauma doesn’t just go away. It sticks with you, and it messed with how strong he could become. He had power, but it wasn’t focused or balanced.
This part really stands out when you compare Anakin and Vader in duels. Pre-suit Anakin was fast, acrobatic, and aggressive – almost like a Force-powered gymnast with a blade. But Vader? He had to relearn how to fight after getting stuck in that walking life-support coffin.
He couldn’t flip anymore. He couldn’t move like he used to. His fighting style turned into something slower and heavier – more like a tank than a swordsman. And part of that was by design. The suit limited his flexibility, and Palpatine didn’t want him relying too much on his lightsaber anyway.
Vader eventually shifted toward using brute strength and Force dominance in fights (the way the Sith fight). Instead of precise attacks, he crushed people with raw power and ended duels fast. As a Jedi though? He would’ve kept the agility, precision, and flexibility that made Anakin one of the best lightsaber duelists in the Order.
Now, if he came back to the light and stayed alive, I doubt he’d keep that same suit. He’d probably build something more comfortable, something that helped him instead of holding him back. That alone would change everything.
He’d Get Jedi Powers Like Healing and Future Sight
Dark side Vader used pain, hate, and anger to fuel his power. But Jedi Vader? He’d rely on clarity and peace. That opens the door to all kinds of abilities he didn’t have before – like Force healing, better awareness, and even clairvoyance. Jedi like Yoda and Qui-Gon used those skills. Anakin, with his talent, would definitely be able to do the same if he followed the Jedi path again.
It’s not just about cool powers either. Jedi who stay in the light tend to grow stronger over time. There’s no burnout. He would’ve kept growing and becoming wiser, instead of being stuck in rage and regret like he was as a Sith.
Fun Fact: There’s a White-Suit Vader in One Story
That white-armored Vader isn’t just fan art – it’s from the 2003 comic Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi, a what-if story where key moments in the film play out differently. In this version, the rescue at Jabba’s Palace fails, Han ends up blind, and Luke is captured by the Empire.
Eventually, during the final confrontation on the Death Star, Luke refuses to fight, reveals to Vader that he and Leia are his children, and Vader breaks – literally begging for forgiveness. He turns back to the light and survives.
After the Death Star’s destruction, Anakin reappears wearing a white version of his life-support suit, now fighting alongside the Rebels to hunt down a still-living Palpatine. It’s not canon, but the suit was iconic enough to get an official Black Series figure and even a LEGO minifig.
