The Incompetence of the Jedi Is the Biggest Reason for Anakin Skywalker’s Fall

As we all know, Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side wasn’t because he saw the dark side as stronger than the light. It was rooted in the Jedi Council’s lack of trust in him. 

Anakin felt increasingly alienated from the Jedi, and this isolation made him vulnerable to Palpatine’s manipulation. 

Palpatine skillfully positioned himself as the only person Anakin could truly trust.

In that crucial moment, Palpatine convinced Anakin that only through him could he find the power to save the ones he loved. 

From there, we no longer saw the conflicted Jedi we once knew—Anakin was replaced by the dark lord, Darth Vader.

So ponder with me as we discover the moments when the Jedi Council’s actions led Anakin from being a Jedi to becoming a Sith Lord.

The Jedi Council’s Lack of Trust in Anakin from Day One

As Star Wars fans, we all remember how Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine discovered Anakin Skywalker. 

From that moment, Qui-Gon was convinced that Anakin was the prophesied “Chosen One,” destined to bring balance to the Force.

After bringing Anakin to Coruscant, Qui-Gon asked the Jedi Council to allow Anakin to be trained as a Jedi. However, from the very beginning, the Jedi Council was skeptical of Anakin’s potential. 

Despite Qui-Gon’s insistence, the Council didn’t believe he was the one mentioned in the prophecy. 

Although they eventually agreed to test Anakin, and he passed the test, they still didn’t want to train him.

The Jedi Council’s main concern was rooted in Anakin’s emotional state. They sensed his fear and attachment, particularly his fear of losing those he loved—especially his mother.

The Council believed that if Anakin continued down this path, his fear could lead him to the dark side. 

But instead of guiding him through these emotions, they chose to distance themselves. 

If the Jedi Council had taken the time to understand Anakin’s feelings and helped him overcome his emotional struggles, things might have turned out differently. 

As a young boy, it’s only natural that Anakin would miss his mother—the only person he had ever been close to. 

If the Jedi had shown compassion and perhaps even helped free his mother from slavery, Anakin’s journey might have taken a different path.

After Qui-Gon Jinn’s death at the hands of Darth Maul, Obi-Wan was the one who approached Yoda to request permission to train Anakin as his Padawan.

However, even at that moment, Yoda remained unconvinced. If you pay close attention to the scene, Yoda still held onto his belief that Anakin was not suited for the life of a Jedi.

Yoda’s concerns about Anakin’s fear and emotional attachments were never fully resolved. He hesitantly allowed Obi-Wan to train him, but not without expressing his strong doubts. 

Yoda believed that Anakin’s training as a Jedi could be dangerous, not just for himself, but for the entire Jedi Order. 

He feared that Anakin’s intense emotions and fear of loss could lead him down a dark path, one that might threaten the stability of the Jedi Council and the galaxy as a whole.

The Jedi’s Failure to Support Ahsoka and Its Impact on Anakin’s Faith

One of the most critical moments illustrating the Jedi Council’s incompetence and how it affected Anakin Skywalker’s fall comes in Star Wars: The Clone Wars when Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s trusted apprentice, is wrongfully accused of bombing the Jedi Temple.

After the bombing, Ahsoka is framed for the attack and a subsequent murder, leading to her arrest. 

The Jedi Council, pressured by the Senate, decides to expel her from the Jedi Order to face trial under the Republic’s jurisdiction. 

Despite Ahsoka’s protests of innocence, the Council coldly turns its back on her without sufficient investigation, putting their own interests and reputation ahead of their own.

This betrayal hits Anakin especially hard. Throughout the ordeal, Anakin stands by Ahsoka, relentlessly searching for the real culprit, which he eventually uncovers to be Barriss Offee, another Jedi Padawan. 

Despite Anakin proving Ahsoka’s innocence, the damage is already done. The Jedi Order’s inability to trust and support Ahsoka when she needs them the most leaves her devastated. 

Even when the Council offers her reinstatement, Ahsoka refuses, no longer feeling any loyalty to the Jedi who abandoned her.

For Anakin, this event furthers his disillusionment with the Jedi. He sees firsthand how the Order, which claims to uphold justice and peace, turns its back on someone so easily when convenient. 

This incident parallels how the Jedi Council repeatedly fails Anakin, whether it’s their initial refusal to train him, their lack of faith in his abilities, or their treatment of him during the Clone Wars.

Anakin Skywalker’s Breaking Point: The Jedi Council’s Refusal to Make Him a Master

One of the most critical moments that led to Anakin Skywalker’s disillusionment with the Jedi Order occurs when he is accepted into the Jedi Council—but denied the rank of Jedi Master.

Despite Anakin’s countless heroics during the Clone Wars—from leading the 501st Legion to victory in countless battles to rescuing Chancellor Palpatine from General Grievous and Count Dooku—the Council still does not fully trust him.

Anakin had proven time and time again that he was not just a skilled warrior but also an indispensable leader, responsible for turning the tide of the war on multiple occasions.

The Jedi stop short of granting him the rank of Master—a title Anakin desperately seeks.

From Anakin’s perspective, this decision is more than just a title being withheld—it’s a blatant sign that the Jedi don’t trust him. 

The rejection strikes at the heart of Anakin’s deep-seated insecurities, which were already festering due to the Council’s prior reluctance to train him, their constant supervision, and their suspicion of his close relationship with Palpatine.

This moment exposes the hypocrisy of the Council: they allow Anakin to sit on the Council but do not respect him enough to grant him the full responsibilities and privileges that come with the role.

Anakin’s anger is evident when he questions the decision, saying, “How can you be on the Council and not be a Master?” To him, it’s not just an insult; it’s proof that the Jedi will never fully accept him.

It’s also a blow to his ego—Anakin sees himself as one of the strongest Jedi, more powerful than many who already hold the rank of Master, and yet the Council denies him that recognition.

This decision also deepens Anakin’s growing mistrust of the Jedi, as it reinforces the idea that they are holding him back, either out of fear or a refusal to acknowledge his true potential. 

Meanwhile, Palpatine, ever the manipulator, uses this moment to stoke Anakin’s feelings of betrayal, encouraging him to see the Jedi as enemies trying to limit his power. 

Palpatine’s careful whispers about the Jedi’s hidden agendas push Anakin even further away from the Order.

The Jedi Council’s Hidden Moves That Led to Anakin’s Transformation Into Darth Vader

After being denied the rank of Jedi Master, the Jedi Council takes things a step further by asking Anakin to spy on Chancellor Palpatine. 

This task, assigned in Revenge of the Sith, puts Anakin in an impossible position. 

For Anakin, the Council’s request to spy on Palpatine isn’t just another mission—it’s a clear sign that they distrust both Palpatine and Anakin himself.

This is where Anakin begins to feel that the Jedi are contradicting their own Jedi Code, which is supposed to uphold honesty and integrity. 

In a pivotal scene, Anakin expresses his frustration and disbelief to Obi-Wan, saying, “They want me to spy on the Chancellor? That is treason.” He further confirms that this mission is against the Jedi Code, telling Obi-Wan, “You’re asking me to do something against the Jedi Code.”

Following this confrontation, Obi-Wan reports Anakin’s reluctance to Masters Mace Windu and Yoda. Mace, who has never fully trusted Anakin, expresses his doubt once again by stating bluntly, “I don’t trust him.” 

This moment further emphasizes the Jedi Order’s continued lack of faith in Anakin, which only deepens his feelings of isolation and betrayal.

In this same conversation, Obi-Wan reminds them of the prophecy, asking, “Isn’t Anakin the Chosen One—the one who will destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force?” Yoda’s response is cryptic but revealing: “The prophecy that misread could have been.” 

This statement shows that even Yoda is now questioning whether Anakin is truly the Chosen One, adding to the growing doubt surrounding Anakin’s role within the Order.

Anakin’s inner conflict reaches its peak when he later confronts Mace Windu after revealing Palpatine’s true identity as Darth Sidious. 

Mace decides on the spot to kill Palpatine, ignoring the Jedi Code’s teaching that Sith Lords should be brought to justice, not executed. 

This moment only confirms what Anakin has already begun to suspect—the Jedi, who have always claimed to uphold justice, are now bending their own rules in the face of fear and desperation.

In Anakin’s eyes, the Jedi’s willingness to break their own code for what they believe is the greater good becomes the final straw that justifies his eventual betrayal. 

His belief that the Jedi are no longer true to their teachings makes Palpatine’s offer of power and control over his own destiny even more tempting. 

Ultimately, this drives Anakin to make the fateful choice that leads to his transformation into Darth Vader.