Because of the prequel movies, we know Anakin’s backstory starts with him as a young boy. Yet, how the prequels portray Anakin only came together once those movies were planned. What was known about Anakin-Vader before the prequels came out? There was an outline of his life, but it diverged from the first two movies.
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What Was Known About Anakin’s Backstory?
The Phantom Menace came out 16 years after Return of the Jedi, and Anakin’s backstory was in flux during that interval. George Lucas did have ideas for Anakin-Vader while making Return, but there was still much unknown about the origins of this central villain.
One post on this discussion indicates some divergent directions for Anakin from what we became accustomed to with the prequels. Most notably, “Anakin was much older” when Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi encountered him, possibly in his twenties and “already a pilot.” Padme also survived, with Obi-Wan helping her to escape from Anakin, and raised Leia on Alderaan for several years before she died.
These ideas seem probable, given that Lucas did not seem to have initially planned for the younger Anakin that appeared in Phantom. As this article explains, Lucas had drafted ideas about Anakin following Palpatine to the dark side and for his marriage to Padme, both presumably as an older character. But, Lucas did not plan for the younger Anakin that appeared in Episodes I and II.
Another article backs up the idea that Anakin’s backstory was meant to start with the events in Revenge of the Sith. In the novelization for Return, Obi-Wan conveyed how he had fought Anakin in a way that mirrored what happened on Mustafar. So, this adult lightsaber duel was part of Anakin’s original backstory, not his time as a child.
That means Phantom added how Anakin was a slave on Tatooine, which includes a connection point to A New Hope with Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen living there. Anakin as the Chosen One was likewise a relatively late conception. Before the prequels, we probably would not be thinking of Anakin as “exceptionally strong with the Force” with “an unprecedented level” of midi-chlorians, just strong with the Force.
So too, we would not be aware of Anakin being the son of Shmi Skywalker, and that “no father” was involved in “Anakin’s conception.” Enslavement and miraculous conception were not part of Anakin’s backstory before the prequels came out. Instead, we would be seeing a skilled Jedi in his prime with much potential but destined for the dark side.
What Else Could Have Been Anakin’s Backstory?
If we start with an older Anakin, several directions are possible for Anakin’s backstory. Some imagine “Anakin to be a Han-Solo-esque figure” that is “more moody and jaded due to his insecurities.” That’s a promising idea, given how we witness Anakin becoming exactly that and more in Revenge.
Another fan from the above post contributes how Anakin would be more “serious, no-nonsense, burdened with immense power,” also similar to the last prequel. Between these two descriptions, we arrive at an Anakin who was adventurous but troubled and very close to what we witness on screen.
Others elaborate on these conceptions of Anakin by emphasizing his “skills as a warrior and pilot.” We also see Anakin become friends with his mentor Obi-Wan and take on numerous adventures together. These currents of Anakin’s life run close to The Clone Wars series.
We can thank The Clone Wars for filling out Anakin’s backstory, which we imagine would be on target for an older origins story. Coming three years after the prequels, this show delved into “a different side of the character”, including how Anakin evolved into a Jedi on the virtues of being a “starship pilot,” “cunning warrior,” and “good friend”, as Obi-Wan had said about Luke’s father.
This aspect of Anakin’s backstory is crucial because it reveals him to be what the original films had hinted at–first a noble Jedi with a playful personality and trusted, young leader of the galaxy. In other words, “Clone Wars Anakin seems much more mature” than his portrayal in Attack to Revenge and more aligned with “a Republic Jedi General at a time of war.”
Anakin-Vader’s backstory would evolve into the more serious and darkened Anakin in time, but center on his triumphs first.
Anakin-Vader’s Backstory
Across these insights into Anakin-Vader’s backstory, we find agreement about the narrative starting with him being older than the prequels, in his best Jedi years. We see continuity with the prospect of becoming a top Jedi, his relationship with Padme, and his eventual fall to the dark side. Yet, we would not have Anakin’s childhood and family trauma elements included in the story. Vader-Anakin would emerge from a blend of Clone Wars meets Revenge of the Sith.