What if Anakin Skywalker Never Trusted Palpatine

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What if Anakin Never Trusted Palpatine? Let’s explore the depths of it in the video.


Palpatine: Anakin . . . I'm appointing you to be my personal representative on the Jedi Council.

Anakin: Me? A Master? I am overwhelmed, sir, but the Council elects its own members. They will never accept this.

Palpatine: I think they will . . . they need you more than you know.

Palpatine smiles at him, a gesture meant to be reassuring, but Anakin can’t help but have his misgivings. While he should feel elated, he can’t help but feel…distrustful of this. He indeed wants to be a Jedi Master, but he wants to achieve that rank on his own merits and this idea of achieving it through politics leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

He’s already seen how getting the order involved in politics has led to disaster with Ahsoka’s trial. The idea of mixing those two again isn’t something he likes.

However, he cannot decline the chancellor’s offer and relays it to the Jedi Council. Unsurprisingly they are not pleased and seem hesitant to accept. While they whisper to each other, Anakin takes the chance to speak up.

Anakin: If I may say, I do not approve of such a plan. It doesn’t seem right for someone outside the Jedi Council, much less a politician to dictate who is appointed on this council.

Some of the masters, Mace Windu and Yoda included, look at Anakin in surprise. Obi-Wan nods approvingly.

Mace: As true as your assessment is, the council has agreed to grant you this temporary seat. However, we do not grant you the rank of master.

Even though he expects it, Anakin can’t help but feel hurt by this announcement. But as he glances over at the gathered council, he feels their eyes and expectations upon him. Master or not, he’s still expected to behave in a manner fitting this council. Taking a deep breath, Anakin nods.

Anakin: I understand, I just hope this doesn’t sully your opinion of me or make you doubt my loyalty to the Jedi.

Obi-Wan: On the contrary, Anakin. Your maturity in this situation has impressed us. That is why we wish to tell you why we are giving you this position. You are correct that it isn’t right for an outsider to dictate the affairs of the Jedi. That is why we wish to make sure the chancellor does not try anything else.

While shocked, Anakin agrees to help with their idea. It was strange for the chancellor to pull this move and maybe this is something worth looking into. For the first few days, things seem pretty normal as Palpatine focuses his efforts on rebuilding Coruscant and dealing with the Outer Rim Sieges. He doesn’t meddle in any affairs and leads the Republic as normal.

That is until he brings up Padme and her impending pregnancy. At first, he simply brushes this off as concern for her. After all, he was also the former Senator from Naboo and claimed he understands how stressful the job is without worrying about an impending birth.

But he doesn’t drop the topic. Instead, he continues to ask about Anakin’s thoughts on it and his relationship with her. He says he knows how close they are and wonders whether he is taking it well.

This gets Anakin’s suspicion and he decides to play along, admitting that he’s had his worries about the Padme, saying that he fears whether she’ll be safe. Palpatine pounces on this and agrees.

Palpatine: Most certainly, I am worried for her as well. How far does it go, if you don’t mind me asking? Have you been thinking about it a lot?

Anakin: Well, I have been having these dreams about her dying while giving birth. But they are just dreams.

The chancellor pounces on this opening. While feigning concern, he continues to ask Anakin about them. He asks about the details and what he’s feeling and Anakin feels his annoyance growing. This is the last thing he wants to think about.

As the weeks go on, the topic of Padme is never far from their conversations as Palpatine continues to provide updates on her condition. He says it to reassure him that she is safe and that everything he does is out of concern for him, but Anakin is not certain.

He reports all of this to the Jedi, but so far there is nothing that truly shows that Palptine is plotting anything sinister, that is until he makes another revelation. One day as they talk he asks whether he thinks Padme will be ok.

Anakin: Of course, she’s a senator and has access to the best doctors in the galaxy.

Palpatine: Yes indeed, but you know, even the best healers and doctors can still make mistakes. Jedi die all the time even with access to healers.

Anakin: That’s different those deaths are on the battlefield.

Palpatine: True, though you must admit it’s useful to have those kinds of powers to help you.

Alarm bells begin to go off in Anakin’s head as he hears that. He pays close attention to everything Palpatine says as he slowly drops hints at his ability
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