Darth Vader was not born with a suit that breathed with mechanical precision. Before he became a feared Sith Lord, he was Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen), under the control of Emperor Palpatine.

However, once Palpatine turned Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader, he ensured that Vader would be the strongest Sith Lord of them all. He made sure his apprentice was in constant pain and rage (which fueled the Dark Side).

According to the novel, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (and Instagram), here’s how Palpatine specifically designed Darth Vader’s suit to keep him enraged.

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Every moment was agony for him. Every breath he took was mechanical precision that allowed him to keep himself alive. However, it wasn’t just the suit that turned Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader.

Palpatine Used Decades of Psychological Trauma on Anakin

Anakin Skywalker didn’t turn into Darth Vader in a single day. Instead, Palpatine entered Skywalker’s life as a “father figure” after the death of Qui-Gon Jinn.

While the Jedi taught Anakin humility and restraint, Palpatine planted seeds of distrust and rebellion in a young Anakin Skywalker’s mind. Palpatine treated Anakin with kindness and exploited his fear of being alone and Padme Amidala’s dying.

Creating a sense of isolation and dread around him, Palpatine crafted the perfect plan and executed it at the right moment. However, it wasn’t Anakin Skywalker’s fault alone, since he didn’t seem to have much of a choice.

Why Anakin Skywalker Had No Choice but to Turn to the Dark Side

Anakin Skywalker in a still from Ahsoka | Credits: Lucasfilm

For Anakin Skywalker, his environment became his jail, facing betrayal, moral dilemma, and unfairness from everywhere. Palpatine forced Anakin Skywalker to see the negative things, while years of trauma and emotional abandonment had left him scarred.

Feeling like an outsider in the Jedi Council, abandoned when he told of the visions involving his wife’s death, seeing Mace Windu attempting to kill Palpatine without a trial, and wanting to ensure Padme Amidala’s survival. There were plenty of reasons for Anakin Skywalker to turn to the Dark Side.

It is as Harvey Dent rightly said, “You live long enough to see yourself become the villain,” but for Anakin Skywalker, he was never the villain. He was only trying to protect his wife from a world that didn’t care for him. Naturally, Anakin Skywalker had no choice but to turn to the Dark Side.

Do you think Anakin Skywalker’s allegiance was justified? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Star Wars movies are available to stream on Disney+ (USA).
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