Let's take a moment to appreciate the fact that the first two times Palpatine tries to turn Anakin against the Jedi, in Revenge of the Sith, Anakinās first instinct is to stand by them.
In the script and the comic book adaptation, he takes it a step further and declares the Jedi are his family.
As shown here... heās mastered the theory of the Jedi teachings. Rationally-speaking, he knows the Jedi are good and the Sith are evil.
Unfortunately, it takes discipline and commitment to put these teachings into practice. Thatās the part Anakin struggles with.
This is partly because throughout his training, while the Jedi were trying to teach him things like discipline and emotional intelligence, Palpatine would tell Anakin that "he doesnāt need any guidance, heās perfect just the way he is", enabling him.
Despite that failing, Anakin is still a trained Jedi and there is no scenario in which Anakin would just choose the Sith over the Jedi.
Which is why Palpatine switches his approach and stops framing the choice as a choice between the āJedi or Sithā but rather a choice between āJedi or PadmĆ©āā¦Ā
ā¦ and that makes Anakinās defenses crumble.
But that rational part is still there. Deep down, Anakin knows the Jedi are good and what heās doing is straight up evil.
So as he lies to PadmƩ, he lies to himself.
He focuses on the bad so it makes the killings easier to swallow.
"The Jedi were plotting a treasonous coup to overthrow the Republic. A strike force led by Mace Windu tried to assassinate the poor old defenseless Chancellor."
"Theyāre all gonna come for Anakin, now, so they need to be eliminated before they kill him."
"The Jedi are evil, they turned against him, and the galaxy is better off without them."
"Heās doing to end the war and bring peace to the galaxy, because it is better off with a strong leader whoāll put an end to the squabbling and indecisiveness of a corrupt Senate."
"Heās doing this for PadmĆ©."
Itās all bullshit, he doesnāt actually believe that.
But itās the only way to pacify that rational part inside of him, the valorous Jedi, the sweet little boy who keeps telling him to stop.
... is Anakin repeating Palpatine's paper-thin rationalization to make himself feel like he's still in the right. Nothing more.
gracieabrams
izzy806
snowghoul
origamiaround
ellievsbear
andulkaphoto
titsay
amandla
