[OOC: Where Anakin's coming from]
Because all the cool kids did it and Anakin's not above trying to be a cool kid.
I'm pulling Anakin out of his galaxy a few years before Attack of the Clones, when he's about 17. He's been Obi-Wan's Padawan for seven, eight years, and is completely at that point where he thinks he can't learn anything more from him, is embarrassed to be on the same planet as him, and desperately, desperately craves his approval all at the same time.
They've been bopping around the galaxy trying to negotiate with the increasingly powerful Confederacy of Independent Systems (the Separatist movement), a group of systems and trade organizations led by former Jedi Dooku that have seceded from the Republic, citing the increased corruption and hypocrisy of the government. My particular spin on this is that Anakin's more than a little confused by Dooku giving up what it means to be a Jedi for a cause (he doesn't know about the whole "Dooku's evil" part, obviously). He's starting to wonder if there's more out there for a Force-user than just being a Jedi (especially the whole "no attachments" "no possessions" "no meaningful personal relationships" part of being a Jedi) and wonders if Dooku might have a point. He doesn't particularly enjoy these thoughts.
If you want a more general overview, I point you to the incredibly helpful Wikipedia entry on all six movies. I'm just going to do a quick summary of the emo Padawan.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there was a little boy with a fondness for kettle drum music and getting his own way. His name was Anakin Skywalker. Born a slave on Tatooine, he was a precocious, borderline obnoxious, nine year old when he first met Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Queen Padme Amidala (and fell in love with two of them Padme. Yes, he was nine. No, I don't understand the mind of George Lucas either). Because of his mad skills with mechanics and engineering (yeah, he built C-3PO), not to mention being the only human to survive, let alone win a pod race (think intergalactic drag race), Qui-Gon decided that Anakin wasn't just especially talented with the Force, but might be the Chosen One spoken of in prophecy to bring balance to the Force. In a tricky bit of betting, he managed to wrangle Anakin away from his slavemaster and take him to Coruscant where he would be trained as a Jedi.
This brings us to Teh Angst of Anakin Skywalker. Angst number 1: He was taken from his mother, who was left behind to continue her life as a slave on Tatooine. Sucks to be her. Angst number 2: Upon leaving his mother and traveling halfway across the galaxy with mostly strangers, his request to be trained was turned down flat by the Jedi Council. "Prophecy, schmophecy," said the Council. Okay, paraphrased the Council. He was too old--most Jedi were taken as babies and had no recollections of the families or planets they came from, significantly cutting down on whining--and he had too much fear and anger built up inside him already. Not a great mix to be combined with phenomenal cosmic powers, the Council decided. They probably should've stuck with their initial assessment.
After Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul, a Lord of the Sith (the no-good, very bad Dark Side flip of the Jedi coin), the Council changed its mind and agreed to allow the newly raised Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi to train Anakin.
Anakin's never forgotten the initial rejection, though, and his thirst to prove himself, combined with a pretty volatile nature and an absolute genius (and a not very Jedi-like smug awareness of just how good he is) with weapons or mechanically inclined objects makes for a very explosive combination. Sometimes literally.
His story will ultimately end in secret marriage, tears, pain, betrayal, twin children, a big hulking black suit, and killer theme music. But he doesn't know that yet.
Anakin was sent to Fandom High by an Obi-Wan tired of his Padawan's eye-rolling and arrogance. He figured a place where Anakin was one of many, many Chosen Ones might do something to bring his ego down to a more controllable level. This may or may not prove to be the case.
His recent encounter with yearbook food turning him into his perception of his own worst enemy (in his case, himself as a humorless, conscienceless Sith) scared him pretty badly. Whether he was scared because of the loss of control or because it wasn't as frightening to be a Dark Lord as he had been told is something that remains to be seen.
Anakin is still trying to do the right thing by the Jedi Code--to be a protector, one of the good guys. He's prone to brooding, obsessing about Padme (some things are Meant to Be), and making snap judgments about his fellow students. Once he's decided about the character of a person, be it correct or not, it'll be pretty impossible to change his mind about it. He doesn't see the harm in Angelus and you won't be able to convince him otherwise. (I didn't say he was particularly good at being a judge of character.) So far, his friends at Fandom High have tended towards the Dark Gray side of the Force, but he's always open to meeting new beings. That's what Obi-Wan sent him here to do, after all, and he really, really wants to impress Obi-Wan.
He's walking a tightrope at Fandom High. Feel free to either help him across or try to push him off.
I'm pulling Anakin out of his galaxy a few years before Attack of the Clones, when he's about 17. He's been Obi-Wan's Padawan for seven, eight years, and is completely at that point where he thinks he can't learn anything more from him, is embarrassed to be on the same planet as him, and desperately, desperately craves his approval all at the same time.
They've been bopping around the galaxy trying to negotiate with the increasingly powerful Confederacy of Independent Systems (the Separatist movement), a group of systems and trade organizations led by former Jedi Dooku that have seceded from the Republic, citing the increased corruption and hypocrisy of the government. My particular spin on this is that Anakin's more than a little confused by Dooku giving up what it means to be a Jedi for a cause (he doesn't know about the whole "Dooku's evil" part, obviously). He's starting to wonder if there's more out there for a Force-user than just being a Jedi (especially the whole "no attachments" "no possessions" "no meaningful personal relationships" part of being a Jedi) and wonders if Dooku might have a point. He doesn't particularly enjoy these thoughts.
If you want a more general overview, I point you to the incredibly helpful Wikipedia entry on all six movies. I'm just going to do a quick summary of the emo Padawan.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there was a little boy with a fondness for kettle drum music and getting his own way. His name was Anakin Skywalker. Born a slave on Tatooine, he was a precocious, borderline obnoxious, nine year old when he first met Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Queen Padme Amidala (and fell in love with two of them Padme. Yes, he was nine. No, I don't understand the mind of George Lucas either). Because of his mad skills with mechanics and engineering (yeah, he built C-3PO), not to mention being the only human to survive, let alone win a pod race (think intergalactic drag race), Qui-Gon decided that Anakin wasn't just especially talented with the Force, but might be the Chosen One spoken of in prophecy to bring balance to the Force. In a tricky bit of betting, he managed to wrangle Anakin away from his slavemaster and take him to Coruscant where he would be trained as a Jedi.
This brings us to Teh Angst of Anakin Skywalker. Angst number 1: He was taken from his mother, who was left behind to continue her life as a slave on Tatooine. Sucks to be her. Angst number 2: Upon leaving his mother and traveling halfway across the galaxy with mostly strangers, his request to be trained was turned down flat by the Jedi Council. "Prophecy, schmophecy," said the Council. Okay, paraphrased the Council. He was too old--most Jedi were taken as babies and had no recollections of the families or planets they came from, significantly cutting down on whining--and he had too much fear and anger built up inside him already. Not a great mix to be combined with phenomenal cosmic powers, the Council decided. They probably should've stuck with their initial assessment.
After Qui-Gon was killed by Darth Maul, a Lord of the Sith (the no-good, very bad Dark Side flip of the Jedi coin), the Council changed its mind and agreed to allow the newly raised Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi to train Anakin.
Anakin's never forgotten the initial rejection, though, and his thirst to prove himself, combined with a pretty volatile nature and an absolute genius (and a not very Jedi-like smug awareness of just how good he is) with weapons or mechanically inclined objects makes for a very explosive combination. Sometimes literally.
His story will ultimately end in secret marriage, tears, pain, betrayal, twin children, a big hulking black suit, and killer theme music. But he doesn't know that yet.
Anakin was sent to Fandom High by an Obi-Wan tired of his Padawan's eye-rolling and arrogance. He figured a place where Anakin was one of many, many Chosen Ones might do something to bring his ego down to a more controllable level. This may or may not prove to be the case.
His recent encounter with yearbook food turning him into his perception of his own worst enemy (in his case, himself as a humorless, conscienceless Sith) scared him pretty badly. Whether he was scared because of the loss of control or because it wasn't as frightening to be a Dark Lord as he had been told is something that remains to be seen.
Anakin is still trying to do the right thing by the Jedi Code--to be a protector, one of the good guys. He's prone to brooding, obsessing about Padme (some things are Meant to Be), and making snap judgments about his fellow students. Once he's decided about the character of a person, be it correct or not, it'll be pretty impossible to change his mind about it. He doesn't see the harm in Angelus and you won't be able to convince him otherwise. (I didn't say he was particularly good at being a judge of character.) So far, his friends at Fandom High have tended towards the Dark Gray side of the Force, but he's always open to meeting new beings. That's what Obi-Wan sent him here to do, after all, and he really, really wants to impress Obi-Wan.
He's walking a tightrope at Fandom High. Feel free to either help him across or try to push him off.