I'm sorry I just never had that reaction to the character. I thought Anakin was likable and heroic in all three movies.
Testament to that heroism is his immediate willingness, even eagerness to help the stranded Qui-Gon and Co. in 'Menace, his reckless, but determined, and courageous, protection of Padme and his attempts to capture her attacker in 'Clones, and his self-assured, fearless, if headstrong rescuing of the Chancellor while keeping Obi-Wan safe, both during the approach to the Invisible Hand and later when he has to carry his one-time Master on his back. Never mind his piloting of a crashing starship to a "happy landing".
Yes, Anakin had flaws. In 'Clones he's a young man bristling at the strictures imposed on him by the Jedi, and when this finds voice he can seem petulant and yes... even whiny. That's where the beratement of Obi-Wan comes from, but it doesn't make him any less his friend.
And it isn't the extent of Anakin's character either. When he's with Padme the rough edges seem to soften and while his anxiousness to get with the Naboo Senator can run too intense on occasion, this in itself can be endearing. In 'Sith he appears as very much the heroic Jedi Knight, at least until his character flaws rear-up again and he begins to spiral into emotional entropy. But before that, certainly in the first act, he is played as the daring pilot, friend and brother to Obi-Wan, swashbuckling warrior of the Republic, and all around hero of the Clone Wars.
That's what the Clone Wars producers have taken as their version, I suppose you could say, of the character. The Anakin Skywalker from the early stages of ROTS. The Jedi leader. Hero of the Clone Wars. A young man who has come into his own during this massive galactic conflict. Anakin's able to forget himself in the Wars. His reckless impulses are almost an asset here and his insecurites can be burried, rearing their head only occasionally, because all that matters is the mission.
In truth, I would imagine that the lure of spending more time with Anakin-the-hero was largely what compelled George Lucas to produce the show in the first place. That and obviously, getting to show more of the Clone Wars themselves.
Obviously though, my view of Anakin, as he was portrayed in the movies, doesn't gel with how you saw it. That's okay, you're not alone in that. I though, am somewhat confused as to how that can be the case... but never mind.
Oh, and I love Clone Wars too. My thanks as well to LP. I've very much enjoyed reading your reviews over the course of the season.
no subject
Testament to that heroism is his immediate willingness, even eagerness to help the stranded Qui-Gon and Co. in 'Menace, his reckless, but determined, and courageous, protection of Padme and his attempts to capture her attacker in 'Clones, and his self-assured, fearless, if headstrong rescuing of the Chancellor while keeping Obi-Wan safe, both during the approach to the Invisible Hand and later when he has to carry his one-time Master on his back. Never mind his piloting of a crashing starship to a "happy landing".
Yes, Anakin had flaws. In 'Clones he's a young man bristling at the strictures imposed on him by the Jedi, and when this finds voice he can seem petulant and yes... even whiny. That's where the beratement of Obi-Wan comes from, but it doesn't make him any less his friend.
And it isn't the extent of Anakin's character either. When he's with Padme the rough edges seem to soften and while his anxiousness to get with the Naboo Senator can run too intense on occasion, this in itself can be endearing. In 'Sith he appears as very much the heroic Jedi Knight, at least until his character flaws rear-up again and he begins to spiral into emotional entropy. But before that, certainly in the first act, he is played as the daring pilot, friend and brother to Obi-Wan, swashbuckling warrior of the Republic, and all around hero of the Clone Wars.
That's what the Clone Wars producers have taken as their version, I suppose you could say, of the character. The Anakin Skywalker from the early stages of ROTS. The Jedi leader. Hero of the Clone Wars. A young man who has come into his own during this massive galactic conflict. Anakin's able to forget himself in the Wars. His reckless impulses are almost an asset here and his insecurites can be burried, rearing their head only occasionally, because all that matters is the mission.
In truth, I would imagine that the lure of spending more time with Anakin-the-hero was largely what compelled George Lucas to produce the show in the first place. That and obviously, getting to show more of the Clone Wars themselves.
Obviously though, my view of Anakin, as he was portrayed in the movies, doesn't gel with how you saw it. That's okay, you're not alone in that. I though, am somewhat confused as to how that can be the case... but never mind.
Oh, and I love Clone Wars too. My thanks as well to LP. I've very much enjoyed reading your reviews over the course of the season.