Reprinted from the Episode III Spoiler thread "The Role of Fear", Date Posted: Aug 14, 2003 10:49 AM:

It seems to me that Fear has great significance in Anakin's/Vader's story. Betrayal is certainly one factor. Anger is another. But Fear has been a recurring theme so far, and one not so often touched upon when discussing Vader's persona.

Since its expected in this film that we will see the "birth" of Vader, it may well be that we will understand better what the makeup of his persona is, and what motivates him. To date, if you think about it, we have never known why Darth Vader is the way he is.

When Yoda first meets Anakin, his tone is ominous. Looking into Anakin, he sees fear of losing his mother, and speaks of how fear leads directly to anger, hate, and suffering - all tenets of the Dark Side. Yoda's words are obvious foreshadowing -

"Much fear I sense in you".

It was fear for his mothers safety that led him to the Tusken Raider camp, and his first step toward the Dark Side.

Now Rick McCallum tells us in the August 13, 2003 online chat that Darth Vader will say these three words in Episode 3:

"I don't fear..."

Out of context, to be sure, but it was prominent enough for him to mention. More interesting, it seems to oppose (note I said "oppose" not "contradict") what Yoda said in Episode I. Either way you look at it, Fear seems to be pivotal in the shaping of the Darth Vader persona. Some questions, therefore:

>What is the role of Fear in Vader's newly formed persona in Episode III?

>We know he feared losing his mother in Ep1, but now she is gone. So what or who would Anakin fear the most now?

>When do you think Vader would say this? Possibly his first words as Vader, in the James Earl Jones voice? A conversation with Palpatine? A confrontation with Obi-Wan? Words to Padme?

>What, if anything, would Darth Vader not fear that perhaps Anakin would? "I don't fear..." ...what?

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Flash forward nearly 2 years later...

We now understand what these elusive words were as Darth Vader. Though they were not his very first words, they defined his state of mind perfectly:

"I do not fear the Dark Side as you do, Obi-Wan."

To many posters' credit, they guessed this correctly even back then. Fear was the pathway to Anakin's demise. He lost his soul to the Duality of Fear - Fear as the Protector vs. Fear as the Oppresor.

From the opening sequence of the movie as he sparred physically, verbally and spiritually with Dooku, his nemesis points this out immediately:

"I sense great Fear in you, Skywalker. You have Anger. You have Hate. But you do not use them!"

From that moment on, as Anakin succumbs to his Fear, it becomes perfectly clear that it determines his destiny. Anakin fears many things. He fears for his loss of position with the Jedi. He fears for lack of recognition for his deeds. He fears for his Republic, at the cost of his appreciation for what it stands for. He fears for Obi-Wan, even. He fears for his Chancellor. And of course, most of all, he fears for Padme, and to compound that fear into a back-breaking terror, he now must fear for his offspring. Anakin truly is swallowed by his own trepidation. Overwhelmed by doubt and remorse and indecision, he weaves his inexorable path toward the Dark Side.

How ironic that of all the pathways to ruin he feared, many of them departing from that oh so treacherous road of good intentions, he chose not to Fear the Dark Side.

As Anakin seeks counsel with Yoda regarding his mounting fear of the future, he asks how he must deal with his dark visions.

"What must I do, master?", he pleads.

Yoda answers, "You must train yourself to let go..."

And we know instantly that this is impossible for Anakin. No more possible than telling Yoda the truth - that he is too far gone from the Jedi way to return now. He might be able to let go of his pride, he might be able to let go of his politics, but he would never be able to let go of Padme. It would be too hard, too long a journey. Anakin is no longer concerned with being a Jedi, a protector of many. He is consumed with being a protector of precious few, and all he has left.

In perfect symmetry with Yoda's advice, Anakin then asks Sidious for the same solution. And as we now understand Anakin's choice between Yoda's and Palpatine's points of view, Yoda's words echo back to us from Anakin's distant future, a premonition we are privy to due to the providence of the Original Trilogy...

YODA: "A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Force are they... If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."

LUKE: "Vader..

...Is the dark side stronger?"

YODA: "No...no...no. Quicker, easier, more seductive."

And so it was for Anakin. It truly was the easier path, because to return to being a Jedi was to give up all that he held dear, all that defined him. So now the mystery of Darth Vader's line is solved:

"I do not fear the Dark Side as you do, Obi-Wan."

From Anakin's point of view, it was the least frightening option he had left.