I just read yours and other blogs pondering the origins of Anakin, considering the comments made by Palpatine that the midichlorians could be manipulated by the Sith to start life. But I haven't seen anyone acknowledging that the Sith are at their core deceivers. Palpatine at this point certainly knows the rumored origins of Anakin and his status as the Chosen One, and his whole purpose in this conversation is to lure Anakin to the Dark Side. Why is everyone taking the comments made by Palpatine as truth? To me this seems obviously false, as is his contention that Sith could have the power to prevent death/restore life. The promise he made to Anakin to teach him how to use this power to save Padame is a lie from the beginning and all part of his plan. You can see this when he informs Darth Vader that Padame has died - he is standing behind Vader and is quite gleeful at Vader's reaction to the news. The death of Padame just brings Vader to an even fuller acceptance of the Dark Side and fuels his power with rage and suffering and betrayal. This is quintessentially the story of selling your soul to the "devil", and we know the devil is not one for ever telling the truth or fulfilling promises. I don't think the Sith have or know about either of these powers. Neither of these powers are things which would require a force based in evil to accomplish, (other than their classification as unnatural), so why can't the Jedi do them too, if they exist?  Especially if the Jedi are able to commune with the spirits of the dead, as is clearly the case. The only one who ever brings anyone back from the "dead", arguably, is Luke, in the sense that he brings Anakin back. Also, in the Feb. '05 Vanity Fair article, Lucas specifically says that Anakin was created by the Force itself, not a Sith manipulation of the Force. This has to be true in order for the redemption in VI to mean what it is planned by Lucas to mean. Hope this gives you something to consider when examining this "mystery".  -meab4

I've never called it a mystery. And I have considered it -- I just doubt its validity.

I wouldn't say that I'm taking Palpatine's comments as the truth as much as I'm not taking them as a lie. In order for him to deceive, he'd have to be making a claim. The claim to have created Anakin's life is never made. In fact, it isn't even implied to Anakin, it is only implied to us, via the sly smirk Palpatine makes as he turns his head away from Anakin. If Lucas never meant for us to assume it, the line shouldn't have been put in Episode III.

To me it simply doesn't make sense that this information is planted in the story arc, only to have it be irrelevant. If the Sith are deceiving Anakin, then so be it, but they never actually imply it to Anakin, nor is Anakin ever told about his apparent lack of a father on camera. If its deceit, its thinly painted, if painted at all. And more than this, if anyone's deceiving, its Lucas through his film craft. It wouldn't be the first time though. Anyone remember Han's false foreshadowing of his last look on the Falcon in Episode VI? What a red herring that was (or a sloppy redraft of a possible Lando self-sacrifice).

As for the Vanity Fair article is concerned, I haven't seen it, but my Rolling Stone source is newer and if anyone is known to redrafted a completed thought, its Lucas (Special Editions, three trilogies, etc). If he says he's leaving it open, then I assume he means its up for debate. Which is what I'm doing.

I'll unfold more of my theory of the Sith later. Including the circu.mstances regarding the death of Shmi.