Pardon Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Anakin or Obi-wan. Those belong to the amazing George Lucas (bless his soul). The lyrics (italics) belong to Incubus (may they make music forever).

This is just my little version about how Anakin turned into Darth Vader. We all know he fell into a volcano (and if you didn't you should be reading more Star Wars stories). It is believed that he was duelling Obi-wan and fell in… But what if he jumped?

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Pardon me while I burst…

Anakin stood in front of the volcano. Heat flowing upwards making him feel warm. It had been a long time since he felt so warm; Coruscant was a very cold planet.

Pardon me while I burst…

Anakin stood before the hot molten rock just watching its mesmerizing movements. The simple rise and fall of the magma. So much had happened that day. She had been killed. Right before his very own eyes. And Anakin could do nothing to stop it. The only thing he could do was run…



A decade ago I never thought I would be, at twenty-three, on the verge of spontaneous combustion. Woe-is-me.

Only twenty-three and Anakin was already full of self-pity. All he wanted to do was die. That's why he came to the volcano… His mother long dead. The only other person he had ever loved's body lie so close he could feel her body slowly losing heat…

But I guess that it comes with the territory; an ominous landscape of never ending calamity.

Anakin looked up at the ominous landscape of the planet. Thanks to the active volcanoes it was coated in black. Black like how he felt. Dark and desolate. The only light in the clouded sky was the reflection from the hot pools of lava in the volcanoes.

I need you to hear. I need you to see that I have had all I can take and exploding seems like a definite possibility to me.

"Anakin! Don't!" A familiar voice from behind Anakin yelled. Anakin turned to see Obi-wan panting for breath from running up the volcanic hill.
"Go away. You can't do anything to stop me now."
"I won't let you do it Anakin." Obi-wan put his hand on Anakin shoulder.
"You don't understand, Old man!"



So pardon me while I burst into flames. I've had enough of the world and it's people's mindless games.

"You haven't had the only two people you ever loved die in your arms. You haven't felt the pain I am feeling. I've had enough, and there's nothing you can do to stop me," Anakin confessed.

So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame. Pardon me, pardon me.... I'll never be the same.

Obi-wan looked into the icy cold eyes of Anakin. He had changed so much in such a short period of time. How had he ever missed it?
"Don't even think of trying to stop me."



Not two days ago, I was having a look in a book and I saw a picture of a guy fried up above his knees. I said, "I can relate, " 'cause lately I've been thinking of combustation as a welcomed vacation from the burdens of the planet earth.

"You don't have to do this Anakin."
"I've had enough! You don't know how it feels!" Anakin was brimming with fury. Why couldn't Obi-wan just leave him alone so he could get this over with. Was it just two days ago that he was laughing with him? Not thinking about dying? Or anything as morbid as this?

Like gravity, hypocrisy, and the perils of being in 3-D... but thinking so much differently.

"Please Anakin! Don't do it. There's no reason to die! There is lots to live for!"
"What? The republic is crumbling and corrupt, my mother is dead, the only other woman I loved is dead now too, the Jedi are useless and there is nothing more you can teach me Old man." Anakin took one more step closer to the edge of the volcano's hot boiling lava.



So pardon me while I burst into flames. I've had enough of the world, and it's people's mindless games.

"I've had enough! There is nothing more for me in this world." Anakin looked up to the sky with tears flowing down his face. Then turned to Obi-wan, a hateful look in his face.

So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame. Pardon me, pardon me... I'll never be the same.

Anakin sent a shockwave of the Force towards Obi-wan sending the old man off balance. "There's no way to stop me old man!" Obi-wan rolled down the side of the volcano and lay crumbled on the ground, bruised and injured.

Never be the same…

Anakin knew that Obi-wan would never forgive him now. There was only one choice now…



Pardon me while I burst into flames Pardon me, pardon me, pardon me…

Anakin turned to the heat of the lava and looked down into its molten depths. The rise and fall of the lava was almost hypnotizing. It seemed to lure him to the edge of the crater. Anakin looked behind him to the battlefield in the distance. He felt her body getting colder, he felt the other dead in the field, and he felt Obi-wan starting to stir. This was the only chance he would have.
"Good-bye everyone."



So pardon me while I burst into flames.

Anakin took one last step and the ground beneath him vanished.

I've had enough of the world, and it's people's mindless games.

He could feel the heat rushing up the meet him, but it was his only choice.

So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame.

He felt the lava searing his flesh as he fell into its depths. The lava surrounded him, his body in so much pain. But this pain was nothing compared to the pain in his soul. At least both pains would end soon.

Pardon me, pardon me... I'll never be the same.

The darkness came closer. The heat was everywhere. At least he was warm again. Warm like in Padmé's arms. Warm like from his mother's kisses. He would never have anything like that again. Good-bye. Then only darkness.



Pardon me

The beeping of the monitors woke him up. He opened his eyes and looked around to see him in a hospital somewhere. He could only remember warmth.
"I'm glad to see you're awake."
Anakin turned his head to look at some strange figure cloaked in dark robes.
"We will have you repaired quickly."
Repaired? When did he make that choice?
The man gestured to a large black suit hung up in a case on the wall. "This will be the new you…"
The ominous black suit stared back at him with hollow heartless eyes. Good-bye. Then only darkness.

Never be the same… Yeah.



Fin.