Something that occurred to me after reading "Future Imperfect" from TheRealThing, which is a good read and my frustrations with Sequel Trilogy and also in memory of David Prowse.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.
The last thing Anakin had remembered was watching his son's eyes face with his own eyes before life ebbed away from him and the next thing he knew, he was in an endless void.
"Where am I?" Anakin wondered.
"Now you see what your fears and anger drive you towards, Skywalker." The voice echoed throughout the void and Anakin realized what it was.
"I know what I've done and I've made my peace with it." Anakin said.
"What has happened, cannot be undone… but what is yet to happen… can be avoided." The voice said and Anakin could hear the myriad of familiar voices echoing, among them being Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Yoda… all of Anakin's former mentors, all of them speaking in unison voice as a choir.
"How?" Anakin asked.
"Look deep into the Force and inside your heart, Anakin. Only you have the power to make the right choice." The voice said.
Next thing Anakin knew, he was back in the Senate building on his way to Chancellor Palpatine's office. His heart was filled with guilt, shame and pain, both from the fear of losing Padme and the memory of the chain of events his actions that fateful day had caused and he had to wonder if he could change things for the better this time.
Anakin made his way to the lift as it ascended up to Palpatine's office.
Palpatine had slain the members of the Jedi Council Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar and Saesee Tin and was now in a ferocious duel against Mace Windu, who was the greatest champion of the Jedi Order. Palpatine deflected Windu's blows as they were making their way to the window and the blades shattered the glass. They exchanged heated stares before Palpatine let out a roar of rage and Windu blocked Palpatine's strikes before kicking him, causing for Palpatine to stagger back and fall down as he dropped his lightsaber. Palpatine crawled back and leaned against the windowsill to the edge of the window as Windu aimed the tip of the purple blade lightsaber at the Sith Lord.
Anakin went out from the lift as he observed the familiar scene, not letting it turn out like the last time.
"You are under arrest, my lord." Windu said before he and Palpatine took a glance to notice Anakin.
"Anakin, I told you it would come to this. I was right. The Jedi are taking over!" Palpatine cried but Anakin saw through his lies this time, trying to mask his emotions and keep a straight face.
"The oppression of the Sith will never return. You have lost." Windu vowed.
"No, no, no. You will die!" Palpatine roared as he shot out Force lightning from his fingertips and Windu used his lightsaber to deflect the bolts back at Palpatine. "He's a traitor!" He snarled.
"He is the traitor!" Windu said, struggling to push back the energy of the lightning.
"I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose!" Palpatine croaked, his face deforming from the energy of the lightning. Last time, Anakin was conflicted but this time he would not be swayed by those words anymore.
"Don't listen to him, Anakin!" Windu ordered as he kept deflecting the lightning.
"Don't let him kill me… I can't hold it any longer… I can't… Anakin! Help me! I can't hold on any longer…" Palpatine begged and Anakin could not help himself but find this very ironic. This was both Anakin's and Palpatine's ultimate demise as Palpatine stopped the barrage of lightning, slumping back, weakened.
"I am going to end this once and for all." Windu said, about to deliver the killing blow, when Anakin ignited his lightsaber and the blue blade crossed with the purple one, much to Windu's confusion.
"Not like this." Anakin said firmly.
Palpatine laughed, looking at Anakin gratefully briefly and about to finish Windu off before Anakin raised his lightsaber to absorb the lightning as Palpatine stopped.
"I've seen where the path of the Dark Side takes me and I am not going to become your instrument to oppress innocent people. Not this time! I am Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One and I am going to restore the balance to the Force. This time, you won't win, Sidious!" Anakin snarled.
Palpatine was taken aback. This was not the insecure, uncertain and vulnerable boy that had been susceptible to Palpatine's words. Something had changed in him and his resolve was strong and what terrified Palpatine the most, there was no fear, no anger or darkness that he could use to corrupt him. It was as if he was facing a completely different person, not the boy he had been trying to seduce to the Dark Side over the years.
Windu was surprised by the certainty in Anakin but he smiled in pride, impressed.
"You believe you can best me? Then try it, boy!" Palpatine shouted as he got up and summoned his lightsaber and ignited it. "You have no idea what you are passing up on! The power I can offer you! You will lose everything!"
"No." Anakin shook his head. "I lose it the moment I join you… and I won't let that happen. I am no Sith. I am a Jedi. Always have been. Always will be."
Palpatine snarled in rage as he got up and unleashed the Force, sending Anakin and Windu to the floor as Windu was knocked out upon hitting the wall. Anakin quickly recovered and parried Palpatine's lightsaber. Anakin had the advantage of being young and fast but Palpatine still proved to be a formidable opponent and the Dark Side of the Force was strong with him. Anakin knew he could not afford to make a mistake or let his guard down, twirling his wrists and putting all strength he could into his efforts to strike Palpatine down, attacking relentlessly.
The force of Anakin's blows forced Palpatine to back away as he parried and tried to find an opening but it was as if Anakin knew every move Palpatine would make before the Sith Lord would as much as think about it.
"If you kill me, Padme is as good as dead and you will be to blame!" Palpatine growled.
"No. I can save her… but I won't lose myself for it. Not this time!" Anakin vowed.
Palpatine raised his lightsaber as Anakin raised his lightsaber, barely able to block as he felt the heat of the blade burning on his skin. Anakin pushed, forcing Palpatine to stagger back but Palpatine used the Force and started throwing chairs, statuettes, vases, anything that was within his reach at Anakin as Anakin flipped and cut through the objects as Palpatine advanced.
Distracted, Anakin was barely able to block the first blow but the second one cut into his hand as Anakin screamed as his lightsaber fell off with the hand of his cybernetic arm.
"This is the end of the Jedi!" Palpatine said victoriously.
Windu had recovered in the meantime and lunged forward as the purple blade crossed with the red one.
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Windu vowed.
Before Palpatine could do anything else, Anakin grabbed his lightsaber in his other hand and with a mighty ferocious roar plunged the blade into Palpatine's chest. Palpatine gasped in pain, looking in disbelief at the blue blade through his heart and staring at Anakin in disbelief, wondering how it was possible that the young boy was able to stand against him and resist his attempts to corrupt him.
"Impossible…" Palpatine murmured before he slumped back, drawing his last breath.
Anakin exhaled heavily, as if a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders as he looked up into Windu's eyes, who looked at him in pride but then his eyes narrowed upon remembering what Palpatine had mentioned. A person Anakin loved…
Anakin panted out and slumped to the floor, realizing that the fight with Palpatine exhausted all of his strength as everything cut to the black.
"Is it true? Did you and Anakin discover that Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord who we'd been looking for? Darth Sidious? The one behind the Clone Wars?" Obi-Wan asked as he was in a holo-conversation with Windu.
"Anakin discovered this and came to me. He seemed conflicted at first but then he… when we came to confront the chancellor, it was like if Anakin had become a completely different person." Windu said, narrowing his eyes.
Normally, Obi-Wan would just nod but there was something in Windu's statement and his face that made Obi-Wan wonder what had happened to Anakin.
"And apparently, there were more people on the Senate, who led a double life? Were you aware that Anakin had married Senator Amidala in secret? And that she is currently expecting a child?" Windu asked.
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. Anakin and Padme had grown very close since Geonosis and more than once did they spend quite an awful lot of time together, when they had the chance. The signs were there but why Obi-Wan never pressed the issue? Perhaps because of what Anakin had meant to him. He loved him like a brother. It would only destroy him and that wasn't something Obi-Wan wanted to have on his conscience.
"I… have seen some signs… but I suppose I never connected the dots…" Obi-Wan said.
'Or rather didn't want to connect them.' Windu thought to himself but decided not to press the issue further as he eventually simply nodded.
"We shall discuss Anakin's fate when the Council convenes." Windu said as the transmission ended.
"I wish you'd trusted us more, when you had the dreams." Padme said as she and Obi-Wan accompanied Anakin to the Jedi Temple.
"I know." Anakin said, but there was no point to dwell.
"Anakin. Whatever happens and whatever the Council decides, know that I'm on your side." Obi-Wan said.
"I suppose it's all in the hands of the Force now." Anakin said, taking a breath as Padme waited outside, while Obi-Wan and Anakin entered the Council chamber, with the members of the High Council, either in person or holographically at their seats.
Obi-Wan, Aayla Secura, Yoda and Plo Koon and other Jedis, who Anakin had saved through the Clone Wars gave him understanding looks to assure him they were on his side, while Windu, Shaak Ti, Stass Allie and other members looked at Anakin warily. They knew they should be grateful but they could not easily overlook such a violation of their rules, even from the Chosen One.
"First of all, all the members of the Jedi High Council thanks you for alerting us of Palpatine as the Sith Lord. He had been playing us for years, while we blindly supported him and gave him power he never should have had in the first place and almost wiped us out." Windu said.
"But… a serious matter discuss we must, young Skywalker." Yoda said.
"We are grateful for what you did, Anakin but you violated the rules of our Code. You know that Jedis are not supposed to be married, Anakin." Aayla pointed out.
"I know that… and I am willing to face the consequences of my actions. Expel me, if you must but I love Padme. Nothing can ever change that. I'm nothing without her. My life is nothing without her." Anakin said.
They could say that Anakin was serious and held him in great respect, if he was willing to sacrifice his place in the Jedi Order for love.
"The Council has not decided for judgement yet." Obi-Wan said.
"But a question I must ask you, Anakin. The dreams that you had been having and that you sought my advice about… were they about Senator Amidala?" Yoda inquired.
Anakin nodded. "I dreamt about her dying in childbirth. After what had happened to my mother… I was desperate. Palpatine picked up on it…" And he took a breath, trying to suppress his memories of being Darth Vader before the Council could sense them but they could still sense the conflict within him. "And he offered me to join the Dark Side to save my wife and my children."
"Children?" Obi-Wan blinked. As far as he knew, Padme was expecting only one child.
"We're going to have twins." Anakin explained. "I couldn't bear the thought of losing my family again… and Chancellor Palpatine got into my head. I didn't know what to do, so I came to see Master Windu and… I think you know the rest."
The council was silent for several moments, even though it felt like an eternity for Anakin.
"I'd like you to wait outside, while the Council reaches its decision." Windu ordered and Anakin nodded, leaving the room.
"You heard Anakin. He'd rather not be a Jedi anymore than lose Padme." Obi-Wan pointed out, not sure whether to respect Anakin or curse him for his brashness.
"That does not change the fact that he broke the Code in the most horrendous way." Mundi reminded.
"Shouldn't we also put into consideration the children? We have potentially two Force sensitives here and given that they are of Skywalker bloodline, it's too dangerous to leave them unchecked." Windu said.
"Trained they should be, I agree but I don't think we can just take Anakin's children away from him. Nor should… considering the circumstances." Obi-Wan said, rubbing his beard.
"We see your point, Obi-Wan but you realize that this situation is unprecedented." Shaak Ti said.
"Meditate on this we shall. A serious matter and difficult decision it is." Yoda suggested.
"I'm sorry if I disappointed you. I should've been there more for you." Anakin said.
"Ani, you'd never let me down. Whatever happens, we'll work through this." Padme assured.
"Anakin. The Council has reached a consensus." Obi-Wan said.
"We are aware that you and Palpatine were close and that you would more often seek his guidance than ours." Luminara Unduli said.
"While the Council is disappointed in your decision, many of us does not fault you for your actions." Aayla assured. "And given that it is thanks to you that the Jedi Order still lives and that the Sith are no more, the Council has decided not to expel you, Anakin."
Anakin looked taken aback. He had expected that they would expel him. In fact, he felt like he deserved it, after what he had done.
"And we are offering you a position of the Jedi Master, alongside a membership in the High Council. That is, if you accept. Of course, if you decide to decline, we understand but we'd like you to know that you will always have a seat here." Windu said and Anakin smiled. It was more than he had hoped.
"I… I don't know what to say." Anakin said, lost for words. While he was grateful, he knew that the Jedi Order was corrupt and imperfect and he didn't want to be a part of it or raise his children in it but he knew that lashing out would only make things worse as he took a breath, choosing his words cautiously. "I appreciate the offer but… considering what's going on currently… I'm not sure if I can do this."
The council members nodded.
"Then if you wish to focus on your family, know that you have the blessing of the Jedi Order and the High Council. May the Force be with you, Anakin." Obi-Wan said.
"May the Force be with you." Anakin bowed.
On his way to Padme, Anakin met Captain Rex and his former apprentice and one of his closest friends, Ahsoka Tano.
"So… I guess you have a lot of explaining to do, Sky Guy." Ahsoka said, having already heard the rumors.
"I sure do." Anakin said as they smiled at each other. "But why don't you tell me, what about Darth Maul? Did you get him?"
"Well, I think both of us have hell of a story to tell." Ahsoka quipped as they both laughed.
The reason Palpatine could easily corrupt Anakin was because the Council on more than one occasion were nothing but a bunch of dicks, especially Windu, the shining example of it being, when Obi-Wan had faked his death to infiltrate the Separatists, working undercover, disguised as a bounty hunter, and Obi-Wan has his share of blame on it too, when he decided not to let Anakin or Ahsoka in on the plan and instead let them believe he was dead or when Barriss Offee framed Ahsoka for blowing up the Jedi Temple. Anakin did what he could to clear her name, when the whole Council, except for Obi-Wan wouldn't believe her innocence and when it was over, Windu had the nerve to justify their screwup by saying it was a test of the Force to defend their misjudgment and no wonder Ahsoka then decided to leave and Anakin later lost his faith in the Jedi Order, plus they dismissed Anakin's visions as nightmares, when they later became truth. Asides from Obi-Wan, who occasionally did use him, though but it wasn't as terrible as with the rest, the Jedi Council were just jerks, Windu probably being the biggest.
Jedi portray themselves as the good guys but they certainly leave a lot to be desired in their methods, since Obi-Wan and Yoda did the same thing with Luke by twisting the facts and setting him up to kill Vader, while instead saying that Vader killed Anakin, instead of the truth.
Plus, it is clear from The Clone Wars, that Obi-Wan at the very least suspected that Anakin was married to Padme but decided not to press it due to his relationship with Anakin.
So, what do you guys think?
Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this one-shot.
With regards
Bl4ckHunter