It's difficult to find a villain more iconic than Darth Vader. He's unrelenting, uncompromising, and ruthless. He shows no hesitation or remorse when torturing or murdering others. But beneath Vader's black armor and cybernetics is a man consumed with fear and doubt.
With the fate of the galaxy and the Force in his hands, Anakin Skywalker often let his emotions guide him. This made him susceptible to the corruptive influence of Darth Sidious, who offered Anakin the power he craved to save those he loved. Many things led to Anakin's eventual fall, but he may never have become Darth Vader if things had gone differently.
10 Had Anakin & Padmé never fallen in love & married, Palpatine would have had difficulty tempting Anakin to the Dark Side
Anakin's devotion to Padmé often seemed to border on the creepy, obsessive side. In fact, it was his intense love for her that got him thinking about dabbling in the dark arts. The fear of losing Padmé like he lost his mother clouded his judgment and made him desperate enough to hear out Palpatine when the Chancellor told him about the dark side's ability to cheat death.
Anakin's connection to Padmé and his tendency to act based on his emotions was a weakness that Sidious eagerly took advantage of.
9 As his master, Qui-Gon Jinn would have been better equipped to handle Anakin's free-spirited nature
Obi-Wan was a Jedi Knight for about a minute before taking on Anakin as his padawan. Training any Force-sensitive child is probably demanding enough, but being responsible for training the child destined to one day destroy the Sith and bring balance back to the Force seems like a job for someone with more experience.
Someone like Qui-Gon Jinn, who had a lifetime of wisdom and knowledge, and experience training apprentices. And because he too was a bit of a rebel among the Jedi, Qui-Gon would have been better equipped to handle Anakin's free-spirited nature and may have been more attuned to any troubling behavior and taken action to address it.
8 If Anakin had been taught the benefits of democracy & the Republic, he may have been less apt to go along with Sidious & his imperial ambitions
Considering the Jedi Order was a neutral organization where the Jedi served as impartial mediators throughout the galaxy, Anakin stood out for his many opinions on how he thought politics and governing should work. He often complained about systems and organizations he perceived as ineffective, typically suggesting fascist ideals to cut through the bureaucratic red tape.
Though his heart was in the right place, the fact that these ideas came from someone with the power to make them reality would be terrifying.
7 Having Stronger Male Role Models To Look Out For Him could have provided Anakin with the approval & positive guidance he needed
As powerful as he was, Anakin still craved the attention of a strong father-figure. Someone to guide him and keep him grounded. He didn't have a father, in the normal sense, so he constantly sought the approval of the men in his life by showing off and acting impulsively to impress them.
Unfortunately, these men all failed him. Palpatine only wanted to manipulate and corrupt him. Mace Windu refused to trust him or acknowledge his worth to the Order. And although Obi-Wan loved him, he never really stood up for Anakin and failed to notice Palpatine’s corruptive influence. A stronger role-model in his life could have provided Anakin with the approval and positive guidance he needed.
6 Obi-Wan Showed Him Mercy On Mustafar, fueling Anakin's anger & hatred
Obi-Wan's reluctance to kill the man he loved as a brother is understandable, but leaving Anakin to die in agonizing pain as he’s slowly cooked alive seems far crueler than finishing him off right there.
Obi-Wan's decision also fueled Anakin's anger and hatred, ensuring his fall to the dark side was complete and giving Palpatine the chance to transform him into his own, personal Frankenstein's monster. If Obi-Wan had shown mercy and killed Anakin instead of leaving him alive, the galaxy would not have had to suffer the wrath of Darth Vader.
5 Had Padmé Recognized The Signs & Gotten Help, something could have been done before things got out of hand
Anakin displayed many troubling behaviors throughout his relationship with Padmé. He was never shy about showing her his true self. No matter how disturbing. He made it clear he thought the Republic and the Jedi Order were broken and in need of change. He despised politicians and bureaucracy and believed people should be made to agree by a wise and benevolent ruler who knew what was best for them.
On Tatooine, Anakin openly admitted to murdering an entire camp of Tusken Raiders, women and children included, in his grief. He consistently acted on his emotions and was often on the verge of letting his anger get the better of him. Padmé never really questioned Anakin's disturbing actions and beliefs. Instead, she enabled him by keeping everything a secret. If she had informed Obi-Wan or another Jedi instead of ignoring the warning signs, something could have been done before things got out of hand.
4 Had he Not Constantly been Reminded Of His Importance, Anakin may not have been willing to risk messing with the dark side
Telling a 10-year-old they're the Chosen One and the most powerful being in the galaxy is probably going to go to their head. Yes, Anakin was powerful and vital to the survival of the Jedi Order and the Force, but being consistently reminded of that throughout his life often caused him to act recklessly out of an exaggerated belief that he was naturally better than everyone else. He was certain he was strong enough to save Padmé using the dark side of the Force without fully giving in to it.
Instead, the dark side only fueled his ego more, convincing him he was essentially a god with the power to change the galaxy. If the Jedi had treated him like any other padawan and kept his true importance hidden until he was ready, Anakin may not have been willing to risk messing with the dark side.
3 Had Anakin followed Ahsoka's example, he would have been a better person
Anakin and Ahsoka shared similar personalities. They were both impetuous, cocky, and constantly tried to prove themselves to the Jedi Council. Ahsoka was a reflection of Anakin, allowing him to see himself from an outside perspective. He learned restraint and patience while teaching her to do the same.
Anakin was able to grow and learn from Ahsoka as much as she was able to grow and learn from him. Like Anakin, Ahsoka eventually saw the faults within the Jedi Order and lost her faith in it. However, while she chose to walk away from the Jedi and never look back, Anakin gave in to his hatred and eventually destroyed them. Ahsoka proved to be the wiser one in their relationship and Anakin would have been a better person if he had followed her example.
2 Had Mace Windu Killed Palpatine Before Anakin Arrived, Sidious's support wouldn't have been a factor
It's not surprising Mace Windu defeated Darth Sidious while the other Jedi with him died within seconds. Windu was renowned for his combat skills within the Jedi Order. He even developed his own fighting style called Vaapad, which gave him the ability to channel an opponent's darkness and fear against them.
If Windu had gained the upper hand before Anakin arrived, Sidious would have died along with his ambitions to rule the galaxy. Anakin may have still turned to the dark side out of anger, but without Sidious's support, he would not have been as much of a threat as he was as Darth Vader.
1 Had he Stayed On Tatooine With His Mother, Sidious wouldn't have been able to manipulate him through fear & guilt
Anakin's attachment to his mother and his guilt for leaving her on Tatooine played a big role in his turning to the dark side. Reuniting with her after so many years, only to have her die in his arms moments later was agonizing. He believed he could have saved her had he been there and blamed himself for her death.
This guilt marked the beginning of his path toward evil as he gave in to his rage and slaughtered everyone in the Tusken Raider’s camp. His resulting obsession with preventing anyone else he loved from dying made him easy prey for Sidious’s diabolical machinations.