Darth Vader of the Star Wars saga is one of the most famous and recognizable villains in cinema history. When he was first introduced in 1977's Star Wars: A New Hope, little was known about his deeply tragic backstory. But years later, the prequels detailed young Anakin Skywalker's tragic fall from the Jedi's Chosen One to the Sith Lord Darth Vader. While he was manipulated by the Emperor, the real reason Anakin fell to the Dark Side was the environment of toxic masculinity in which he was raised and trained by the Jedi.

Toxic masculinity does not mean that all masculinity is toxic. It refers to the expectation that men prioritize stoicism, violence and other stereotypes of masculinity. These stereotypes are detrimental to men and women, as well as society as a whole. The Jedi Order raised Anakin in an environment saturated with toxic masculinity ideals, and the outcome was his tragic turn from Light to Dark.

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young anakin skywalker in phantom menace

The Jedi do not intentionally encourage toxic masculinity; however, they foster it within Anakin because they teach him to fear all of his emotions. He fears that if they catch him expressing any emotion, he will be punished. That is not a healthy way to learn emotional intelligence. It actually creates feelings of isolation and desperation and amplifies aggressive and anger-driven responses. This lack of emotional intelligence is both a cause and result of toxic masculinity, which is the path that transformed an earnest and open Anakin Skywalker into the angry and hateful Darth Vader.

If the Jedi had allowed Anakin to express emotions from his young age and utilize healthy coping mechanisms, he would have been prepared when he was overcome with love and lust for Padme during Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones. Therefore, instead of being rash and secretive, he might have approached the situation with a level head. Similarly, the Jedi should have taught him how to deal with the separation anxiety he had from being taken from his mother. The visions he had of her death and suffering would still be painful, but he would be able to cope with them. Also, he would have been able to seek genuine help after her death instead of isolating himself.

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Anakin Skywalker after retreiving the body of his mother.

After failing to stop the death of his mother — or even have the ability to mourn healthily — Anakin was traumatized and feared the cycle of loss would repeat itself. Therefore, when there was a threat to Padme's well-being, he turned to the Emperor and the Dark Side of the Force for help. He was drawn to the Dark Side for its potential to control life and death, and he was driven away from the Jedi and the Light Side by their purposeful lack of emotional support.

Anakin was only able to finally defeat the Emperor and the Dark Side when he broke free from toxic masculinity during the climax of Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi. Instead of pushing down his feelings as the Jedi taught him, he saved Luke based on an attachment grown out of paternal instincts and familial love.

Anakin killed the Emperor and saved Luke's life, giving in to his feelings of love and attachment. When he finally allowed himself to feel, he overcame the toxic masculinity that plagued him all his life. If he had been allowed earlier to feel his emotions and not fear them, Anakin might have never fallen to the Dark Side.

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