Summary
Star Warsmay have just revealed whyPalpatinewantedAnakin Skywalkeras his Sith apprentice, and it wasn’t because of his high midi-chlorian count. Anakin was undoubtedly one ofStar Wars’most powerful Jedi, and, impressively, he also ended up becoming one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sithas Darth Vader. However, Palpatine’s interest in Anakin may have been about more than just Anakin’s raw power.
In fact, Palpatine seeking Anakin as a potential apprentice may have mirrored the reason the Jedi were willing to bend their own rules and accept him into the Jedi Order despite his older age. For the Jedi, this was due in large part to their belief that Anakin was the person foretold inthe Chosen One prophecy. Now,a brand-newStar Warsbook may have revealed why Palpatine sought Anakin as his apprentice so specifically, and it’s all to do with yet another prophecy.
Star Wars Makes KOTOR’s SITH Chosen One Prophecy Canon At Last
The Jedi have the Chosen One, but to the Sith, Anakin Skywalker was the Sith’ari - an ancient prophecy from KOTOR that’s now canon at last!
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
The Jedi were not the only group with their own prophecy. Rather,the Sith had their own Chosen One prophecy.The Sith prophecy refers to the Sith’ari, one foretold to free the Sith, destroy the Sith, and rebuild them stronger than before. Specifically, though, (and critically, for Palpatine’s purposes), the Sith’ari prophecy referenced the Sith’ari raising the Sith from the dead. AsStar Warshas made abundantly clear, not only in Palpatine’s actual resurrection inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but also throughoutStar Wars: The Bad BatchwithProject Necromancer, Palpatine was obsessed with eternal life.
The Sith’ari prophecy referenced the Sith’ari raising the Sith from the dead.
While this Sith’ari prophecy was previously only in theStar WarsExpanded Universe, it recently entered the canon. In addition to referring to the Sith’ari prophecy by name, in Dr. Chris Kempshall’sThe Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, in-universe author Beaumont Kin wrote:
“It seems plausible that Palpatine believed Anakin may have held the solution to a way of unnaturally extending his own life.”
The same book confirmed that both the Jedi and the Sith believed their respective prophecies referred to Anakin Skywalker, who fit the bill for an incredibly powerful being who was born from the Force itself.
Pre-order The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire from Amazon
If Palpatine did indeed believe that Anakin was the Sith’ari, this would explain why he was so determined to acquire him as a Sith apprentice. However, this new insight also explains myriad other moves Palpatine made regarding Anakin. Notably, this includesPalpatine’s failed attempt to create a Force dyad with Darth Vader.
The Sith Rule of Twowas based on the Force dyad.
The Force dyadwas introduced inThe Rise of Skywalkeras an incredible bond between two Force-sensitive beings, giving them unimaginable powers such as the ability to cross time and space. It makes perfect sense that Palpatine would want to create a Force dyad with another person, as that would give him access to a new level of power, but the Sith’ari prophecy makes this even more meaningful.Had Palpatine been successful,he could have achieved immortality, or, at least, so he thought.
As with the Jedi’s Chosen One prophecy, though, it’s unclear whether Anakin truly was the Sith’ari. AsThe Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empireitself mentions and Master Yoda alludes to, prophecies are finicky, and they can be difficult to interpret with any certainty. Even so, thisStar Warsbook suggests that it may have been this very Sith prophecy that made Palpatine so determined to gain Anakin Skywalker as his apprentice.
