Star Wars Hints Anakin Skywalker May Not Have Been the Chosen One

Star Wars has a new book that is shaking up the core premise of the entire Skywalker Saga, which is that Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One of prophecy, that would bring balance to the Force. Skywalker: Family At War by Kristin Baver takes the approach of having an in-universe historian delve into the history of the Skywalker family, from a larger overview. The purpose is the “historian’s” questioning of whether “history” (i.e., Star Wars canon) had been interpreted correctly. That’s because when viewing the Skywalker Saga in its entirety, the idea of the “Chosen One” becomes a lot more confusing.

The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy makes it clear that Qui-Gon Jin believed that Anakin was the Chosen One; the Original Trilogy makes the case that it’s actually Luke who fulfills that prophecy (and Anakin is just a facilitator of that destiny); while the Sequel Trilogy finale in The Rise of Skywalker seemed to have Anakin naming Rey as the one who will finally balance the Force, by defeating Palpatine. So does the idea of Anakin being the Chosen One still hold any real logic?

Instead of any hard reveals that would upset continuity, Skywalker: Family At War goes the safer route of simply speculating about the “What If?” surrounding Anakin’s life. One of the central theories Baver offers is that had Anakin’s Jedi Master been different, his influence as the “Chosen One” would’ve also been vastly different if it still existed at all.

As the theory argues, Qui-Gon Jin dying while fighting Darth Maul stripped Anakin of the master who was most like him: willing to challenge the Jedi beliefs, yet still warm and empathetic to the young boy he took under his wing (Anakin). Obi-Wan was much stricter and by-the-book, which led Anakin to the sort of insecurity and unresolved emotions that eventually became the dark seeds of Vader (anger, fear, etc…). The purpose of looking at this alternate version of Star Wars lore seems to be the idea that Anakin was a man propelled by circumstance and choice – and perhaps not the grand destiny that everyone said he had.

You can read a deeper explanation of Kristin Baver’s theory about Star Wars’ true Chosen One HERE.

Stepping outside the Star Wars Universe, Skywalker: Family At War seems to be a necessary lengthening of the leash (so to speak), on aspects of canon that are causing debate or friction. Like any long-running franchise or universe, Star Wars has seen its mythos grow exponentially over the years, and that larger mythology has seen early ideas of characters and storylines change a great deal. However, those changes and evolutions can often contradict the earlier, simpler notions that the franchise introduced.

For example, much of the controversy over ST films The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker has to do with how they allegedly ruin established canon or deeper themes of the previous Skywalker Saga stories. And a bitter and disillusioned old Luke Skywalker, or the reveal of Palpatine’s return, certainly do undermine early ideas of who the “Chosen One” is and what his/her great balance of the Force was supposed to be. Now it seems the best answer for Star Wars is to lean into that vagueness, and make the debate over the Chose One Prophecy a piece of the canon, as well.

Skywalker: A Family At War is now available April 6, 2021, wherever books are sold.