This Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith video from 20 years ago proves beyond a doubt that Hayden Christensen is the perfect Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker is one of Star Wars’ best characters, and while the iconic status of Darth Vader was established before Christensen adopted the role, he brought so much to the character. Christensen has returned to Star Wars movies and TV shows numerous times, but this video confirms that even during the prequels, he was absolutely the man for the job.

This video, posted by retneysholocron on TikTok, shows Christensen providing the lightsaber fighting moves as a reference for the Revenge of the Sith video game. More than just acting out the choreography, though, this video confirms that it was Christensen himself who was giving advice on how Anakin would realistically move.

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As the text of the TikTok video reads, Hayden Christensen really is Anakin Skywalker, as much as anyone ever could be, and we are lucky to have him.

What Hayden Christensen’s Portrayal Of Anakin Skywalker Has Meant To Star Wars

Christensen Made This Character So Much More Dynamic

Prior to the prequel trilogy, Anakin Skywalker’s Star Wars timeline was only minimally fleshed out. The original trilogy had revealed that Anakin/Darth Vader had once been a brilliant Jedi before he turned to evil and that, in the end, he made the right decision. There was still plenty to explore, though, from his time as a Jedi fighting alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi to the events that led him to turn to the dark side.

This work began in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, before Christensen took up the mantle as Anakin. That movie had its own merits—despite the terrible treatment of Jake Lloyd by critics and audiences alike—and Christensen picked up Anakin’s story brilliantly from there. Even with the criticism that was hurled at Christensen from the beginning of his time in Star Wars, Christensen brought so much to Anakin, revealing how human and flawed he had been but also making the Chosen One so much more sympathetic.

Our Take On Hayden Christensen As Anakin Skywalker

Christensen Is Finally Getting The Love He Always Deserved

The truth is, Hayden Christensen never deserved the hate he got. Many have critiqued the dialogue of the prequel trilogy, but there’s also plenty of criticism about Christensen’s performance. Yet, this video makes clear that Christensen truly understands Anakin as a character and he embodies him in a way that makes Anakin feel more authentic not only in the movies but in games and other mediums as well.

Yes, Christensen’s portrayal of Anakin was an emotional one, but that is because Anakin was an emotional character. From the very beginning, Anakin was battling inner demons, and he continually struggled with anger, ego, and feelings of inferiority (a complex combination). Clearly, though, Hayden Christensen understands Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader on a deeper level, and this 20-year-old Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith video proves it.

Source: retneysholocron