One year again, Star Wars finally revealed the Sith Lord that Anakin Skywalker would have become, had he not been defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar. Palpatine believed he had recruited the most powerful Sith Lord of all time when he seduced the Chosen One to the dark side, but he hadn’t reckoned on Obi-Wan Kenobi’s skill.

Obi-Wan has developed something of a reputation for being “Sith kryptonite.” The undisputed master of Form III, Soresu, who knows how to turn an enemy’s aggression against them. But how would Anakin have turned out as a Sith Lord if he hadn’t been defeated by Obi-Wan on Mustafar?

Anakin Would Have Been A Terrifying Sith

One year ago, in the Star Wars: Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special by Greg Pak, Guru-eFX, and Will Sliney, that question was finally answered. The issue features Force visions experienced by Anakin Skywalker, revealing the Jedi that Anakin would have been without Palpatine – and the Sith he could have been too.

What’s striking about this vision, though, is that Anakin sees himself as a Sith precisely because of his attachments. That alone suggests this was a warning from the Force about the dark path he could potentially go down, although the Force used fears related to his mother, not to Padmé.

Anakin’s Vision Makes Attack Of The Clones Even More Concerning

This seems like nothing more than a cool “what if” moment for Star Wars, but it’s actually quite important. Anakin’s first big step into the dark side takes place in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, when he avenges his mother by slaughtering the Tuskens. The Force, it seems, had warned him that this could happen.

In Attack of the Clones, Anakin goes on a thoughtless rampage. He knows what he is doing is wrong – he was even warned about the path he was choosing – but he acted regardless, striking down men, women, and children. “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny,” Yoda warned Anakin’s son decades later – and he was right.

Anakin did not become the Sith Lord seen in this vision, of course; he fell to the skill of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and wound up limited by the cybernetic armor he was forced to wear for the rest of his life. Had Obi-Wan not acted, though – had Anakin’s former Master not bested him in combat – then Star Wars would have been so much darker.