When was the last time we felt sorry for Anakin Skywalker? Before the prequel films hit, the catharsis of Anakin’s sacrifice — and therefore, his redemption — was mostly symbolic. Forty years ago, when Return of the Jedi hit theaters, Anakin Skywalker wasn’t really a character as much as an idea. Luke needed to forgive his father to avoid the Dark Side, but no one thought much about Anakin as a person until 1999 with The Phantom Menace. And from that point on, it’s been hard to figure out how to really feel about the guy.
