Anakin Skywalker is the consummate protagonist of the entire Star Wars saga, the Chosen One designed to keep the forces of good and evil in check. Pretty much every Star Wars story circles back to him in some way, working to complicate his origins or emphasize his status as Space Jesus. But where does his evil alter ego, Darth Vader, come into play? According to Lucasfilm president Dave Filoni, both sides of the character work together to form the “backbone” of the Star Wars saga — but Anakin and Vader are used in totally different ways.
According to some canon works, the Sith Lord is akin to an alternate persona for Anakin. When he becomes Vader, his original identity is suppressed almost beyond retrieval. It’s essentially the only way he can fulfill his duties to Emperor Palpatine without truly losing his mind. That separation has long been an unspoken rule in the dichotomy between Anakin and Vader, but it wasn’t until the latter appeared in this week’s episodes of Maul – Shadow Lord that the distinction became clear.
