No one knows how galactic history would have changed had Obi-Wan Kenobi not hesitated to strike down Anakin Skywalker on Mustafar. The brief hesitation, motivated by his affection for the young man who had been his apprentice for over a decade, was all that Anakin needed to slash Obi-Wan across the chest, ending their fevered duel.
His rage began to subside as he rushed back to his injured wife, whom he took to Coruscant for care. Palpatine arrived at the medical facility just as Padme gave birth to twins, Luke and Leia. Anakin felt Padme’s life slip away, as well as Palpatine’s naked lust for the power of his children, which caused him to attack the Emperor.
Shouting that Palpatine had betrayed him by not saving Padme, the two engaged in a furious lightsaber duel, ending in the crowded streets of Coruscant. As Palpatine prepared to strike the final blows on the tired and weakened Anakin, the former Jedi heard a whisper of a voice he recalled from childhood. Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi Master who had helped free him from slavery, had come to him as a Force Ghost. “Obi-Wan has already forgiven you,” he said. “You must return balance to the Force. Calm yourself and reject the poison of the Sith.”
Taking a deep breath, Anakin freed himself from the lure of the Sith. He had finally learned patience through the loss of his wife and best friend, as well as his overwhelming need to protect his two children. Palpatine, whose face and spirit were twisted with the Dark Side, left himself open as he lunged to kill Anakin, who used the opportunity to strike the Emperor through the heart.
With Palpatine’s body laying at his feet, Anakin took both lightsabers in his hands, considering them. He recalled Obi-Wan’s words to him on Mustafar, that only the Sith deal in absolutes. To Anakin, the Sith were only one absolute, with the Jedi being another type of dangerous absolute. With a shout of anger at both the Jedi and the Sith, he used the Force to destroy the lightsabers as he had destroyed both Orders.
The following day, he made the announcement about Palpatine’s death to the Galactic Senate, then demanded that Palpatine’s powers be given to him for the purpose of reconstituting the Republic. The Senate agreed. Skywalker moved quickly, consolidating his power while grieving for his losses. Within a few years, he had become Emperor Skywalker, known for his charismatic rebuilding of the galaxy after the destruction of the Clone Wars.
Five years after assuming power, Skywalker announced the formation of the Kinsei, who would replace the Jedi as the peacekeepers of the galaxy. This new order would not be tied to the rigid dogma of the Jedi, as well as the corruption of the Sith. His own children, the royal heirs, were trained as the first of the Kinsei.
Skywalker’s Empire was a peaceful institution, free of the violence and xenophobia that would have marked Palpatine’s. It allowed for a certain amount of freedom in the systems, but some disliked his demand of complete obedience. Any signs of disloyalty or sympathy for the Confederacy of Independent Systems would result in military occupation and economic sanctions.
Seventeen years after assuming power, a number of systems in the
The Rebellion grew over the course of the next two years, eventually breaking into a full-fledged Galactic Civil War. The most crucial moment in the war occurred as Imperial forces engaged the Rebels in a space battle above Tatooine.
No comments:
Post a Comment