| abstract | - Although he would later become an important figure in the galaxy, Skywalker came from humble origins; he spent the first years of his life on Tatooine as a slave along with Shmi Skywalker, his mother. Skywalker's life changed forever, when, in 3 ArS, he crossed paths with Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. This meeting eventually gave Skywalker the opportunity to participate in and win the Boonta Eve Classic podrace, and, thus, since Jinn won his bet against Anakin's owner, the Toydarian Watto, for Skywalker's freedom, Anakin's life as a slave came to an end; however, he was forced to leave his mother behind. Skywalker later took part in the final conflict during the Invasion of Naboo, and played a pivotal role in the battle—he destroyed the Droid control ship that governed the functions of the Trade Federation's droid army, in spite of his youth, and the fact that the experience was his first time in a starfighter, which allowed the Nubian forces to prevail. Afterwards, Skywalker became the Padawan of Jinn's apprentice, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, after Jinn was slain in a lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord Darth Maul. In the years that followed, and despite an uneasy beginning to their relationship, Skywalker eventually came to see Kenobi as the father he'd never had. In 11 ArS, eight years into his Jedi training, Skywalker was reunited with Padmé Naberrie, the former Queen of Naboo, whom Skywalker had met during the Naboo crisis—a period of time in which she had a lasting impact on him. Drawn together during a period when Naberrie, who had recently become the Senator of the Chommel sector, as well as Naboo, was being targeted for assassination, the feelings between her and Skywalker grew in magnitude for each day they were together. For the previous month, however, Skywalker had experienced visions of his mother in danger, and so, with Naberrie, he ventured back to Tatooine, where he discovered that Watto had sold her to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars. Meeting with Lars, Skywalker learned of the Tusken Raiders' abduction of his mother, and, thus, set out to find her, which he did—he found her battered and bloodied body, which had sustained excruciating torture—and she died in his arms. Enveloped in a murderous rage, Skywalker killed every single Tusken in the camp; the women and children were slaughtered, as well—in spite of how justified his actions seemed, at the time, Anakin quickly came to deeply regret his actions. After his mother's burial, Skywalker and Naberrie learned that Kenobi had been captured on Geonosis; although he was initially unwilling to disobey a mandate of the Jedi Council, Naberrie convinced him to go with her to the Separatist capital. Their journey proved unfruitful; they were captured, themselves, and they joined Kenobi to be executed—they were then saved twice; first by a team of Jedi, and then by the arrival of the newly discovered Grand Army of the Republic. Skywalker did not leave the planet unharmed, though—in a duel with Count Maxon Dooku, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Skywalker lost his arm, and Dooku escaped; the Clone Wars had begun. Meanwhile, Anakin and Padmé had admitted their love for each other, and were forced to wed in secret, since Jedi were sworn to celibacy. Skywalker became the face of the Jedi Order during the Clone Wars, earning the title of Hero With No Fear, leading the Republic to many victories, often fighting side by side with Kenobi; the two, already in a father-son relationship, became brothers in all but blood. The Clone Wars lasted for a total of five years, but, in 16 ArS, the conflict came to a head when Skywalker and Kenobi confronted Dooku during a Separatist attack on the Republic capital world of Coruscant, in which Supreme Chancellor Palpatine had been kidnapped. The duel that followed resulted in Dooku's death at Skywalker's hands, in no small part due to Palpatine goading Skywalker into killing the Sith Lord—Anakin became very disturbed by the events that took place on board the Invisible Hand; he feared that he was succumbing to the dark side of the Force. Back on Coruscant, Skywalker was reunited with Naberrie Skywalker, and she gave him startling news—she was pregnant, with his child. This happiness, however, was short-lived, as Skywalker began to have visions of his wife's death in childbirth, driving him to an indescribable fear. Skywalker was determined to prevent his vision from coming true, and, so, he began to seek out a way to stop his wife from dying. However, this desire was tempered by more visions; these ones showed that he would fall to the dark side, and would end up dueling Kenobi. After hearing a Sith legend from Palpatine, Skywalker learned of the life-preserving power mentioned in the tale—he wanted to learn it, but desire became shock when Palpatine revealed the unthinkable;he was Darth Sidious, the Sith Master behind the war. Skywalker then informed Master Mace Windu of the situation, who went with other Masters to arrest Palpatine, but they were all killed by the Dark Lord of the Sith. Skywalker later went to the Republic Executive Building, along with Kenobi and Grand Master Yoda, in order to apprehend the Chancellor. In a clash between light and darkness—between Jedi and Sith, as well as within himself—Skywalker remained true to the Jedi Order, and resisted the Sith Lord's temptations of power, forcing Palpatine to retreat. Afterwards, Skywalker and Kenobi spearheaded a mission that resulted in the capture of the members of the Separatist Council and the end of the Clone Wars. For withstanding the dark side's corruption, Skywalker earned the rank of Jedi Master, and a permanent seat on the Jedi High Council.
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