There is a very valid argument to be had that the Star Wars saga, at very least the originals and prequels, are the story of the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. He has one of the most tragic stories in all of pop culture, and is immensely beloved by the fandom, even with some divisiveness performance-wise in the prequel trilogy.
In his three full film appearances, Anakin Skywalker goes through a lot of changes, and the young little Ani Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith. Here we look at the ten most significant of these changes that Anakin undergoes throughout the sequel trilogy.
FREED FROM SLAVERY
When fans meet Anakin Skywalker in the sphere of the prequel trilogy, he resides on Tatooine alongside his mother as the slave of a Toydarian by the name of Watto, working at his junkyard.
The first significant change in Anakin and his life comes when Qui-Gon Jinn comes to Tatooine, and he gets freed from slavery. By rigging a weighted dice, and with Anakin winning the Boonta Eve Classic, Anakin was freed from Tatooine, a massive step in his life.
BECOMES A JEDI
Following the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin began his training to become a Jedi under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi. It takes some convincing, but the Jedi High Council eventually agreed to Anakin's training.
As the prequels progress from Attack of the Clones to Revenge of the Sith, Anakin grows as a Jedi from Padawan to Jedi Knight, even getting a spot on the Jedi High Council - but not given the rank of Master.
GROWS UP
The most obvious and on the nose change Anakin undergoes throughout the prequel trilogy is that he grows up. In age, in attire, in general look, Anakin changes immensely.
Anakin is nine years old at the start of The Phantom Menace and is twenty-two by the end of Revenge of the Sith. He grows from having bowl-cut like hair, donning sandy robes, to short hair with a braid and darker robes, to flowing locks, dark Jedi robes, and a scar.
DEATH OF SHMI
One of the first events of Anakin's life that highlighted the darkness within him, and brought out his anger, hatred, and frustration, was the death of his mother, Shmi Skywalker.
After being captured by the Tusken Raiders, and found by Anakin, Shmi dies in Anakin's arm. This famously led him to slaughter not just the men, but the women and the children too and incited a change in Anakin, a glimpse for fans into his deep-rooted issues.
FALLS IN LOVE
The romance across the stars between Pé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker is perhaps the most important in all of Star Wars, and in of the prequels, one of the most divisive. Nevertheless, Anakin and Pé's falling in love incited big change for Anakin.
The relationship got widely criticized for the performances and dialogue. However, ignoring that, when the pair falls in love, it it to each other, and secretly get married, it leads to the birth of Leia and Luke, as well as becoming a massive reason for Anakin Skywalker's fall.
INCREASE IN ANGER
Going back to the point of Anakin's slaughter of the Tusken Raiders, Anakin frequently gets angrier and angrier as the prequel trilogy progresses. Various moments show this, and Anakin's turn becomes clearer.
Perhaps the culmination of this is his killing of Dooku. While he is not bursting with fury, all the build-up of what Dooku has done, led Anakin to listen to the Chancellor and murder Dooku. There is also, of course, the Tusken Raider slaughter, continually getting angry about the Jedi Council and Obi-Wan, and everything that happens after his turn.
INCREASE IN IMPATIENCE & FRUSTRATION
Alongside getting angrier as the trilogy goes on, and even more prominent than it, is how impatient Anakin gets as the prequels proceed, and how visibly frustrated he becomes from film to film.
The critical example of this is him getting granted a seat on the Jedi Council, but not getting given the rank of Master, and he gets very annoyed at Windu and the Council for this. He talks to both Obi-Wan and Pé about his frustrations, and his impatience is blatantly apparent.
HIGHER FREQUENCY OF DREAMS (INCREASING PARANOIA)
One thing about Anakin that becomes clear in Revenge of the Sith is that Anakin has become very paranoid. He had had dreams for a while about his mother, but by Revenge of the Sith, they are of the future and of Pé, inciting paranoia in Anakin.
His dreams induce a lot of worries, anger, and even hatred in Anakin. He goes to Yoda about them but is just kind of shrugged off, told to let go of what he fears to lose. As he seeks advice from Palpatine, the wheels are in motion for his turn, and even after his fall, his paranoia comes up again when he accuses Pé of bringing Obi-Wan to kill him.
TURNS TO THE DARK SIDE
The turn everyone knew was coming happened near the conclusion of Revenge of the Sith, as Anakin helps Palpatine kill Mace Windu, and he is almost born again as Darth Vader.
This turn is the most drastic Anakin goes through in the prequel trilogy as he is no longer Anakin. He temporarily remains the same in appearance but is not the same person. He is changed and has gotten successfully seduced to the Dark Side of the Force.
BATTLE OF THE HEROES & DONNING THE DARTH VADER SUIT
Revenge of the Sith culminates in what a lot of people claim to be the best lightsaber battle in all of Star Wars. The Battle of the Heroes is iconic, and results in a heartbreaking exchange between Anakin and Obi-Wan, as Anakin's body burns in the Mustafar lava.
When Palpatine finds Anakin burnt, limbless on Mustafar, he takes him to a lab, and the iconic black of Vader is born. This is the final change that Anakin/Vader undergoes in the prequel trilogy, as he is no longer the same man, no longer looks like the same man, and is more machine than human.
