The Dark Side: A Star Wars Story

Chancellor Palpatine has turned out to be a Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious. As a noble Jedi, I was supposed to stop him, kill him if necessary. The whole time someone who I thought was my friend, was a part of something I swore to destroy. The only problem is that Chancellor Palpatine has the power that I need. I messed up once as I saw visions of my mother passing away and did nothing about it until it was too late. As a Jedi, I am not to let my feelings get in the way. Attachment is forbidden. None of this stopped me from loving and marrying Padme, and now that she is pregnant, I will not let the same thing happen to her. Palpatine has told me there are many powers to the Dark Side of the Force. Some are considered “unnatural” to the Jedi. One of these powers is to keep the ones you care about from dying. This piqued my interest as the only thing I wanted to do was save Padme. I’m in a corner. Do I risk being expelled from the Jedi Order and turn to the Dark Side to save Padme or do what I stand for?

I spared Chancellor Palpatine and turned him over to the Jedi Council. Master Mace Windu was now on his way to arrest him. As I sat in my room, contemplating the choice I made, I heard Palpatine in my head saying “If the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost.” I thought to myself for a while. Due to events that have occurred during the Clone Wars, I’m not sure if I have the same trust and faith in the Jedi. Maybe I’m fighting for the wrong side. Palpatine has been telling me the Jedi are becoming more and more corrupt and are planning to overthrow him. The realization sunk into my stomach. Mace Windu is not going to arrest Palpatine, but he is going to kill him. Without Palpatine, I will lose Padme. I ran to my ship and headed to stop Master Windu.

As I arrive to the Chancellor’s suite, I see Mace Windu with his purple lightsaber pointed at a defenseless Palpatine. Palpatine was against the ledge of his window which was broken during their fight. 20 stories stand below them. The room had been torn apart with the only resemblance being the red walls Palpatine had always been accustomed to. There in his office were three lifeless Jedi which came with Master Windu.

I walk in as I hear Mace Windu telling Palpatine “You are under arrest, My Lord.”

“Anakin! I told you it would come to this,” says Palpatine. “I was right. The Jedi are taking over.”

“You old fool,” says Mace Windu. “The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the Republic is over . . . you have lost”

Palpatine’s face changes as he yells: “No! No! You will die!” Huge bolts of Force Lightning blast at Mace Windu as he struggles to block it with his lightsaber.

“He is a traitor, Anakin,” Palpatine says.

Mace Windu replies: “He’s the traitor. Stop him!”

My mind is flowing everywhere. All I can think of is saving Padme. Its either betray the Jedi or stay loyal to everything I stood for. Was it even worth standing for anymore? The Jedi shamed me as a kid for missing my mother as I was 9 when I left her to be trained as a Jedi. I was just a boy and they shamed me for it. Master Yoda told me it was a path to the Dark Side. I’m not even allowed to love Padme. The Jedi don’t even know I am married to her. I am only human, I can’t just mask my feelings forever. Padme was my life, I could not lose her.

“Come to your senses, boy. The Jedi are in revolt,” Palpatine shouts. “They will betray you, just as they betrayed me. You are not one of them, Anakin. Don’t let him kill me. I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him.”

“Don’t listen to him, Anakin,” Mace Windu shouts as he struggles to block Palpatine’s lightning.

“Help me! Don’t let him kill me. I can’t hold on any longer,” Palpatine cries.

Master Windu pushes Palpatine out to the edge of the ledge of the Chancellor’s suite. As Master Windu moves closer, the bolts from Palpatine’s hands begin to arch back on him. The Chancellor’s face begins to twist and distort. His eyes become Sith yellow as he struggles to intensify his powers.

“I can’t … I give up. Help me,” Palpatine begged. “I am weak … I am too weak. Don’t kill me. I give up. I’m dying. I can’t hold on any longer.”

“You Sith disease. I am going to end this once and for all!” Mace Windu shouts in rage.

Finally, I decided to speak up. “You can’t kill him, Master. He must stand trial.”

“He has too much control of the Senate and the Court,” says Master Windu. “He is too dangerous to be kept alive!”

“I’m too weak. Don’t kill me. Please,” Palpatine pleaded.

“It is not the Jedi way!” I tried to make Master Windu realize that what he was doing was wrong. Just then he raises his lightsaber to kill the Chancellor.

“He must live!” I shouted.

Palpatine just begged and pleaded. “Please don’t, please don’t”

“I need him!” I shouted in desperation.

“Please don’t,” Palpatine moaned as a last attempt to stay alive.

Just then, Master Windu swung his lightsaber down to land the strike to kill Palpatine. My hope was about to be gone.

I yelled “NO!!!” as stepped in and swung my lightsaber, cutting off the hand of Mace Windu that was holding the lightsaber. Master Windu stared at me in shock and pain. Just then the Chancellor springs to life. The full force of Palpatine’s powerful bolts blasts Master Windu. He attempts to deflect them with his one good hand, but the Force of Palpatine is too great. As blue rays engulf his body, he is flung out the window and falls twenty stories to his death. No more screams. My decision had been made. Saving Padme is all I can think about now. I have turned to the Dark Side to save the one I love. All at what cost?

“Power! Unlimited power!” Palpatine shouts. His face has changed into a horrible mask of evil.

“What have I done?” I said. I take a seat as the conflict within me began to brew. It is too late though. My decision has been made.