Rise of Skywalker Confirms Anakin DID Bring Balance To The Force

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker confirms that Anakin Skywalker really did bring balance to the Force. The prophecy of the Chosen One has long been one of the greatest mysteries in the entire Star Wars saga. According to the prequel trilogy, Anakin Skywalker was born to restore balance to the Force. But what does that actually mean?

Lucasfilm has only recently seen fit to reveal the text of the Prophecy of the Chosen One. Claudia Gray’s novel Master & Apprentice includes several prophecies, all of which are honored by the Jedi even as they appear to predate their order. “A Chosen One shall come,” this specific prophecy declares, “born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored.” It’s not hard to see why Qui-Gon Jinn assumed Anakin Skywalker fit the bill, but notice that the prophecy doesn’t explain what it means by “balance.” The Jedi assumed that it meant Anakin was destined to destroy the Sith, and according to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, they were right.

During the climatic battle of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey reaches out for help through the Force, and hears the voices of past Jedi giving her guidance. “Rey,” Anakin Skywalker calls out. “Bring back the balance, Rey, as I did.” The clear implication is that Palpatine himself was the imbalance in the Force that Anakin Skywalker corrected when he killed the Emperor. This fits perfectly with The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary, in which Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo discussed the prophecy of the Chosen One. “The fulfillment of an ancient prophecy foretold the end of the Sith,” he observed, “but it never predicted the end of darkness.“

At first glance, this appears to diminish Anakin Skywalker’s contribution to the saga that is named after him, simply because the balance he won was short-lived. But it’s important to remember that Star Wars has been quite reluctant to define the word “balance.” The closest even tie-ins have come was in Greg Rucka’s novel Guardians of the Whills, which included a quote ascribed to an “Ascendant of Mau.”

“The moment between breaths

Is the balance of the Force.

Between life and death,

Rest and action,

Serenity and passion,

Hope and despair.”

According to this, balance is a fleeting thing, as ephemeral as “the moment between breaths.” Thus balance – best understood as a separate and distinct aspect of the Force from both light and dark – can only ever be a temporary state of affairs.

In any event, it should hardly be a surprise that the Sith would attempt to overturn the will of the Force; their entire philosophy rests upon the idea of bending the Force to their own will. Thus, although the Prophecy of the Chosen One was fulfilled in Anakin Skywalker, the Sith found a loophole. Anakin successfully killed the Emperor, but the Sith brought him back. Fortunately, Palpatine’s own granddaughter – the spiritual heir to the Skywalker legacy – was able to repeat what Anakin had done. In destroying the Emperor, Rey has restored the balance that Anakin won in Return of the Jedi.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4894 Articles Published)

See also  RHONY: Leah McSweeney’s Sister Sarah Has A Few Choice Words For Ramona

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

More From Thomas Bacon