One blink-and-you-miss-it moment inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithreveals just how powerful and truly ruthlessAnakin Skywalker/Darth Vaderwas after his fall to the dark side of the Force, and I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. Despite the painful and restrictive Darth Vader suit, Anakin became one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sith.
Yet, it’s likely that the most powerful we ever saw him inStar Warsmovies and TV showswas just after his fall, during Order 66. While that’s perhaps been well-known for quite some time, one subtle moment during Anakin’s siege on the Jedi Temple is much lesser-known, and it proves his true strength at that time.
Anakin Fought A Jedi One-Handed While Choking Another During Order 66
Vader’s role in Order 66 is easily one of the darkest events inAnakin Skywalker’sStar Warstimeline, which is really saying something given how dark that timeline is overall. Among the most notable events within that larger attack is Anakin’s cutting down of the younglings, which was absolutely brutal.
However, there is a subtle Anakin moment caught only on the recordings Obi-Wan Kenobi eventually sees that even better reflects his power at that time. It’s difficult to spot, but at one point during Order 66,Anakin has one Jedi by the throat while he is fighting another in a lightsaber duel single-handed.
While Anakin’s part in the slaughter of the Jedi is certainly something that should never be cheered on, it is jarring to see just how powerful Vader had become, given he was able to hold one Jedi back solely by choking him and take another Jedi out with his lightsaber.
It’s So Much Darker That Anakin Did Not Use The Force For This
Beyond just a representation of Anakin’s skill, this scene reveals how completely ruthless Anakin/Vader had become. Anakin’s use of Force choke, both as a Sith and much more shockingly as a Jedi, is something that has been seen throughouttheStar Warstimeline.
This wasn’t one such example, though, asAnakin wasn’t using Force choke but rather was physically holding onto the Jedi by the throat. In a way, this is actually so much darker than Anakin using the Force power, as it somehow felt both more violent and more personal.
In the end, this moment, like so many others during Order 66, just goes to show how far gone Anakin had truly become at that point. Even so, this particular sequence stands out, as it reveals the immense powerAnakin Skywalker/Darth Vaderhad acquired before his battle with Obi-Wan on Mustafar inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
