Star Wars: Anakin Skywalker Isn’t The Only Prequel Trilogy Hero Who Joined The Empire
Star Wars Galactic Empire has seen its fair share of defectors, but one individual willingly joined their ranks for tragically accurate reasons
The last fates of many Star Wars characters tend to get lost in the shuffle as greater interesting memories upward push to the floor. Sure, Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark facet drives a lot of the franchise’s most important engine, but what about the different characters whose comparable loyalties have been whispered as opposed to shouting?
Despite what many greater current canon testimonies might suggest, some Star Wars characters ended up abandoning the good men and in no way turning again. The franchise has seen its percentage of villains turning suitable and heroes in short falling into the darkness before clawing their manner returned.
But scarcely is a cherished figure depicted as willingly becoming a member of the enemy and honestly staying there. One such example occurred when a selected character inside the Clone Wars collection became a villain, breaking the hearts of lovers. But there may be every other who many possibly stopped thinking about after his single movie look.
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space, including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
Key Takeaways
· Panaka broke hearts by joining the Empire in Star Wars. His loyalty remained until he gave up.
· His disillusionment with the Republic led him to trust the Empire’s promise of safety.
· Panaka’s tale offers a glimpse into the grey regions of Star Wars, exploring complicated allegiances.
That individual turned into Captain Quarsh Panaka, prominently featured as Queen Amidala’s bodyguard in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. Many enthusiasts were stunned when user Gimpcar at the Star Wars Cantina subreddit found out that Panaka willingly joined the Empire at the top of the Clone Wars.
Again, it wouldn’t be the only time this sort of element has taken place in this delightfully chaotic franchise. But this one had a piece of a tragic tinge to it. Panaka had grown to be upset by using the Republic using the battle’s end, having lost lots throughout its tenure. This covered the death of his niece in a failed assassination try on the modern queen of Naboo and Panaka’s lack of self-belief in the Republic’s effectiveness in preserving its human security.
Ultimately, he joined the Empire and became a Moff. But as mentioned by way of one consumer inside the feedback, in contrast to others carrying the rank like Gideon and Tarkin, Panaka’s new loyalties had been pushed no longer with the aid of professional ambition or hunger for power however with the aid of real perception that the security promised through the Empire might enhance the galaxy.
“Panaka saw how toothless the Republic system was and how disastrous that was for Naboo. A corrupt Republic allowed the Trade Federation to flout galactic law and effectively conquer Naboo overnight. He saw first-hand that complacent pacifism did nothing to stop existential threats to his people, how Naboo needed more than a few policemen and a few starfighters to protect themselves. The failure of the Republic to then achieve justice for Naboo, that those responsible like Nute Gunray weren’t put behind bars, would’ve further jaded him. As well as its inability to take action and prevent the Clone Wars from occurring, a war that made the Naboo incident look like a squabble between two neighbors.”
Ultimately, Panaka in no way lost his priorities in this regard. At one factor for the duration of his tenure as Moff, he met with Rebel hero and eventual General Leia Organa, even having the guile to suspect that she became the lengthy-lost daughter of his former company, Padmé Amidala. Unfortunately, he by no means got to discover the one’s suspicions, as he turned into killed quickly after in a bombing attack completed by way of Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera.
He remained unswerving to the cease, both to the Empire and his beliefs. Panaka’s tale is interesting because it offers a study of the grey location now not frequently explored in Star Wars. Sure, the Empire is an evil and oppressive fascist regime. That ton is obvious. So, the admittedly scrappy Rebel Alliance is all however required in opposition to such energy.
But many stories regularly overlook to explore why some people will see the inflexible order of the Empire as a terrific thing, ignoring all its faults for safety’s sake. It’s a phenomenon seen inside the real international as reputedly correct humans help blatant evil for his or her motives. So, more memories like Panaka’s would likely hit domestically for plenty of visitors.
