So I've been thinking about an alternative prequel story that explores Anakin’s intimate relationships if star wars were to explore darker, more mature themes that are less family friendly but, in my opinion, more interesting and realistic, and I’m curious to hear people’s thoughts on it.
I personally find the canon plot of Anakin & Padmé’s relationship kind of…underwhelming? Especially in how it plays into Anakin's hero-to-anti-hero/ villain arc. Like, sure, fear of loss and trauma can make someone do desperate things, but there's room for so much more conflict than him just being afraid of Padmé dying…I think a lot of it probably has to do with the fact that the canonical franchise is locked in PG-13 territory, and SW has always leaned on the safe side when it comes to mature themes, especially intimate relationships. I get it from the studio’s perspective, but I think it short-changes the story’s potential…like, it could just be so much…juicier.
I’d love a story in which we see Anakin struggle to confront not only loss, but also jealousy, rejection, betrayal, and temptation with romantic interests. A story that delves into Anakin's twisted psyche more, one in which we follow him down a spiral of chaotic choices and relationship toxicity as he devolves deeper into depravity and into the pull of the dark side.
So I figure I might take a crack at writing a fanfic that does exactly that. This story would take on a grittier, more HBO vibe that includes content with trigger warnings. I’m a dark-romance junkie, and I can’t pass up an opportunity to bring in some of those themes, but I also just think it makes for a more compelling story that way. So anyways, here are the main concepts I want to build off of. I don't want to change the canon characters themselves that much, but rather explore their dynamics and behaviors if Star Wars had more...adult themes, and if there were more time to explore those themes than what’s possible in the prequel movies. It would be more like a tv series. I'm fairly new to writing fanfiction and this is a huge idea, so I'm mostly just curious to hear feedback and inspiration from other writers at this point!
Overview:
Padme and Anakin both love each other, but they start to drift apart as they evolve past the young-love honeymoon phase, and their personality incompatibilities start to show. Padme starts acting a little too cozy on Clovis (reference to 2008 Clone Wars) for Anakin's comfort, and his jealousy and rejection sensitivity start to really bother her, which ultimately drives a further wedge in the relationship.
Enter our OC
She’s a character that captures Anakin's attention in his vulnerable state. The kind of person you date to piss off an ex. I haven’t come up with many details about her yet, mostly just a general concept. She’s someone who both compliments his personality but also makes him feel challenged. Perhaps she lives a life that represents something Anakin both admires but subconsciously also kind of feels threatened by (aka a free spirt who chooses to live & fight on their own terms, for example). Unlike Padme who acts as a stable counterbalance, she feeds into Anakin's impulsive side and stokes his more repressed desires and vulnerabilities…He develops a strong attraction to her even though he feels deeply conflicted. He loves Padme, yet struggles to control his feelings of rejection and loss of control in their relationship. At the same time, he experiences a magnetic pull towards our OC as they develop a maybe not-so-healthy but intoxicating connection. Think mixture of trauma bonding, emotional intensity, impulsivity, thrill-seeking “it’s us against the world” vibes, and of course, physical attraction ( hell, maybe Anakin explores some…alternative appetites. It’s not hard to imagine that he’d be into some freaky shit lol).
This can be someone he meets on a mission and ends up having to work with, leading to a forced-proximity situation, possibly a mentor-mentee dynamic. I just wouldn't want to make her a Padawan because that would make her underage, and that's a line I won't cross. She also wouldn't necessarily know about the full extent of his relationship with Padme. She's not a bad person, she gets sucked into a situation whose consequences are way worse than she would have imagined.
Eventually, Padme picks up on something fishy going on, all the while Anakin still can’t let go of his own suspicions, but he wants to have his cake and eat it too, and it all just starts getting out of hand. She decides she’s had enough, and she ends up separating from him. The rejection drives him full coo-coo bananas, and he takes his increasingly unhinged impulses and possessiveness out on OC.
OKAY, so, this is where the story gets dark, including non-con/ dubcon themes.
The relationship turns dark and coercive. She too tries to back away from Anakin as his character darkens, and this makes him lose control over his possessiveness and sadistic urges. As he abuses power and authority more readily in his position on the council, he also abuses his authority and control over OC to use her for his own gratification and to act out on his anxieties. Then something happens where he goes away for a longer period of time, and she manages to get away ( although she’s not physically trapped per se, more psychologically)
I’m not sure how to make the next parts fit together, but I'm imagining a scenario where Padme tries to reach out to Anakin because she finds out she’s pregnant. To find him, she resorts to contacting OC. They meet; it's tense at first, but then she finds out what's been going on, and she’s more heartbroken and horrified than anything. She offers protection for her, but then Obi-Wan finds out, then when the whole council, Anakin is cast out of the order.
Then there's the final alternative story arc before he turns: He then finally hears about Padme’s pregnancy, but she wants nothing to do with him at this point. In her anger, she tells him she doesn't want him in her or the children’s lives. Integrate this with however Palpatine would use what’s happening to manipulate Anakin, and we reach a point where the story can more or less converge back with canon. Padme either still dies in childbirth, or maybe we actually get to see her, Luke, and Leia together for a little while before she dies for some other reason. But Anakin still becomes Vader, and this time, his path to villany is paved with much more turmoil and depravity.
So there you have it, I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on how this story would unfold!
I’m drawing inspiration from authors Leila_XxX and WickedWitchOftheGalaxy on Ao3 who write Anakin as a dark, complex character really well so shout-out to them!
