Ohhhhhh BOY so I was behind on the Mando docuseries so I had been staying out of all the “Davegate” stuff cuz I didn’t know context or what exactly Filoni said and I just saw the second ep where he says the thing about the overarching theme of SW and....... ohhhhh boy, yeah, now I get why some people were like hmmmmmm about what he said 😂
Like uhhhhhh I’m very sorry mr. Dave I understand you have been working with SW for a Very long time and all, but how did you get “Anakin has daddy issues” as the theme of the prequels and Star Wars in general?!?!??
I mean, I’m just a humble fan, but I’ve never seen ANY portrayals of Anakin in SW media that imply he’s looking for a father or needs a father to make things better like? It never seemed to bother him, if anything, I feel like his past as a slave and working under Watto and dealing with the other adult racers and stuff makes him more disagreeable to the idea of a firm paternal authority figure telling him what to do. Like I agree with Dave that Qui Gon would have taken a more parental role with Anakin and that Obi Wan didn’t take a parental role at all, but I DEFINITELY don’t agree that it necessarily would have made things better or basically anything else on Dave’s (imho) ice-cold take on Obi Wan and how much he really cares
I mean, Anakin’s complicated relationship with authority in general is a whole ‘nother discussion on how while he simultaneously chafes against authority and is all about his own independence, but at the same time gravitates toward confident, intelligent, authoritative figures who he knows he can rely on to make difficult decisions and trusts to make the world make sense— or at least make sense the way he thinks it should be (and yes here I mean Obi Wan, Padmé, and Palpatine, in different ways). He’s a pleaser at heart, he wants to make the people he cares about happy with him because if he’s received validation from one he respects that means he’s done something Good because these authority figures he approves of are the examples of right and good in his world, so that means he’s fine to follow their direction because he trusts them.
Anakin did find a father figure in the prequels and as Dave said, it’s not Obi Wan (and that’s NOT a bad thing), the problem is it’s fucking Palpatine. Qui Gon was the wise, experienced older man who first saw potential in him and praised him. Yeah he might have started to see him as a father figure, maybe, we don’t have enough time. It’s enough for him to get to like the idea tho and start making a box in his head for “people who make the world make sense”= “people like Qui Gon”. Then, with Qui Gon dead, Anakin still has that now empty spot in his mind and immediately comes across another wise, experienced older man who first saw potential in him and praised him. Of course he’s gonna latch onto Palps as a new sort of father figure, because who else does he have? Obi Wan?
Nah, Obi Wan, he kinda recognizes as another who’s a little scared, a little lost, a little uncertain soul like himself. He’s gonna see Obi Wan as someone different because “you’re like me, you’re figuring this out as you go too”. Obi Wan doesnt become his father figure because right away there’s too much similarity between them, it puts them onto more of an equal level, they’re more a team figuring stuff out and rolling with the punches. He respects Obi Wan immensely and considers him another one of those people he would follow, but Obi Wan hasn’t gained his respect through insta-father impression, Obi Wan has gained his respect because Anakin has seen Obi Wan grow and mature along with his own apprenticeship, he’s watched Obi Wan be tested and prove himself time after time again. Anakin looks up to and respects Obi Wan and his authority because he knows Obi Wan, and knows just exactly how good he is. Obi Wan isn’t Anakin’s father. He’s his example, his challenge he’s always striving to meet, his hopeful equal, and arguably who he sees as his better half as much as he’s frustrated by him sometimes.
Anakin has plenty of authority figures in his life willing and offering to guide him, he doesn’t suffer from the lack of a father, and that’s not why he makes the choices he does. Anakin HAS a father figure throughout the prequels, that father figure just happens to be a fucking Sith Lord who guides him the wrong way.
If Qui Gon survived, I think Anakin would have turned out differently because Qui Gon would have filled that father figure role Palpatine had had, and that would have influenced him differently as well as the loss of Obi Wan as his Master would have. Does that make him “better” or less likely to fall? No, because Darth Sidious ABSOLUTELY would have still forced his way into Anakin’s life regardless. Anakin has a big heart, all it would take would be one time for Sheevy to make an impact on him and then suddenly Palps is right back corrupting him again, and I don’t think Qui Gon’s presence alone could stop it. In fact, it might make things worse as Obi Wan might not be as involved in Anakin’s life in this scenario, and Obi Wan played a HUGE role in keeping Anakin in the Light, or should I say making Anakin want to stay in the Light becaus HIS FALL WAS HIS OWN FUCKING CHOICE AND FAULT, NOT THE ORDER’S.
So yeah that was my spiel on Anakin tryna debunk the “daddy issues” theory, sorry Dave, I just can’t agree.
I don’t even have the energy to explain just why I’m like “uhhhhh nO?” about Dave’s take regarding the Jedi Order vs Qui Gon or his take on Obi Wan’s feelings regarding Anakin and why I highkey disagree, but other ppl have made better posts on that regardless lol
