SPECULATION "Anakin Whines too much"

My gf and I have a drinking game we play sometimes. If Luke or Anakin whine we take a drink. Like father like son.

 

The problem is that the storyline is meant to be a tragedy. We are supposed to feel bad when Anakin falls. We are supposed to feel sorrow when that table rises up and there is the fully armored Sith Lord that we all grew up with. In order for this to work, we need to care about this individual. We need to like them. Unfortunately, the constant whining and complaints makes the audience dislike Anakin. It makes him insufferable.
And before someone cites Luke's tendency to whine as well, let me illustrate the difference:
For Luke, it's a combination of feeling like a big fish in a small pond, a desire for adventure, and the fact that the universe moves so quickly and he doesn't want to get left behind. And on top of that, a desire to do good. For example, Luke getting impatient with Yoda before he realized that he was the famed Jedi Master was due to a desire to learn about the Force so he could stronger to fight the Empire and Vader.
With Anakin, it's arrogance. It's self-entitlement. In his mind, by Attack of the Clones, he could defeat all 12 members of the High Council at once blindfolded and one hand tied behind his back. In his mind, he should be able to do whatever he wants. He should already be Grand Master. When Anakin doesn't get his way, he feels like it is a major slight. For example, when he is put on the High Council, but not made a Master, he complains*. This is despite the fact that he now out ranks all but eleven Jedi as well as being the youngest member of the High Council in the very long history of the Order.
See what I mean?

*The novelization by Matthew Stover has a much better version of the scene. In it, Mace is far, far harsher towards Anakin (instead of simply and understandably cutting off Anakin's tantrum) and Anakin isn't allowed to do anything other than voice Palpatine's opinions. No opinions of his own nor does he get to vote. If this was in the earlier drafts, shame on Lucas for cutting it out. It actually makes Anakin sympathetic.

Wow, you two must forget you've even watched the films by the time you are done.

 

Unfortunatelly both actors were a bad choice, none of them are good actors. Sum that to the fact that the script was poorly writen we have a perfect combination in how to not give a Blast to the character. Luke's complaining is acceptable because its very well writen and Mark hamill is a great actor, specially in TESB.

 

50/50 I.guess.

 

I've seen Hayden Christensen in other stuff. He's not a terrible actor... but he's not the best, either, and I think he needed stronger directing. Unfortunately, he wasn't getting that from George in AotC and RotS...

 

True - it wasn't just Anakin! "It just isn't fair! Oh, Biggs is right. I'm *never* gonna get out of here!" Still, Luke grew out of his, even by the end of ANH, whereas Anakin was portrayed as a whiner right up to the end of the prequels.

 

That wasn't whining, though, as much as impetuousness... But then, "You want the impossible" - *goes to sulk in corner* was pretty whiny.

 

"The Whine is strong in my family. My father had it... I have it... my sister has it... and don't even get me started on my nephew."

 

ironically, the nephew whines the least of the three of them (at least so far ~ he could make up for it through the rest of the ST).

i would do a whine-to-whine ratio, but there's no way i could get through the PT; Anakin will win every time ~ hahaha

 

I like how Honest Trailers refers to him as "Better Anakin". Maybe we are a little hard on Ani. He was young in AOTC. He didn't seem as whiney later.

 

Rey, doesn't whine.


...

 

i don't know. i was actually trying to mentally count the whining in my head and i feel like Anakin was maybe most whiny in AoTC, but he was also pretty bad in RoTS. he may actually whine the least when he was a little twerp. but i would have to watch the movies to actually make a fair assessment and i just don't see that happening ~ hahaha

my omission was intentional?

or, to placate the Skywalker fanatics, maybe i was just addressing the men. hahaha

 

I dont like Anakin's portrayal in the PT simply because I never belive for a second that the guy will be Darth Vader one day. Their personalities and behaviour just dont share anything in common. Many people say that he simply changed that much in the 20 years between ep III and IV, but to me he is not credible.
And its not just the whining. He lacks confidence, rigour, cold efficiency or anything which would remind me of Darth Vader even the slightest... the clone wars Anakin did a much better job at portraying a possible young Vader.