Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader

As a young child on the desert-world of Tattooine, Anakin Skywalker dreams of leaving his life as a slave. He dreams of visiting the stars he sees every night and taking his mother, Shmi, away from everything as well. One day, a pair of Jedi arrive on the planet as they escape the Trade Federation. While they make repairs to their ship, they find Anakin and discover he is extremely Force sensitive; that is, he could control the Force, an energy field that permeates everything. When the Jedi, Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Won Kenobi, leave the planet, they take Anakin with them. Though less than ten years old, he is too old too begin Jedi training. The Jedi Council, though, saw fit to teach him.

Ten years later, Anakin grows up to become a Jedi Padawan: a student. Under Obi-Won Kenobi's leadership, the young Jedi soon shows signs of becoming one of the most powerful Jedi in history. However, Anakin's arrogance and pride often get the best of him. He clashes with his master and uses his powers to impress Senator Padmé Amidala, a woman he's been in love with for almost a decade. However, as the Galactic Republic falls apart under political pressure, Anakin is haunted by dreams of his mother. Fleeing to Tattoine, he finds her, half-dead, kidnapped by Tusken Raiders. As she dies in his arms, Shmi tells Anakin she loves him and is proud of him. In his fury, Anakin slays the entire Tusken camp, leaving no survivors. After the Battle of Geonosis, he secretly weds Senator Amidala, going against the Jedi Order and the mandate against marriage.

Some time later, Chancellor Palpatine, who secretly broke up the Republic through coercion and misinformation with his Dark Force powers, takes Anakin under his wing and trains him to become more powerful than the Jedi would allow: he trains him to become a Sith, a Dark Jedi. Anakin blamed Obi-Won for his mother's death, believing his Master's control stifled his abilities. When Palpatine assumes the role of Emperor and takes power from the Senate, Anakin helps the Dark Lord exterminate the Jedi, tens of thousands of them. However, Obi-Won fights his apprentice and leaves him for dead. Anakin, though, survived the battle and is rebuilt as a new Dark Lord.

Anakin Skywalker became Dark Vader.

Over the next twenty years, as the Empire's power spread throughout the Galaxy, Darth Vader stood at the Emperor's right hand. Unknown even to the Emperor, Anakin and Padmé had twins. Obi-Won carefully hid these children from the Emperor's vision, leaving one with a trusted friend and the other with Anakin's "half-brother," Owen Lars.

Twenty years later, as the Galactic Civil War to overthrow the Empire reaches its climax, Anakin finally slays his old Master, Obi-Won Kenobi, and nearly kills his own son in order to draw him to the Dark Side of the Force. Haunted by the possibility of ruling alongside his son, Anakin finally manages to capture Luke and take him before the Emperor. Though Luke is briefly tempted by the Dark Side of the Force, it is his act of mercy towards his father that finally allows Anakin Skywalker to act against the Emperor, killing him and saving his son's life. However, though he repents and acknowleges his deeds, he dies shortly thereafter, cradled by his son.