<P> After deciding to create the prequel trilogy, Lucas indicated the series would be a tragic one depicting Anakin's fall to the dark side . He also saw that the prequels could form the beginning of one long story that started with Anakin's childhood and ended with his death . This was the final step towards turning the film series into a "saga". </P> <P> For the first prequel, Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace (1999), Lucas made Anakin nine years old to make the character's separation from his mother more poignant . Movie trailers focused on Anakin and a one - sheet poster showing him casting Vader's shadow informed otherwise unknowing audiences of the character's eventual fate . The movie ultimately achieved a primary goal of introducing audiences to Anakin . </P> <P> Author Michael Kaminski, in The Secret History of Star Wars, offers evidence that issues in Anakin's fall to the dark side prompted Lucas to make massive story changes, first revising the opening sequence of the third prequel, Revenge of the Sith (2005), to have Palpatine kidnapped and his apprentice, Count Dooku, killed by Anakin as the first act in the latter's turn towards the dark side . After principal photography was complete in 2003, Lucas made even more massive changes in Anakin's character, re-writing his entire turn to the dark side; Anakin's fall from grace would now be motivated by a desire to save his wife, Padmé Amidala, rather than the previous version in which that reason was one of several, including that he genuinely believed that the Jedi were plotting to take over the Republic . This fundamental re-write was accomplished both through editing the principal footage, and new and revised scenes filmed during pick - ups in 2004 . </P> <P> During production of the Clone Wars TV series, Ahsoka Tano was developed to illustrate how Anakin develops from the brash, undisciplined Padawan apprentice in Attack of the Clones (2002) to the more reserved Jedi Knight in Revenge of the Sith . Clone Wars supervising director and Rebels co-creator Dave Filoni said that giving Anakin responsibility for a Padawan was meant to place the character in a role that forced him to become more cautious and responsible . It would also give him insight into his relationship with Obi - Wan and depict how their relationship matured . Ahsoka and Anakin's relationship was seen as an essential story arc spanning both the animated film and Clone Wars television series . Filoni began thinking about the final confrontation between Ahsoka and Vader ever since he created Ahsoka; different iterations had different endings, including one in which Vader kills Ahsoka just as she slashes open his helmet to reveal Anakin's scarred face . </P>

When did anakin skywalker turn to the dark side