How Exactly Did Anakin Skywalker Become A Force Ghost?
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi marks basically the end of Empire, making way for the beginning of the New Republic. Episode VI gave us the destruction of the second Death Star, the death of his majesty Emperor Palpatine, and the redemption of Anakin Skywalker.
When the second Death Star is destroyed, and our heroes celebrate their victory on the forest moon of Endor, Luke gets to see the spiritual manifestation of Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Seeing Luke’s former masters isn’t the only thing that brings joy to all of us at the end of Return of the Jedi. What truly makes some of us weep at the end is seeing Anakin Skywalker appear as a Force ghost.
Seeing Anakin Skywalker next to Master Yoda and his former master Obi-Wan is the ultimate sign that, finally, Anakin has been redeemed. When we started learning more about the lore of Star Wars, we found out that the Jedi can keep their consciousness after death by turning into Force Ghosts.
In Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, we learned that, in order to become a Force ghost, one needs to be taught the ability itself. Yoda tells Obi-Wan that his former master Qui-Gon Jinn could show him the path to immortality.
Years later, we learned that Yoda learns this ability when he meets Force Priestesses in season 6 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. To learn the ability to become a Force ghost, a Jedi must feel the light within them, and accept it to become one with the Force. By becoming one with the Force, a Jedi must enter the light within. This means that a Sith cannot become a Force Ghost, as they are clouded by their hatred.
After learning this explanation, fans asked a really important question. If only the Jedi could learn the ability to become a Force ghost, how exactly does Anakin retain his consciousness after death?
The closest answer we ever get to this mystery is in the 2008 young-adult novel Star Wars: The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi by Ryder Windham. In the novel, Obi-Wan, prior to his own death, tells Vader that he can help him retain his consciousness after death. He also tells Vader that he still believes him to be the Chosen One, and also his friend. Although this provides the explanation that Obi-Wan shows Vader how to become a Force ghost, this story is no longer canon.
Despite this story not fitting with canonical continuity (Kenobi believes Luke to be the Chosen One according to Rebels), it is heartwarming to read in this interpretation that Obi-Wan still loves his best friend until the end. Obi-Wan lost his brother, and his best friend, to Vader. This Legends story offers a scenario in which he forgives him and still loves him no matter what.
Maybe Vader learns the ability on his many trips through the galaxy, while he hunts down Jedi who survived Order 66. He could have picked up a Jedi Holocron, and learn the knowledge from it, or he could have taken sacred Jedi texts from any of the temples he destroys while hunting down Order 66 survivors.
Even if the explanation of how Anakin becomes a Force ghost is a mystery in canon, what truly matters is that Anakin is redeemed, and that even after everything he did when he transformed into Darth Vader, he is able to find some peace in the end.
What many people forget is that everything Anakin does is out of the fear of losing the woman he loves. Anakin has already lost the woman who brought him into the world, and the guilt of not being there to save her makes him blinded with fear. Anakin’s story shows us that anything can change, and that everything can be forgiven.
Source(s): CBR