Fallen Heroes: Star Wars

In Star Wars Episode III, the main hero, Anakin, follows a dark path that ultimately leads to the demise almost all of his companions, including his beloved wife Padme. Obviously Anakin did not simply run straight through this path, but he took one step at a time. Anakin's decision to execute Count Dooku led him to befriend and learn of new powers from Chancellor Palpatine, which eventually convinced Anakin that he needed to save Palpatine to save his wife's life.

As a faithful warrior of the Jedi Order, Anakin was to follow the way of the Jedi and fight in the name of justice and peace. However, in his duel with Count Dooku, Anakin, with some doubt, executes Dooku by order of the Chancellor. Despite being unarmed and unable to defend himself, Palpatine ordered Anakin to kill Dooku, arguing that Dooku was too dangerous to be kept alive. By defying the way of the Jedi and killing an unarmed target, Anakin took his first step towards the Dark Side.

Throughout the beginning of the film, Anakin begins to befriend Chancellor Palpatine. Throughout their friendship, Anakin is asked of by the Jedi Council to report on Palpatine's whereabouts and actions, something that Anakin believes is an uncivil thing to do as a Jedi. His disappointment in the Council's decisions brings him even more towards Palpatine's side. In addition to this, Palpatine reveals to Anakin that there exists a power that can save people from the grasp of death, conveniently around the same time Anakin starts to have nightmares of his wife dying. Worried for his wife's life, Anakin is absorbed into Palpatine's grasp, hoping he will learn something of this undying power.

When Anakin reports Palpatine to Windu, he is ordered to stay put. Anakin goes against these orders and mobilizes towards the Chancellor's quarters, where he finds Windu with his lightsaber to Palpatine's neck. Out of fear of losing both his friend and his chance at rescuing Padme, Anakin kills Windu before he can land the final blow on Palpatine. This action pushes Anakin over the line, in which he officially crosses over to the Dark Side and is deemed Darth Vader.

Anakin Skywalker is a perfect example of a Fallen Hero. Despite his heroic actions throughout Episodes I and II, Anakin experiences his downfall towards the Dark Side out of fear of losing his wife. Throughout many occasions, Anakin's best judgement is clouded by his priority to keep his wife safe. His clouded judgement eventually brought him to befriend Palpatine, betray Mace Windu, and slaughter the unsuspecting Jedi. Although his priority of saving Padme caused his madness, his anger eventually brings him to take the life of the very person he was trying to protect.