Anakin Skywalker's/ Darth Vader's Self Efficacy

 

     Today, I will be looking at Anakin Skywalker and his Dark Side Persona of Darth Vader through one half of the Expectancy Value Theory. This half of the theory pertains to the expectancy component and even more focused through Self Efficacy. Self-Efficacy is a term that has varied definitions, but they all generally say that Self-Efficacy is “one’s belief about what one can do”. 

    High Self-Efficacy is something in the Star Wars universe and in the case of Anakin-Skywalker doesn’t seem to be lacking in their characters. You could describe Anakin Skywalker as someone who is arrogant and thinks highly of themselves. When we first meet Anakin back on Tatooine even as a slave he has very high Self-Efficacy because of his ability to fix and repair droids and machinery. Not to mention he is the only human who can survive a Pod Race, but his rival Sebulba has been a gut check to his ability to win a race. 

Anakin receiving great Praise when he wins his first pod race 

    The beginnings of Anakin’s Self-Efficacy begin to show where his sources are; his raw strength in the force, his ability to fix and repair things, his prowess with a lightsaber, and his ability to fly a starfighter. 

Obi-Wan telling Luke Anakin's Ability as a star pilot

This comes all the way to a turning point in his Self-Efficacy because Anakin by the time he is a padawan and is 20 years old still feels he is being held back. One of his newest sources of Self-Efficacy is his Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has to teach Anakin the Jedi Code and how to live by it. Anakin interprets this as holding him back and that the Jedi Council is holding him back. Anakin also has a good model for what it means to be a good and powerful Jedi in his master Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan is on the Jedi Council and has the rank of Jedi Master, which only a few in the Jedi Order receives. Anakin’s high Self-Efficacy made him a very brash, arrogant, and outside the box thinker. Anakin’s belief in himself really showed during the time of the Clone Wars when he was general of the 501^st legion. Anakin would make decisions on the battlefield that many Jedi would think dangerous or clumsy and usually pull them off from just his abilities.

Anakin Saving Obi-Wan with his outside the box thinking 

 His goal remember is to be the most powerful Jedi in recorded history so that he can live up to being the Chosen One. His Padawan Ahsoka Tano as discussed in the previous post is a good relationship for Anakin and fills a vital role for Anakin as a teacher and role model. He begins to pass on his knowledge and his understanding of reality to his Padawan, but she as we know eventually leaves him, shattering his Self-Efficacy as being a teacher and mentor. The only time he feels that her leaving him was the will of the force during the siege of Mandalore. Now Anakin’s belief in his abilities begins to waver when he learns that Padme is pregnant, and he believes she is going to die. Fearing this, and fear of losing his life he trusts in Darth Sidious to teach him how to save her from death so that she does not end up like his mother who he could not save. When he becomes Darth Vader, he is fully unleashed on the Galaxy. His newest model that replaces Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most powerful beings in the Galaxy, Darth Sidious, his master. 

Darth Vader and his Master leading an assault on the cover
of Lords of the Sith 

Darth Vader for most of his career in the Dark Side is just one victory after the other. Leading whole armies and navies to conquer and expand his master’s empire. Also being the number in the Imperial Hierarchy does not worsen someone’s Self-Efficacy.  He is still an amazing pilot, feared for his power in the Force, and his ruthlessness. His goal for most of this time is to instill order and control across the Galaxy and this is done through fear, and Darth Vader does it well. Darth Vader believes himself to basically be unstoppable because he is the Chosen One and is now one of the few Force Users in the Galaxy. 

Darth Vader's High Self-Efficacy showing even when he 
is surrounded by rebels 

His even Higher sense of Self-Efficacy contributes to him being regarded as an unstoppable force, and he is relentless in his goals. This includes his second major goal in his life of trying to turn his son, Luke Skywalker, to the dark side. He is relentlessly pursuing his son, facing every obstacle with perseverance even when his compatriots think they should stop their pursuit, which to their suggestion is a bad one.

Darth Vader in his pursuit of his Son, Luke 

 He eventually ‘fails’ his goal of turning his son to the Dark Side, and in fact rejoins the Light Side and becomes Anakin Skywalker once again. It is never really known if Anakin believes he accomplished his task of being the Chosen One, to set balance to the Force and therefore the Galaxy. Many still argue whether he is the Chosen One or if Luke is, my opinion and the creator’s opinion is that it is

Anakin Showing his Abilities as the Chosen one controlling the Son and Daughter

Anakin. Anakin’s/ Darth Vader’s Self-Efficacy rarely reaches any low points, this is because of his raw strength in the force, his prowess with a lightsaber, and his skills in piloting a starfighter. He has great models to look up to, remember “good is a point of view”, with Qui Gon, Obi-Wan, and Darth Sidious. He was persistent for whatever he wanted, even marrying Padme in secret against the Jedi Code. And he always put the maximum amount of effort into every situation.

A showing of Darth Vader's power just for fun!