The twin suns of Tatooine burned hot against the sands as a dry wind swept through the crowded streets of Mos Espa. A young boy jolted awake in his small room, heart pounding, breath ragged, sweat clinging to his forehead. His hands clutched the blanket over his old cot as if it were the only thing keeping him in reality.
But this wasn't the cold and empty docking bay of the Death Star.
There was no pain, no tight heavy armor, no heavy breathing. No Palpatine.
He sat up quickly, too quickly for a body that felt far too light and small. He looked at his hands. They were small, childish, and most importantly, not cut off.
He stumbled to the nearest mirror and stared, stunned, into the face of a young dirty blonde-haired kid. Feeling and touching his face all around, he marveled at how realistic and surreal everything felt. He almost forgot what his face used to look like before he was scarred by lava and battle. This was his face as it had been long ago, unmarked, innocent, and pure. Almost like how he was when he was eight years old.
His breath caught.
"This… This isn't possible," he whispered.
"I must be dreaming, right?"
Staring at his very familiar surroundings, he can't help but feel that everything feels so real. Trying to close his eyes amidst the sounds around him, he reaches out. The Force, this truly encapsulating power, flowed through him like a rapid river, far stronger than he had ever felt at this age. His past training, knowledge, and experiences... They were all still there. The memories of the Clone Wars, of Obi-Wan, of Padmé, of Palpatine, of the dark side and the light. Everything blazed inside his mind like twin stars, burning with clarity and regret.
"I died," he whispered. "I died saving my son… Luke."
His knees buckled, and he dropped to the floor.
'Luke, my son, please forgive me. My words alone can not express how truly sorry I am to you, Leia, and your mother, Padmé.'
Staring at the cold, hard stony ground, teary eyes started to form in my face.
'Everything is my fault, my choices and actions broke your mother and tore our family apart…'
'My selfish desires and my fall to the dark side cost you everything…'
'I failed you and your sister as a father and your mother as a husband...'
The energy in the room began to shake violently as things in his room started to lift in the air.
"So WHY… am I here?"
The question echoed in the silence, broken only by the distant sounds of pod engines and street merchants bartering. The things in his room fell to the ground, making a mess. Anakin sat motionless, letting the overwhelming flood of memory and emotion wash over him.
He had died, that much was certain. He could still slightly feel the final spark of life slipping from his past self's broken body, still hear Luke's voice trembling as he held my hand. The Force was letting him remember the peace that came with letting go.
"Father… it's okay… I won't leave you…"
Those were the last words of his son, he was allowed to hear.
But now?
This wasn't the afterlife. He was back on Tatooine alive. Was this the Force's cruel way of letting him relive his regrets and failures, a vision, or was this really a second chance?
He slowly stood, legs trembling as if unused for years. Dust coated the windows, and the small, poorly lit room looked exactly as he remembered from his childhood. The chipped walls, the rusted tools stacked on a bench in the corner, the tiny makeshift droid parts tucked in a basket beside the bed, even Threepio's half-built body leaned awkwardly against the wall, just as it had before.
But even as that certainty rose in him, a shadow stirred beneath it, an echo of the dark. The Force had lied to him before, or at least shown him only what he wanted to see and believe. Was it truly benevolent now? Or was he being manipulated again as he was in the past?
"Ani!" a voice called.
He turned. His mother stood in the doorway of their home, working hard and tirelessly at sweeping these dusty floors. Her soft, warm smile that never failed to hide all of the years of fatigue and pain she kept to herself as she finished wiping her hands on a cloth.
Her smile was so bright and full of life, he almost forgot what she looked like. It's been so long since he last since her, those light brown eyes, dark brown tied up hair, and her tan, rosy skin.
"Did you feel that earthquake, Ani?" she said, gesturing to the things around the house that had fallen out of place.
"Oh my, what happened to your room? Are you okay?"
Anakin felt his heart crack. Tears are now freely streaming from his face. Shmi, the same mother he had not only abandoned and failed to protect when it mattered most, was alive and unharmed right in front of him. He wanted to run to her, to throw his arms around her and never let go. In his new life, he would not make that mistake.
He walked toward her slowly, in pure disbelief in the moment.
"I love you… Mom," he said, voice trembling and cracking.
She raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Well, that's a bit sudden. I love you too, Ani."
Indulging his actions, she held her son in a deep embrace as he leaped to her, almost knocking her down.
"Ani, it's time to eat. I made your favorite today." gently pulling him away, she says while bringing his little chin up to face her and giving him a light kiss on his forehead.
"Now go and sit before it gets cold, you little rascal." smiling as she ruffles his hair and dries his tears.
Cheering up, I look back down and finish wiping my eyes. I walked to the table and sat, eating the familiar rough stew she'd always made. The smell, the warmth, her presence, it grounded him. Here, in this little room, he wasn't a Jedi or a Sith or the Chosen One. He was just Anakin. And for the first time in what felt like lifetimes, that was enough.
"It's about time we head to Watto's and start our shift. Hurry on up and get your things. I'll meet you there after I finish cleaning up here," she said as she grabbed the dirty plates to wash.
Stepping outside, I had to blink twice against the harsh suns as I had to cover my eyes and wait until they adjusted. The streets of Mos Espa bustled as they always had, with traders shouting over one another and children darting between stands. Familiar faces moved past him in every direction, the streets alive with activity. To his left, a pair of Jawas haggled over parts, their robes rustling as they traded scavenged goods with quick, practiced gestures.
None paid him more than a passing glance.
The galaxy believed Anakin Skywalker was still a slave boy with dreams of podracing. But inside, he was something far different.
His gaze darted across the market, a reflex now. Using the Force, he searches through the streets for any signs of threats. It had once been second nature to feel danger before it came. But now, it was raw emotions that swirled around him like a storm. He could sense every person in the street, their fear, hope, greed, and love were rippling in the Force like colors in water. It was intoxicating, but he held it at bay. The last time he indulged that sensation, it had cost the galaxy everything. It had cost him everything.
He breathed through it, reigning it in. It would now not be easy to lose himself again.
"I have a second chance," he murmured, the words strange and heavy on his young tongue. "I can stop it all... before it begins."
The pod races. The Jedi. The Clone Wars. Sidious. Padmé. Luke.
He closed his eyes once again and reached out further than ever before in search of something, someone.
'There you are…'
This very familiar Force signature could only belong to his once master, mentor, and friend. He could feel Obi-Wan somewhere, not far. He must be at Naboo with… realization hit him as he rapidly searched near Obi-Wan's location and instantly picked up another stronger force user and another tiny one.
'It's her, she's alive..' he smiled through his thoughts
This time, Anakin vows that he won't walk blindly into the dark but will learn to control his emotions and fix everything. His overconfidence and lack of control over his emotions destroyed everything.
I know I can't act too quickly. One wrong step and I could unravel everything. But a darker truth itched at the edge of his mind: would the Jedi even listen if he warned them? Would they brand him dangerous, too powerful, too wild? They had once. Maybe this time… he would need to play their game. Pretend to be the child they expected. And strike when it mattered.
He wandered past Watto's shop deep in thought. Before he knew it, he stood before the open bays where he used to sneak peeks at starships. Looking around, every fiber of his being felt energized. A distant whistle caught his attention, and he turned to see a familiar blur zip past him, a pod racer, testing down the track.
For a moment, seeing the familiar sight, he was at a loss for thoughts and feelings, at that moment he was just a kid again, aching for speed, for flight, for something bigger than slavery.
But that boy was gone just as fast as he came.
Shaking his head, he clears his mind and notes that he needs to get used to his child body again.
Still, the clock was ticking.
He knew Qui-Gon Jinn would arrive soon, the podrace would happen, and the Jedi would discover him. Unless he wanted to change that.
'I have to be careful, subtle, and most of all, patient,' he muttered under his breath.
For all he has now is time.
As night fell over Mos Espa, Anakin sat on the roof of Watto's shop, legs dangling off the edge, gazing at the stars. Luke and Leia were still unborn, Padmé is still a queen, and Obi-Wan is still just a padawan. The galaxy was whole.
His mother finished up her work before calling out to him.
"Ani! It's time… let's go home."
He looked at his mother again, memorizing her face. He wouldn't lose her. Not this time.
He placed a hand over his chest, looking back at the beautiful night sky, he felt the Force pulsing steadily and alive within him.
This was not a dream.
This was a beginning.
And this time, I will not fail.