The body of Chancellor Palpatine was removed from the office. The fallen guards and Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi were also taken. Master Ki-Adi-Mundi's body was brought to the Jedi Temple to receive his final ceremonies. Workers cleaned the office, attempting to remove the bloodstains from the floor, walls, and even the ceiling.
The Jedi Masters and Anakin finally exited the Senate building. When they arrived, Cyrus saw Padme. She had worriedly waited for him.
"Anakin!" She ran to him and hugged him tightly.
The Jedi watched quietly disapprovingly, but Cyrus didn't care. "I still have things to talk with the Jedi about. Master Yoda, may Padme join us? This affects her as much as me.
If unworried you are about the things you might say, it matters to me not. Cyrus held Padme's hand in his own as they walked to the High Council's chambers.
The Masters each took their seat. Obi-Wan was invited to sit in the chair of the now deceased Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.
Yoda examined the Padawan, "Much explaining you have, start you will."
"What do you want to know about?" Cyrus asked Yoda.
Deceived us all, you have, manipulated us. These are the methods of the Sith. Wonder do we, become a Sith you have? Made your teachers murderers?"
"No, master, I am not a Sith. You're right that I did use Sith methods. However, I was feeling desperate. If these matters were not resolved, the Galaxy was about to be drawn into a war the ending of which could not be predicted.
The Two Sith were manipulating two sides of the same conflict that they created. The Jedi, confused and unable to perceive the dark side, have been unable to cope. We have been stunted in our ability to react.
This told me that a new method was necessary, so I employed Bounty Hunters to capture Jango Fett and seek out information about Count Dooku. This led to the exposure of the Clone Army. Even more, I discovered this clone Army is a secret knife One that was to be wielded by the chancellor.
Order 66 has been hardwired into every clone soldier through a chip implanted in their heads. The moment the order is given, every clone trooper will turn on the Jedi and murder them. They will wipe out every Jedi they can find. This was the Trap that Darth Sidious, known as Palpatine, and Darth Tyranus, known as Count Dooku, had prepared. We had no time to lose, now that we had exposed the clone army, Palpatine planned to call for a vote, making the army the official Army of the Republic. You can check this and verify it through Palpatine's confidants. There is legislation already prepared. It was actually quite simple to discover this.
You might wonder why I did not bring everything to the council. All I can say is the council has proven over the years to be deaf to reason, demonstration, and evidence of the threats that the Galaxy faces.
Count Dooku's closest friend, Master Sifo-Dyas, brought visions of a galactic war, and the council turned him away.
Dooku manipulated Master Sifo-Dyas into commissioning the Clone Army. Dooku used his own money to fund it, but Sidious was The Mastermind behind the entire plot. To prevent the information about the Clone Army from being leaked, Count Dooku murdered his best friend. And yet the Jedi knew nothing about this.
Why not? I will tell you why, it is because the Jedi serve the will of the Republic and not the will of the Force."
Cyrus waited as the members of the High Council murmured amongst themselves, some clearly angry.
"Is that what you really think about the council?" Mace Windu asked.
"Yes, but I'm not done. You must hear this because if you think we have solved the problem of the Sith, then you are grossly mistaken. We have not only failed to solve the true problem, but as long as the Jedi continue to have dual loyalties, one to The Republic and one to the Force, we will continue to be deaf to what the Force wishes to show us.
I have been warned repeatedly about arrogance, fear, suffering, and yet those very same teachings are ignored by the Jedi. I could never understand why, until I understood something very important. Padme showed me this, and Palpatine reinforced it not but a few hours before his death.
All the Senators are scum, with maybe a few exceptions." Cyrus winked at Padme. "Palpatine himself told me that all politicians are liars, they are duplicitous, they all have skeletons in their closets. and they are the rulers of the Republic.
How can the Jedi serve a body that everyone realizes is corrupt? The political party of the Republic is, in one sense, an agent of the dark side. We do not protect freedom and democracy; instead, we protect evil.
This is not always so; there are times when a government can work in the best interest of its people, but as governments age, corruption grows more and more until the thing that was once a virtuous Institution is itself now a servant of the darkness. Jedi used to be separate from politics. Why?
The Jedi forbid attachment, and yet they are so attached to the Republic. Why couldn't we let the Separatists separate from the republic? If we had granted them the rights that they have, there would be no need for war. You may argue that it would be a foolish thing to do, as those involved were corrupt, but not everyone involved in the Separatists was corrupt.
The Republic has failed many people; it failed me as a child. I was a slave; my mother and I bought and sold on a whim; if not for the will of the Force, I would still be a slave. working in Watto's junkyard. I have seen the failure of the Republic, and I have seen the failure of the Jedi. Not due to a lack of wise masters or virtuous teachers, rather it is our failure to live up to the correct teachings of the Jedi Order. Is attachment forbidden?
For so many years, the Jedi forbade marital relationships. And yet we know that in times past, marriage wasn't forbidden. Why have we become as we are now? It is due to one word, obsession. No one knows or is familiar with this word as I am.
It was my obsession with Padme that caused me to make questionable choices.
The obsession with my mother's well-being opened me to the path of the dark side.
It was my obsession with having a father figure that allowed the worm-tongued Palpatine to whisper the sweet words of the dark side of the force into my young ears.
It was my obsession with proving that I was worthy to be the chosen one that caused me to become so arrogant and greedy for power.
It was only when I began to let go of these obsessions that attachment no longer was a danger to me or others. When I released my obsession for a father figure, the sweet words of the dark side became bitterness in my ears. I found it disgusting.
When I gave up my obsession with Padme, I was able to recognize and feel, for the very first time, true love.
I learned that forbidding things doesn't keep a person from the dark side. It's recognizing shielding ourselves from the dark side through rejection, while bringing us closer with the other hand through acceptance.
We must have positives in our life, and when we make our only attachment to the Jedi Order and the Jedi Order has made it's only attachment to The Republic the dark side begins to creep in, and we begin to lose our footing and lose our ability to see and know the dark side for what it is.
As long as the Jedi Order remains a part of the Republic or any governing body of power, we will be infiltrated by the dark side. It won't be the Sith that threatens us, but enemies within.
I almost gave in to my hatred, and you might be shocked to know that my hatred was very largely focus of the Jedi Order. Denying me the ability to check on my mother, to pursue my love of Padme Amidala, my experiences in the Jedi Order were sometimes hypocritical. At other times, I was greatly excited.
I don't trust myself to be able to resist the dark side forever. I can't serve the Jedi and serve the Republic. It is impossible for me not to think like a Sith when I see a problem that needs to be solved. I spent so much of my formative years being mentored by a Sith. And none of you knew.
Therefore, effective immediately, I shall remove myself from the Jedi order. I still hope to pursue the true Light Side of the force, even without Jedi support.
I do not know if Padme is willing to make a sacrifice for me, but I'm willing to make a sacrifice for her. Even if the answer is no, I must not remain a Jedi. The council was right to reject me when I was a child.
I cannot be a Jedi, but I do not reject the teachings of the Jedi. That is all that I have to say. Thank you, Masters, for listening.
The room was quiet, the Jedi Masters listened and thought, and questioned themselves, was it as Anakin, the padawan said? How had the Sith been able to operate below their noses?
Yoda contemplated, Chancellor Palpatine or Darth Sidious had been there all along. How many conversations did he have with the man, and he never knew he was a Sith Lord they had been looking for?
Mace Windu also contemplated he thought of this young man, whom he had never trusted, and realized that he had done something none of them had ever done, recognizing his own weakness and frailty.
Anakin was honest with himself, and because of that, Mace believed that perhaps one day Anakin could bring balance to the Force. For the first time, Mace entertained the notion that Anakin was the chosen one.
Finally, Yoda spoke up, contemplate your words, we will. Accept your withdrawal from the order we do. From this day forth, you shall simply be known as Anakin Skywalker.
Anakin bowed deeply to the members of the council. Thank you, my masters, for having taught me all these years. Master Kenobi, I shall always keep your teachings in my heart, and thanks to your teachings, Padme's support, and others here and elsewhere, I've been able to find my way back.
Cyrus and Padme left the council chambers hand in hand, and when they were outside, Padme pulled Cyrus towards her.
"Anakin, I can't believe that you gave up the Jedi Order for me. Before you say anything, know that I truly, deeply, love you.
I'm willing to give up the Senate; what you said in there wasn't true for the Jedi alone, but even for someone like me.
I've spent my entire life in the service of the Republic, thinking that the ideals I grew up with were things that the Republic could embody.
What matters to me is you; the Senate does not matter.
Cyrus fixed Padme with a stare, looking deeply into her eyes. If we're not going to serve the Jedi or the Senate, perhaps we should serve each other. Would you be willing to marry me?
Padme's face lit up, "Yes, of course, and we can do it openly."
"Now we need to figure out where we're going to live, Tatooine, Naboo, somewhere else?
We are definitely living on Naboo, I don't like sand very much," Padme said.
And I'm not very fond of grease.