10 Star Wars Cliffhangers That Will Never Be Resolved

7. How Was Anakin Conceived?

Solo Qi'Ra
Lucasfilm

The Phantom Menace saw Anakin's (Jake Lloyd) mother Shmi (Pernilla August) reveal to Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) that Anakin's birth was the result of an immaculate conception. She said:

"There was no father. I carried him, I gave birth, I raised him. I can't explain what happened."

Ever since, fans have speculated on precisely how Anakin came to exist. For one, Qui-Gon theorises in the film that Anakin may have been conceived by the midi-chlorians themselves.

Then there's the matter of the recent canon comic book Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, whose final issue suggested that Palpatine used the Force to impregnate Shmi with the "Chosen One."

Some fans took this as immediate gospel, until Lucasfilm Story Group Creative Executive Matt Martin reminded them that the panel in question is actually in Anakin's head, and was in no way intended to provide a definitive answer for Anakin's parentage.

And so, the matter remains a mystery to this very day, and likely always will.

Much like the question of Yoda's species, it's difficult for any answer to be sufficiently satisfying to most of the fanbase, so it's probably best never to answer it.

 
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