11 Movie Sequels That Turned Badasses Into Total Wimps

10. Anakin Skywalker - The Prequel Trilogy

Remember when Lord Vader was the greatest movie villain of all time? That seems a long time ago now, with the ominous shadow of the prequels scarring up his legacy, and it really cannot be under-estimated how much damage the scripts did to young Anakin.

Yes it was a good idea to chart his progression from light to darkness, but the manner of Hayden Christensen's performance and some of the story decisions meant his story felt less like legitimate tragedy and more like the immature petulance of a blinkered, enamoured teenager. He wasn't so much a monster forged in fear, but more one turned by idiocy.

Poor Anakin was actually lumbered with the same reductive effect twice, not only being re-invented as a mindless emo for the prequels, he was also the focal point of a twee "love conquers all" sting in Return Of The Jedi. Think about it: Vader might have been Luke's father, but there was very little reason he would have a sudden change of heart. He was a monster, devoid of humanity, and while that moment of self-sacrifice meant some sort of redemption, the Disneyfied sentiment simply did not suit the character.