A few weeks ago Walter White's story was finally closed as he managed to single handily gun down a group of men he once called his allies while saving his previous partner Jesse Pinkman, using nothing but the intelligence that got him there in the first place. Walter White's story is undoubtedly one of the greatest stories ever told on television, an ordinary chemistry teacher turns to methamphetamine production after receiving the news he has inoperable lung cancer. However as a great a story as it is, is it his alone? In a recent interview with Rolling Stone to series producer Vince Gilligan opened up that he feels Walter White is not similar to Darth Vader saying "You can't picture Vader driving a Pontiac Aztek." (Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/vince-gilligan-walt-is-not-darth-vader-20130925#ixzz2gONsgYAW)
With all due respect Mr. Gilligan, I disagree. I feel that in many ways the story of Chemistry teacher Walter White turned drug lord Heisenburg is the same as the story of Jedi Anakin Skywalker turned dark lord Darth Vader, and here is why:
1-While the prequels to George Lucas' original Star Wars trilogy were seen by many to be a let-down when compared to their predecessors, they did show how a slave child grew up to become one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, it also showed his struggle as the people he once admired didn't recognize his power and use it accordingly, for what he was Anakin Skywalker was a huge underachiever. Compare this to Walter White and you can see that despite his great intellect, especially in the field of chemistry, he is still just a chemistry teacher who has to hold down a second job at a car wash just to keep the bills paid. Despite having a home, a car and a family Walt is an underachiever, this was even mentioned by Walt's brother-in-law Hank during the series. Both Anakin and Walt have great power beyond their achievements; they both crave the ability to do more and to be more.
2-In the Star Wars saga's most recent installment we see Anakin Skywalker's final descent into the depths of the dark side, the thing that triggered this was the news that his secret wife was pregnant. In the days and weeks following on from receiving this news Anakin begins to have dreams that ultimately lead him to come to the conclusion that his wife will die during the childbirth. Anybody who has seen Breaking Bad from the start will know what I am about to say now, during the pilot episode Walt receives news that he has inoperable lung cancer. Upon receiving this news he predicts that this will cause a great deal of pain and suffering for his family as they will have very little ability to pay the bills when he is gone. In an attempt to save their families both Anakin and Walt turn to more unorthodox methods to find their solutions. Anakin turns to the dark side of the force; Walt turns to the dark side of chemistry, drug production. Using this new found "power" Anakin becomes the dark lord Darth Vader, whilst Walt becomes drug lord Heisenburg.
3-Of course, Darth Vader is never alone; behind almost every one of his actions is the shadowy figure, Darth Sidious who runs his own galactic empire. Sidous provides Vader with the tools to become one of the most powerful sith there has ever been. In the 21st century there is no galactic empire but in New Mexico there is the renowned Albuquerque drug empire led by none other than Gustavo Fring. Fring provides Heisenburg with a state of the art meth lab hidden beneath an industrial laundrette owned by one of Albuquerque's kindest and most famous businessmen Gus Fring (much like the Galaxies most admired Senator's; Senator Palpatine). The tools now at his disposal allow Heisenburg to become the most well-known drug kingpins with his famous signature product, blue meth. However as great as their leaders were both Vader and Heisenburg end up killing their former mentors, Vader because he realised he loved his son more than the power he had and that he had been wrong all those years ago. Heisenburg, because Gus would eventually try to kill him.
4-Finally, as in all good stories there is the good guy. In Star Wars it was Luke Skywalker, a young boy living on the galaxies most boring planet much like his father minus the slavery. After Luke discovers the power of the force and lends his skill to the rebellion he begins his pursuit of Darth Vader, a man Luke doesn't know is actually his father. Heisenburg has a son but he is in no position to do much chasing, instead Heisenburg is chased down by his DEA agent brother-in-law Hank Schrader. After blue methamphetamine starts appearing on the streets of Albuquerque, Hank makes it his task to track down and bring to justice the famous Heisenburg, a man Hank doesn't know is actually his brother-in-law Walter White.
Of course, both Star Wars and Breaking Bad are completely different and individual in their own way, Star Wars follows the plight of the rebellion as they struggle to topple the Galactic Empire, Breaking Bad follows the story of Chemistry teacher Walter White as he becomes a powerful drug lord. But when you break these two stories down to their bare bones you can notice several similarities as I have pointed out.