How Did Anakin Skywalker Get His Scar?

Between "Attack of the Clones" and "The Clone Wars," Anakin Skywalker somehow developed a scar over his right eye. When the scar appeared in "Revenge of the Sith," there was no explanation as to how it got there. The scar's origins are addressed in the Expanded Universe but may pose a problem in the new "Clone Wars" timeline.

Initial Explanation of Anakin's Scar

During the production of "Revenge of the Sith," George Lucas offered one explanation for Anakin's scar, as reported in Pablo Hidalgo's set diary in August 2003:

"'So how did Anakin get that scar, George?' asks John Knoll. 'I don't know. Ask Howard,' says George, referring to president of Lucas Licensing, Howard Roffman. 'That's one of those things that happens in the novels between the movies. I just put it there. He has to explain how it got there. I think Anakin got it slipping in the bathtub, but of course, he's not going to tell anybody that.'"

Obviously, Lucas felt that how Anakin got the scar was not as important as how it looked. The scar is a symbolic stepping stone between the young, unscarred Anakin and the serious scars and injuries he receives when he becomes Darth Vader. But such a flippant explanation would alter the scar's symbolic value, as well as leave fans unsatisfied, so it was necessary for the Expanded Universe to provide a better backstory.

Origins of the Scar

Anakin had the scar in the third season of the animated "Clone Wars" shorts, which aired in March 2005. The scar's first appearance, however, was on the cover of the comic book "Republic #71: The Dreadnaughts of Rendili, Part 3," published on November 24, 2004.

In the comic, Anakin fights a lightsaber duel with Count Dooku's apprentice, Asajj Ventress. She eventually gets the upper hand but decides to show off her precision. Instead of killing him, she swipes the tip of her lightsaber over his right eye. Anakin eventually wins the fight, leaving Ventress severely weakened but still alive.

Canonical Problems

The abundance of media in the "Clone Wars" era has created problems for the above explanation of Anakin's scar. According to Wookieepedia, "Republic #71" takes place in 20 BBY, about a year before "Revenge of the Sith." But Anakin already has the scar in the CGI animated movie and TV series "The Clone Wars," which, in the revised timeline, seem to take place a year before "Republic #71."

Anakin's scar is the least of the problems with the revised "Clone Wars" timeline. How and when he became a Jedi Knight, what happens to his apprentice Ahsoka, and the consistency of his character development before "Revenge of the Sith" are all important questions that have not yet been addressed. Will the final timeline place "Republic #71" before "The Clone Wars," or will it create a new explanation for Anakin's scar?

Either way, there will be some inconsistencies in the stories and artwork regarding when Anakin should and should not have a scar. For now, the idea that Anakin got his scar in a duel with Asajj Ventress is the best explanation.