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“Masters,” Anakin says, bowing as though it doesn’t make the wound in his chest scream out in pain. The trouble with lightsaber wounds in the abdomen is that they have to be reopened to heal right, and well, lets just say that he was grateful to have been completely passed out at the time.
After all, Windu had less-than-explicitly told Anakin that his secrets were safe with the Jedi Master, and the last thing that he needs right now is another lie brought to the forefront.
Because, in the hopeful belief that his plan would actually succeed, he’d told the Council almost everything , and not hesitated to go against the Jedi Way in his battle with Sidious, and, while the Jedi will happily preach “the future is always in motion” when it’s useful to them, they liked to ignore that fact when it allowed them to justify their own fear.
So, here he was, his wounds still aching, his thoughts still swirling, and ready to face the music.
“Knight Skywalker. We are here to speak of your many transgressions against the Jedi code.”
Anakin smiles.
“I'm aware,” he says, “But there are very few things that I regret. And, regardless, I’d like to ask what part of the code that I went against.”
“Your attachment to Sen—Vice Chair Amidala is—“
“Exactly that. It’s an attachment. I am legally bound to Padme Naberrie Amidala, who is my wife. It’s also love, and that is something sacred.”
“Be that as it may, marriage is against the Jedi code.”
Anakin smiles.
“And yet, I’m not the only married man in the room.”
“Master Mundi is an exception for the sake of his race’s survival.”
“Of course,” Anakin says, “But… hmm, did it ever occur to you why hypocrisy like that has caused so many problems. I actually researched it for a project when I was… fourteen, I think? Consistently, and even before the war, Jedi have begun to either leave or Fall at much higher rates within the past two centuries, spiking even steeper these past 50.”
The murmurs and worried looks are both telling and hilarious considering the fact that everyone had told him those statistics were lies way back eight years ago despite the fact that he’d cited the origin of his statistics from their exact places in the Jedi Archives.
“And, also,” he says, “Where exactly does the Jedi Code, or, at least, the modern translation of it, say that attachment is forbidden? Where, directly in the text, is this rule found?”
Everyone knows the Code by heart. He can see their minds churning as they finally realize the truth.
“Exactly,” he says.
Windu sighs.
“Skywalker, I think they have the idea,” he says, “But maybe some different options would help.”
Anakin nods.
“Okay then,” he says, “And kick me out of the Order if you dare, but I’m not calling for astronomical change. For instance, there is a difference between love and attachment. I, personally, will admit to struggling with that difference, but there are many other Jedi who I have seen to understand the difference, but love regardless, and are forced to hide it. Smaller examples of this could be limited and controlled contact between Jedi and family when safe, and allowing relationships between Jedi after making certain that it is not an attachment. I don’t plan to ask for overnight changes, but, if nothing else, Sidious’ influences have given me plenty of opportunities to question the Order’s stagnation.”
Anakin sighs as this leads to more outrage, questions, and disagreements. He manages to stay calm, however.
“Sidious May have gotten me thinking,” he says, “But the ideas aren’t his. No society can stand still for 15 hundred years and still be up to date. We need to change, quite simply, because the Galaxy already has. Less deniable than before, but the amount of younglings and Padawans aren’t going up, and these new ideas may very well help with that.”
Anakin sighs.
“Of course,” he says, “For all I know these thoughts are still tinged with Sidious’ own. You don’t have to follow them.”
He looks up, smiling.
“Now, I’m assuming you want to know about my vision as well?” he asks.