Sheev Palpatine was a corrupt senator from Naboo who, through guile, treachery and military might, wrestled control of the Republic from the Galactic Senate and reformed it into the First Galactic Empire. While still a senator, Palpatine founded the Confederacy of Independent Systems and utilized an army of clones he had purchased years before to begin his takeover. This led to a galactic civil war, also known as the Clone Wars, that went on for almost four years. During this time, Anakin Skywalker was a freighter pilot from Tatooine who enlisted in the Republic Navy to aid in the defense of the Republic. He was a skilled pilot who caught the eye of Ben Kenobi, a jedi knight, who began training him in the ways of the force. While stationed on Alderaan, Anakin had an affair with a young woman named Padme, who unbeknownst to him, became pregnant with twins. Only a few days after meeting Padme, Anakin left Alderaan and returned to the front, where the horrors of war eventually caused him to fall to the dark side and join Palpatine. Padme, who had no idea what had happened to Anakin, soon became a casualty of the Clone Wars, and her children were orphaned. Anakin betrayed Obi-Wan, became Darth Vader (which is a name not a title) and began helping Palpatine hunt down the remaing Jedi. Obi-Wan, sensing that the war was almost over and that the Republic was going to fall, returned to Alderaan and made plans with senator Bail Organa to hide Anakin’s children from Palpatine. Luke and Leia, who were less than a year old at that time, were seperated. Obi-Wan took Luke to Tatooine where he was raised by his uncle. Leia remained on Alderaan and was adopted by Bail Organa. Darth Vader continued his crusade against the Jedi, and his numerous wounds eventually left him more machine than man. 1 .