Janus, I am curious. I've read several of your posts that claim that we need to look at all the facts of all Star Wars medium to reach a valid opinion. But, you claim the prophecy to be bull squash, but it's a perfectly valid fact since it's part of the movies.
And Gelntract, Lucas has said it, and Episode 1 gives us enough information that we know Anakin is the chosen one. Light destiny or dark destiny, he will bring balance to the force, and does.
The problem with the prophecy is that it -isn't- fact. It's all speculation on the behalf of the Jedi. The fancy blood test and Qui Gon's word didn't convince me that Anakin was the chosen one, and certainly the storyline itself doesn't strike me as saving the galaxy or bringing order to the Force. The only person who is eventually given peace or balance is Anakin. So unless he was the Force itself, the prophecy doesn't make sense.
You're right, Anakin's mother telling Qui-Gonn that there wasn't a father doesn't mean it. George Lucas flat out saying he is the chosen one doesn't mean anything either. In fact, anything George Lucas puts in his movies seem to be BS to you, I mean who is he to say what's what? I mean, he only created it, that's nothing special...
First thing's first....
You'd be surprised what some ladies will tell about the fathers of their children. Especially when they're single parents. I can't find her word compelling enough. Anakin certainly doesn't have the persona of a chosen one, unless they allow uneven tempered whiny brats into the league of messiahs while I was dozing. GL may have said that. Fine. Believe it. If that's all you need, that's all you need. I need something more. It's not like an established truth, like blasters use energy packs or Wookiees of all types have furr. It's something that popped out of the blue in a movie which, for the most part, seemed aimed more towards a younger generation and a younger audiance and left those of us who were fans of the originals rather high and dry. And that, my friend, makes it suspect. It'd be like LotR 4 coming out (which is already ridiculous) and we find out Frodo is Jesus Christ. Before, he was a bloody hobbit who had a great adventure. Next episode, he's the bloody messiah and no one can or will hold a candle to him. Ever. Ever. And ever. Same deal with Vader. First he was the SW baddie and a Sith lord. Booming voice, black garbs. Red saber. TPM rolls around and he's Anakin a.k.a. Annie, seducer of older women, master of the force in all its forms both raw and tamed, slayer of all Jedi worth considering, the best of all time etc. etc. etc.
You know, if Anakin was something other than the whiny bastard he is in AOTC, I would entertain the idea of him being a Chosen One. But he's just another prodigy to me. A child with potential and no restraint. That's no legendary Jedi. It's a bad one. Oops. Left Anakin on the grill too long. Better flip him so both sides burn black....
that's something i can agree with Janus. from what I can piece together, Yoda knew of Darth Bane and the Sith law of two. There's also textual evidance that the sith once controlled the galaxy. (all from episode 1 book and movie and the episode III book). From this, we can infer that after Ruusan, Bane and his apprentice took over the Galaxy in some way and outlawed the jedi order for some time. The jedi then rallied together and overthrew bane after years of strife, ushering in a thousand years of peace. They found out all about the new Sith order and killed both him and his apprentice. But apparently, his apprentice violated the law of two and planned to overthrow his master. leading to the survival of the sith, Plaguies, Sidious, Vader etc.
Bane's order brought balance to the force because there were less sith. The force was thrown out of balance because Plaguies and Sidious became incredibly powerful.
He's not meant to be a legendary Jedi. He's merely an instrument of the force that will be used to destroy the greatest threat the lightside has ever faced.
I admit it, he's a whiny, punk ass in AOTC. But he was not trained well enough and unfortunately Obi-Wan only realizes that when he's slicing Anakins' limbs off.
If the council was smart, they wouldn't have thrown their lot in with politicians, either. Or overlook Dooku's resignation without a second thought. Or not sensed Sidious' apprentice, his planet full of clones, his dark jedi sidekicks, or himself. Hell, I bet you could walk into the Jedi Academy on Coruscant and steal Mace's lightsaber and be like "Wudn't me" and no one would take action.