Realization: Episode III is not the first time Palpatine tried to convert Anakin

So I was rewatching the Clone Wars, and I hit the arc where Obi-Wan fakes his death and joins a group of Bounty Hunters who are employed by Dooku to kidnap Palpatine on Naboo.This initially goes well, then Anakin frees Palpatine from the Bounty Hunters. But while he's trying to lead Palpatine away in Theed Palace, Dooku shows up and they begin a duel. YouTube link to said duel.The first time I watched this scene (when it aired) I thought it was just another fight scene between the two. Now I realize how many hints there are to what that meeting was actually supposed to be - Palpatine was trying to get Anakin to kill Dooku and set his plans into action, nearly a year before the Battle of Coruscant.Analysis:Before encountering Dooku, Palpatine manages to isolate Anakin from Obi-Wan and any of the other Jedi, and the two of them walk alone through the dark hallways.Palpatine spends this time stroking Anakin's ego, saying "he's sure that the disguise was Anakin's idea." He of course knows it wasn't, and Anakin bitterly says he was left in the dark. Palpatine is attempting to plant seeds of distrust of the Council, so he'll be more likely to kill Dooku instead showing him mercy - the way the Jedi Council would want.The pair opens the door, and Dooku is sitting in a chair, waiting for them. Anakin tells him, "you should have quit while you were still alive, Dooku!" That's a death threat. Dooku's death assured, Palpatine gives a short smile before going back into character.Dooku confidently boasts he can beat Anakin alone. While he doesn't know that Palpatine wants Anakin to kill him, this does reveal that he knew Anakin and Palpatine would already be here - logic informs us that Palpatine probably told him.Palpatine pretends to try to flee the room, but luckily, there just so happens to be a third MagnaGuard who is ready to keep him in the room.As the duel progresses, Anakin gets more and more enraged and aggressive, and Dooku is more and more on the defensive. When Dooku throws a chair at Anakin, and Anakin stabs straight through it, Palpatine gives a twisted smile. You'll notice the MagnaGuard is no longer trying to subdue him either.Anakin eventually grabs Dooku by the throat and starts to choke him. Palpatine gives a wicked smile.Dooku temporarily pushes Anakin back. He likely still could have killed Dooku, but Obi-Wan shows up, and Palpatine's plan is foiled. He suddenly also looks a lot more worried.In short:Basically, Palpatine's plan to convert Anakin was actually originally dependent on this moment instead of the one on the Invisible Hand during the Battle of Coruscant. From here, Palpatine likely would have appointed Anakin onto the Council, increased their tensions, and tried to convert Anakin before Episode III even ocurred.You'll notice the plans are almost identical too - get kidnapped by Dooku, force a confrontation, let Anakin kill Dooku. via /r/StarWars http://ift.tt/2f37gdg