You do not have to want Democrats to sweep the 2026 election to think that Republicans may have done a historically poor job of trying to appeal to the basic hopes and interests of average voters. The latest evidence we have for that is a bizarre surge in online support among various pockets of MAGA world for Star Wars‘ Anakin Skywalker, AKA Darth Vader.
“Yes, it seems that while the fan fiction website Archive of Our Own (AO3) will remain shut down for the foreseeable future, MAGA conservatives are picking up the slack, using the last hours before the 2026 midterms to imagine themselves and Trump-aligned candidates as the disciples of a genocidal archvillain from a space opera,” reported Wired this week.
If you spend any time on X, you may have been exposed to its $865 billion net-worth owner, Elon Musk, sharing genAI slop of what Anakin Skywalker might have done if he’d never been defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi and left to burn in the lava on Mustafar. “This is what they stole from us,” Musk posted alongside a picture of Anakin and Padme goth’d-out in front of imperial legions and twin Sith in training, Luke and Leia. “Okay Hitler,” reads the top response.
This is what they stole from us pic.twitter.com/q1GnpjF394
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2026
While one might expect better shitposts from the richest man in the world, Musk’s MAGA brainrot is noteworthy given the roughly $500 million he spent on this election cycle trying to help get Trump-backed Republicans elected. Can money really buy elections? The ruling elite certainly seems to think so. But everyone knows how very uncool it is to try to astroturf a popularity contest. Anakin is just the latest attempt of a very X-pilled MAGA class to try to make fascism seem cool. Before Anakin it was “Malfoid” fanfic that turned Harry Potter’s pasty, sniveling nepo baby rival into a hot anime school girl.
The Department of Education, which is currently racing to garnish the paychecks of people with student loans in default, recently embraced the Malfoid meme, only to later swap to an Anakin Skywalker variant. “Find the Anakin in your life,” Katie Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller, the Trump deputy chief of staff currently trying to put children in cages, posted on Halloween. “Not surprised to see you idolize the guy who kills kids,” reads the top response.
Still confused? Here’s Axios‘ house-style “smart brevity” bullet points to bring you up to speed:
What they’re saying: Right-wing streamer Kangmin Lee said Anakin represents young men today “who grew up believing the system was fundamentally good, only to discover that the system was never quite what it claimed to be.”
Yes, but: Anakin becomes Darth Vader, a ruthless enforcer of the authoritarian Galactic Empire who murders children, hunts down Jedi Knights and helps terrorize the galaxy.
Be Smart: Go vote. Be kind. A better future is still possible.
