In Star Wars IV through VI, I was Luke Skywalker, fighting for his past and his future at the same time, up against evil and incredible odds and emerging victorious at great expense.

In the Matrix I was Neo, someone who believed there was more to the world than we were aware of, given the chance to see behind the curtain, and discovering that I was the only person who might be able to rip that curtain down.

In Fellowship of the Rings I was Frodo, on an unasked for quest to save the world and all that is good.

In Star Wars: Phantom Menace I was.. who? Princess Amadala? No. Obi Wan, or Qui Jan? Unh unh. Anakin? Certainly not. Jar-jar? Ugh.

Ep One wasn't about a personal struggle or a quest. It was an ensemble action flick with pretty CGI. Who am I supposed to bond with, to put myself behind and see their own troubles as my own? Who am I really supposed to get close to?

Maybe Attack of the Clones will be better. Maybe Anakin is old enough now that I can relate to him. Maybe we see through his eyes enough that we feel it's his story. Maybe there's gonads and strife. Maybe there's valor born of both necessity and despair.

As any Smallville watcher will tell you, we have to love Anakin before we can hate Vader.

Maybe Anakin will do what he does because it's what has to be done.

Somehow I doubt it though. The previews don't paint Anakin as particularly humble, a quality that Frodo, Luke, and Neo all shared. What will Episode II contain to make me proud of Anakin? What will make him worthy of my suspension of not just disbelief, but sense of self, to let me put my being into his?

Dear Attack, Please don't suck.