I know it's been asked before, but I still am not sure where the story was supposed to go with this. Based on FILM canon (not outside official texts or TV series), I am going to make a feeble attempt to lay some ground work here:
In TESB, Vader tries to pull Luke to the Dark Side and join him, so they can overthrow the Emperor and rule together. Vader even says, "The Emperor has forseen this"... and I don't think Vader was lying. Vader really, REALLY wanted Palpatine dead. He failed to turn Luke, then failed to catch him as the Falcon escaped Cloud City (though why Vader didn't reach out with the Force and pull Luke back up to the gantry vane after Luke jumped is beyond me).
In ROTJ, Vader is actively looking for Luke. The Emperor is aware of this, and tells Vader in the DS 2 docking bay, "Patience my friend." And later in the throne room "He (Luke) will come to you (Vader) ; I have forseen it"
As a character, Vader would HAVE TO SUSPECT in ROTJ that Palpatine knows Vader wants to overthrow him as Emperor, right? That Vader needs Luke to team up with him, so they can both combat Palpatine? So Vader KNOWS a big showdown in inevitable, one way or the other. And Vader would also HAVE TO REALIZE that Palpatine wanted to turn Luke to the Dark Side as a REPLACEMENT for Vader. So, bringing Luke to the Emperor means that Vader is signing his own death certificate.
...so why does Vader relent? On Endor, when Luke turns himself over to Vader, Darth has done a COMPLETE 180. No more, "Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son!" talk anymore. What's different now? Why not try? Vader says it is "too late for me", to turn away from the Dark Side. "The Emperor is your master now. He will teach you the true meaning of the Force/Dark Side" Maybe Vader could sense that he death was imminent, regardless of his actions at this point?
Vader WANTED Palpatine gone, and blew his chance on Cloud City, then when he gets a second chance on Endor, he just gives up? Takes Luke to Palpatine, to watch Luke either turn to the Dark Side (and most likely kill Vader) or Luke be killed by Palpatine? What's the point? How does Vader "win" either way?
P.S. What was Vader going to do with Luke if he DID succeed in freezing Luke in carbonite? Was Vader "impressed" that Luke could actually resist and put up a fight for a while, so Vader decided on the spot to risk it all by telling Luke the truth and begging Luke to team up with him? Or was Vader just going to deliver Luke in carbonite to Palpy for a dethaw? I can accept that Vader was testing Luke all along, and pulling his punches so as to not kill Luke outright, but short of that...
In TESB, Vader tries to pull Luke to the Dark Side and join him, so they can overthrow the Emperor and rule together. Vader even says, "The Emperor has forseen this"... and I don't think Vader was lying. Vader really, REALLY wanted Palpatine dead. He failed to turn Luke, then failed to catch him as the Falcon escaped Cloud City (though why Vader didn't reach out with the Force and pull Luke back up to the gantry vane after Luke jumped is beyond me).
In ROTJ, Vader is actively looking for Luke. The Emperor is aware of this, and tells Vader in the DS 2 docking bay, "Patience my friend." And later in the throne room "He (Luke) will come to you (Vader) ; I have forseen it"
As a character, Vader would HAVE TO SUSPECT in ROTJ that Palpatine knows Vader wants to overthrow him as Emperor, right? That Vader needs Luke to team up with him, so they can both combat Palpatine? So Vader KNOWS a big showdown in inevitable, one way or the other. And Vader would also HAVE TO REALIZE that Palpatine wanted to turn Luke to the Dark Side as a REPLACEMENT for Vader. So, bringing Luke to the Emperor means that Vader is signing his own death certificate.
...so why does Vader relent? On Endor, when Luke turns himself over to Vader, Darth has done a COMPLETE 180. No more, "Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son!" talk anymore. What's different now? Why not try? Vader says it is "too late for me", to turn away from the Dark Side. "The Emperor is your master now. He will teach you the true meaning of the Force/Dark Side" Maybe Vader could sense that he death was imminent, regardless of his actions at this point?
Vader WANTED Palpatine gone, and blew his chance on Cloud City, then when he gets a second chance on Endor, he just gives up? Takes Luke to Palpatine, to watch Luke either turn to the Dark Side (and most likely kill Vader) or Luke be killed by Palpatine? What's the point? How does Vader "win" either way?
P.S. What was Vader going to do with Luke if he DID succeed in freezing Luke in carbonite? Was Vader "impressed" that Luke could actually resist and put up a fight for a while, so Vader decided on the spot to risk it all by telling Luke the truth and begging Luke to team up with him? Or was Vader just going to deliver Luke in carbonite to Palpy for a dethaw? I can accept that Vader was testing Luke all along, and pulling his punches so as to not kill Luke outright, but short of that...
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