Star Words: Episode VI, Part 49
The Emperor is none too pleased with Luke's decision, to put it lightly. If he's been denied the pleasure of luring another Jedi to the Dark Side, then at least he'll glory in a tortuous kill. He unleashes his nastiest weapon -- lightning summoned from his own fingertips. Not a quick, painless death. He prolongs it with vicious glee, pausing to taunt Luke before another bout of electricity. Luke doesn't respond to any of that. He has only one brief plea.
"Father, please!"
Yes, Luke was ready to die when he surrendered to the Imperials on Endor. But he's hardly a masochist. He cries out in pain, like a child. A child calling for his father.
What is the only thing worse than dying at the Emperor's hand? Dying at the Emperor's hand while his own father watches, unmoved and uncaring. It's not that Luke regrets his decision to spurn Palpatine's invitation and throw away his weapon. He just doesn't want it to end this way.
And it's not the first time his father has witnessed something like this.
Correct me if I'm mis-hearing, as the audio is deliberately muddled, but isn't there an "Anakin, please!" somewhere amid Padmé's cries? Certainly the parallel is there, whatever the specific wording. So the circle is coming round again. A loved one writhes in agony, begging for help. Anakin failed to save his wife because he misunderstood her peril. It wasn't her life he needed to save, it was their relationship. By falling to darkness, he would have lost her whether she died or not. And now Luke calls out to him, not for a physical rescue, but for his father's love. The sort of plea that Vader ignored from Padmé on Mustafar when she told him all I want is your love. Now he has a second chance.
Next time, a glorious resolution to the emotional climax....
"Father, please!"
Yes, Luke was ready to die when he surrendered to the Imperials on Endor. But he's hardly a masochist. He cries out in pain, like a child. A child calling for his father.
What is the only thing worse than dying at the Emperor's hand? Dying at the Emperor's hand while his own father watches, unmoved and uncaring. It's not that Luke regrets his decision to spurn Palpatine's invitation and throw away his weapon. He just doesn't want it to end this way.
And it's not the first time his father has witnessed something like this.
Correct me if I'm mis-hearing, as the audio is deliberately muddled, but isn't there an "Anakin, please!" somewhere amid Padmé's cries? Certainly the parallel is there, whatever the specific wording. So the circle is coming round again. A loved one writhes in agony, begging for help. Anakin failed to save his wife because he misunderstood her peril. It wasn't her life he needed to save, it was their relationship. By falling to darkness, he would have lost her whether she died or not. And now Luke calls out to him, not for a physical rescue, but for his father's love. The sort of plea that Vader ignored from Padmé on Mustafar when she told him all I want is your love. Now he has a second chance.
Next time, a glorious resolution to the emotional climax....