Why Anakin didn't overthrow Palpatine to rule the galaxy..

[firehearts132]

Am I the only one who noticed how Anakin is willing to share power with others? He doesn't seem to want power for the sake of it; I think he wants power because he thinks he can help, or more accurately, fix things with it. And notice despite talking about overthrowing Palpatine, in ROTS, he never quite does that. He never brings up the subject of

Comments

[philstar22]

I agree with this. I also think that maybe some of it had to do with his self loathing. Anakin has kind of always had self esteem issues, probably stemming from being a slave, that he managed to mask while he was a jedi. But once he thinks that he killed Padme, and once he turns to the dark side, he pretty much hates himself. Which helps to keep him in the dark side because he doesn't see himself as redeemable until his own son is willing to die for him. I don't think he sees himself as fit to rule on his own. Yes, he doesn't want sole power, but he also doesn't think he could do it.

[firehearts132]

Yeah...I can see why a low self esteem would make Anakin think he is incapable of doing it on his own, especially when you think about how he used to be a slave.

[lindethiel]

Interesting analogy you make about him feeling unfit to rule by himself, I always just took it at face value that he didn't want to be alone. Apart from the whole fiasco with Luke, I think a big part of it was his admiration of Padme's leadership abilities. He knew she would be a good leader, & he would go anywhere she sent him to enforce the law & make lives better. Perhaps he though Padme's political qualities were in Luke too, but I can't see him being as good a royal figure as Padme could have been. Leia on the other hand...

[firehearts132]

I agree that Anakin held an admiration for Padme's leadership abilities---he may have not liked politics, but he could still notice Padme was good at that type of thing. In fact, in the AOTC novelization he complimented her on it, and mentioned how her people thought that the constituion should be amended for her to stay a Queen, which I'm sure Anakin agreed with

[darth_eldritch]

Darth Vader always wanted to overthrow Palpatine; he didn't think it was possible to until Luke came along. It was Luke who made Vader think that it was possible to overthrow Palpatine, and rule together as father and son.

Palpatine did a pretty good job of keeping Vader snowed with the belief that Palpatine had absolute power and could foresee anything. Palpatine was so sure that Luke would fall to the dark side, that when Luke defied Palpatine, Vader realized that Palpatine wasn't all powerful, and that's when he found his courage to attack Palpatine and not let him destroy his son.

As for Vader's desire for power, he did want power. Did he want absolute power? I would say he did because that is the nature of the dark side. The only thing that kept that a little in check was his feelings for Padme and Luke- he was willing to share with them. And I bet only them. Otherwise, if he knew it was possible to overthrow Palpatine, he would have done it on his own.

[firehearts132]

Yeah, that's a good point. Just because he was willing to share his power with Luke and Padme doesn't mean that he didn't desire power at all. I never saw Vader as *scared* of Palpatine, though. I always thought that Vader pretended be more submissive than he really is so that Palpatine would never suspect him of wishing to overthrow him.

[darth_eldritch]

Thanks!

The theme for Vader is slavery, and he is enslaved to Palpatine, and he sees no way out. Palpatine has masterfully orchestrated everything to keep Vader in check. Vader does indeed plot to overthrow Palpatine, but never acts on it, because he believes Palpatine's power is nearly, and for all practical purposes, omnipotent.

It is fear that keeps Vader in check, fear that Palpatine masterfully wields. Otherwise Vader would have challenged Palpatine early. It was fear that Palpatine used to manuever Anakin under his control. Palpatine is savvy enough to know that he doesn't need to be fearsome himself, he can manipulate Vader's fears into working against him. Like, exactly what would Palpatine intend to do with Luke if he didn't get his way?