Question: A couple of times, Luke mentions Vader not being able to kill/destroy him "before." What is he talking about? At Cloud City, Vader wanted to freeze him in carbonite, not kill him. He even tested the process on Han Solo first.
BaconIsMyBFF
4th May 2024
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
12th Mar 2024
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Question: Luke tells Darth Vader that he won't turn sides, so Vader will be forced to kill him. Later, though, he tells the Emperor, "Soon I'll be dead, and you with me." Is he predicting that his father kills him, then retaliates against the Emperor for making him do it?
Answer: No, he means that they'll all be dead once the Rebels destroy the Death Star. Luke had resigned himself to his fate once Vader refused to turn back to the light side and leave with him. Luke is unaware that Palpatine knows about the Rebel attack. This is the reason Luke attacks the Emperor; he believes there's a chance the Rebels could fail now that he knows they walked into a trap and that he must take this opportunity to kill the Emperor.
30th Aug 2018
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Question: What did the emperor mean when he said "only now at the end, do you understand?"
Answer: The Emperor firing lightning from his hands is a shocking development (no pun intended), an ability unlike any Luke had seen before and he was caught completely off-guard and defenseless against. One way to interpret the Emperor's words is "You fool, did you really think I just made that all up about how powerful the dark side is? Now look at you, I'm a feeble old man and I am literally going to effortlessly kill you with my fingertips!"
Answer: The Emperor meant that he had lured the Rebellion into a trap at Endor, and that Luke came to confront the Emperor believing that Vader ultimately would turn back to the light. The Emperor believed in that moment that he had won, that if Luke would not turn to the dark side then he would murder him and Vader would do nothing to stop him, and that Luke's optimism was misplaced. Of course he was wrong, the Rebellion was saved and Vader did turn, but the Emperor never thought it would happen in a million years.
Answer: The emperor wanted Vader to kill Luke outright, but Vader suggested instead to turn him and only kill him if necessary. He promises the Emperor that "He will join us, or die." Luke is saying that during their fight on Cloud City, especially near the end, he could sense Vader's hesitation to kill him. Vader even says to Luke at two points "Don't make me destroy you" and "Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did."
BaconIsMyBFF