Darth Vader is an all-time great villain in Star WarsAnd his death is the final moment in his redemption arc. After defeating Emporer Palpatine in Return of the JediVader’s suit is damaged beyond repair, and instead of prolonging his life, he asks Luke to remove his mask. In doing so, Vader subtly abandons his previous motivation in his final moment to look at his son with his own eyes. Although already impressive in its own right, the way George Lucas rerouted Vader’s death later on is intricate and powerful.
Lucas always insisted Star Wars Was like poetry in that it rhymes, and Darth Vader’s death in Return of the Jedi is subtly rewritten in light of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Vader was so intent on saving the love of his life that he fell to the dark side, but when his death finally came, it symbolized similarities with the death of his wife. Vader then chose to die and confirmed Luke and Padme’s beliefs about him It was good in him all the time.
Darth Vader embraces death rather than defies it
It goes against Vader’s motivations for joining Sidious
During the prequel trilogy, Anakin’s goal was to conquer death in an effort to save Padmé’s life. Star Wars Kanon reinterpreted the conquest of death as a core goal of every Sith. Darth Sidious tried to conquer death through the teachings of his master, Darth Plagueis, and Lord Anakin to the dark side of the Force with promises of the same. However, at the end of Return of the JediVader embraces death as he tells Luke nothing can stop this from happening.
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Vader embraces his death by allowing Luke to remove his mask, against everything Sidious taught him. This moment shows Vader’s growth since Luke started trying to bring him back to the light side of the Force. By accepting death in the moment, Vader is letting go of the fears that drove him to join Sidious. This allows Vader to finally break the hold the dark side has on him and turn to the light. He vocalizes this through his appreciation for Luke before he leaves, and it echoes the scene of the death of his wife, Padmé.
Darth Vader lost the will to live…for the best of reasons
Luke believed in him and was proven right
It is a strange, tragic mirror to Vader choosing death when his beloved Padmé also lost the will to live. The differences between their scenes are distinct, but in his acceptance of death, Vader proves to Luke that there is still good left in him, as he suspected. The emotional turmoil Vader went through would be enough for most to give up. Instead, Vader uses his last moment of strength to save his son and the galaxy and admits that everything Luke told him while they were on Endor was true.
Luke: I have to save you.
Vader: You already have, Luke.
Even Vader loses the will to live afterwards, it’s for good reason. Vader had finally fulfilled his purpose as the Chosen One and proved his son right. This critical moment is established in Revenge of the Sith. By losing the will to live after being vindicated by the son he had just saved from his former master, Vader was able to keep what his beloved wife believed before she died In a somewhat similar fashion. The allusion established by George Lucas is an ingenious recall to what Padmé explained about Anakin right before she died.
“You were right about me” isn’t just about Luke
It’s also about Padmé’s faith that there is still good in Vader
Although Vader is speaking to Luke when he says this, he is also speaking indirectly to Padmé. Vader’s death speaks so much more powerfully, given the context of the scene with her death. In her last moment, she was able to hold on to hope, telling herself that she knew there was still good in him. She did not know that the son she had just given birth to would be the person who would prove that her statement was true. The context of Revenge of the Sith Adds much more depth to Vader’s death.
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George Lucas’s use of allusion in this scene helps deepen the connection between Vader and Padmé. This recall allows Lucas to strengthen the bond between them, since she was the only one who still had faith in his goodness at the time of her death. Lucas added more impact to the deaths of both Vader and Padmé through their final words, cementing their union with one another. Padmé’s faith was proved just fine, and Vader was able to live long enough to witness her faith in him validated.
Darth Vader’s death in Return of the Jedi is a pretty sad moment that is even more powerful when taken from the context of Revenge of the Sith. When Vader professes his appreciation to Luke for bringing him back to the light, he chooses death to resist what he turned to the dark side. This is all-encompassing by the duality of the scene with the death of Padmé and the reason why Vader was willing to die. Despite his lack of faith, Darth VaderHis son proved Padma’s dying words true: there is still good in him.