CT Why save Sidious multiple times if you wanted him dead?

There was several instances where Vader could have just let Palpatine die but chose to save him. For example


Sidious almost being killed by a bomb placed in his chair or when he was dying and needed medicial help from the Jedi prison.



Yet, this same Vader plotted multiple times and recruited people to try and help him take Sidious out so he could rule.

So why then if vader wanted Sidious dead, would he go out of his WAY countless times to save his life?

 

Vader wants to take Sidious out - but only after he's learned everything he thinks he needs to know from him.

Thus, he can plot against Sidious, as plans for the day when he knows enough, and yet keep saving him, because he feels he doesn't know enough yet.

 

But what about Palpatine admitting that he still needs to discover the power restore life? That he doesn't already have it?
Has Vader been patiently waiting for progress reports from Palpatine? Or were Vader and Palpatine working on it together? When did the penny drop that he'd been duped? Did it ever drop?

 

The "take your father's place at my side" (implied "by killing him") probably convinced Vader that his waiting was all for nothing.

 

I can't imagine Vader waiting 20 years for anything.

 

Apparently Palpatine specifically used addictive chemicals in Vader's suit that were highly controlled only by his most trusted servants. Betraying Palpatine was a death sentence for Vader.

 

Of course.

 

Because those times he was surrounded by witnesses who would wonder why Vader just stood there and let Sidious die. Vader does want Sidious dead, but he'd probably want to do it discreetly. If he had simply let Sidious get blown up/die from the plague, the Imperial High Command would be very suspicious indeed and want to investigate. This would spell trouble for Vader.

It also doesn't help that Sidious can read Vader's movements, so if he TRIES to attack at any other time, all Sidious has to do is zap him and it's all over for Vader.

Know that bit when he finally DOES kill Sidious? He was alone with Sidious (target) and Luke (who wouldn't really care at all) and Sidious was too distracted to pay attention to Vader's actions. The circumstances had to literally be JUST SO for Vader to kill Sidious without (1) angering the Imperial government and (2) getting killed for his troubles by his intended victim.

 

Except that he wouldn't allow Luke to kill the Emperor when they were all alone.

 

ROTJ novel:

Vader was impressed by Luke's speed. Pleased, even. It was a pity, almost, he couldn't let the boy kill the Emperor yet. Luke wasn't ready for that, emotionally. There was still a chance Luke would return to his friends if he destroyed the Emperor now. He needed more tutelage, first — training by both Vader and Palpatine — before he'd be ready to assume his place at Vader's right hand, ruling the galaxy.
So Vader had to shepherd the boy through periods like this, stop him from doing damage in the wrong places — or in the right places prematurely.

 

So the no witnesses thing is irrelevant. Needing Luke to be join him on the dark side first is what held Vader back.

But he was supposedly unaware of Luke for the first twenty years of his apprenticeship. So those twenty years must have provided no opportunities for Vader.

I just don't see Vader being that patient. His whole character and career as a Jedi is supposed to be rash, impetuous recklessness. Once he becomes a Sith he's the man who waits for his chance power?


My belief is that the is disappointed in himself and no longer believes he can achieve any greater power. The alternative to being zealously subservient is explaining to himself how he wound up that way and realising that he's trapped himself.

 

Vader needed to prove himself as a Sith and as someone loyal to Sidious because he was his apprentice like Dooku with Sidious

All the Sith betray each other but also work together

No apprentice kills his master until he sees an unrepeatable opportunity. If Vader tried to kill his master and Sidious discovers his plan he would destroy him

 

Vader was more of a machine programmed by the Empire. I get this impression in ANH. Ceases to function once the Emperor gives his word.

 

There was a higher authority than Vader in the Empire that would judge him? This sure is not hinted at in the movies. Vader doesn't take orders from anyone but the Emperor himself. This must be a EU source.

 

I don't remember where I read this, but it was something to the effect that Palpatine was really the only living person that Vader was in any way "close" to. Obviously, Luke's existence changed all that. Unfortunately I don't remember where I read this.

 

After being chopped into pieces and burned alive, Vader realized that his "rash, impetuous recklessness" is what put him in that suit in the first place. It also stripped him of most of his potential powers thus robbing Vader of any opportunity to overthrow the Emperor. What's worse is that the Emperor can read Vader's mind like a book so there was no opening for Vader to strike until he learned that Luke is alive.

 

Revenge of the Sith novel:

 

and then the marvel comics took over and upped vader's power like in 'vader down.' i suppose one can get away with this in a comic.

 

Padme's already long dead...and Vader thinks he needs Luke to help him take out the Emperor. Vader doesn't believe he can do it on his own, and thinks Luke is the only one who can defeat Palpatine. Turns out Vader was wrong....or at least he was finally willing to risk his life to save Luke, whereas he was never willing to risk his own life to take out Palps. After all, what good is power if you're not around to use it afterwards? Vader finally realized that his search for more power only made him a slave to Palpatine.

 

Even with the novelization explanation of Vader's thinking in the Death Star throne room provide above by Iron_lord, it still doesn't make sense for him to block Luke's strike on Sidious. He had to have known Sidious would want Luke to replace him. They both had an agenda. The most important thing would be getting Sidious out of the way. "Rule the galaxy" first (while you know you can) and then worry about "ruling the galaxy as father and son."

 

dumbest explanation I've ever heard.

OMG this is joke response right? Please tell me you've actually seen ROTJ? At that point Vader could absolutely care ZERO wether the imperial government was going to be angered or whether he was getting killed by his intended victim. You TOTALLY missed the whole point of Anakins goodness coming out and redeeming himself.

 

Right, how could a guy who rules an entire galaxy possibly get his hands on some drugs...

 

Does Vader plot to kill Sidious and also save his life in the current canon? I'm not patient enough to watch those videos, but I did see enough to notice a Legends cover.

 

I meant BEFORE he meets Luke, mate.

 

That makes sense, and even then he didn't feel like he could tell him absolutely everything. Everyone else were just appendages taking orders. It must've been a lonely and depressing life.