CT Emperor Death - Blue Exsplosion

What is the blue energy that follows the Emperor being thrown down the Death Star reactor shaft in Return of the Jedi?

 

His lightning bolts he was generating struck the Death Star's energy grid causing an internal explosion.

 

I think the EU explained it as a massive burst of Dark Side energy.

I always thought it was just the effects of Palpatine's lightening hitting something down the shaft, making a big, electrically charged explosion.

 

Ignore the two posters above, they're just trying to mess with you.

What happened was the Emperor fell into the Ark of the Covenant from Raiders of the Lost Ark and was killed by the wrath of God.

 

That why the subtitles have the Emperor saying "It's beatifuuuuuulllll!" as he falls.

 

Yes, but only the Latin subtitles on some foreign releases of the 2004 DVD, and you have to play the disc in reverse to read it.

 

Also notice that Anakin is the only one who looks straight at it. In the next scene, he dies.

 

Also note that the Imperials are essentially Space Nazis. Nazis in Space, if you'd prefer. Now, all together now: who did the Ark of the Covenant kill in Raiders?

You don't need numbers to connect these dots, folks.

 

Historically - if you check the timeline in your bibles - the empire came first - so wouldn't they be Earth Imperials?????

 

That's hilarious and smart!

Do you think that energy from the Emperor could have actually had any part in Vader's death???

 

I've always believed so. We start seeing Vader's skeleton pulsing with electricity while he has the Emperor raised above his head, and we continue to see his skull through the mask as he looks down into the chasm as the Emperor explodes. The Sith energy -- out of control lightning unleashed during Vader's ambush attack -- undoubtedly contributes to Vader's demise.

 

In all seriousness, since I was a kid I just assumed the Force lightning fried Vader's life support. We saw Luke get electrocuted for far longer and although he was close, he didn't die.

 

That's true. Also, Sidious was enraged and shocked at the time. I like to interpret Anakin/Vader using the Force to contain Sidious and then force him downward.

 

Totally agree.

And I like to think it went further than that with the lightning irreparably damaging what was left of Anakin's organic body. So Anakin actually died, it wasn't just a mechanical problem alone. And even if there was some crazy way Luke could have replaced Vader's parts on the shuttle or before the Death Star blew up - nothing could have saved Anakin. What was left of the man died. Somehow for me that is more romantic and complete an ending.

 

More than that, what did Anakin have to live for? Standing trial in front of a war crimes committee to spend what was left of his life incarcerated, or perhaps even facing execution? No. This was about the best death he could ask for, knowing he had at last done something to earn the love his son unconditionally held for him.

 

I interpreted the blue explosion as Palpatine being destroyed in the reactor shaft and his evil energy being dissipated in his destruction. Not really anything to do with the lightning per se, but more saying that both in person and in spirit he is no more. Must say Anakin dying 'because his injuries were too great' or whatever the exact line was confused me. Yes he does get lightning on him, but it didn't register very easily to me that this might be the cause, probably because it's not particularly noticeable as a specific event in the scene.

 

The loud, raspy wheeze and his inability to move without Luke's assistance kind of clued me in that something was wrong with him.

 

are people seriously just now realizing that palps lightning killed vader? omg.

 

The OP asked the question. We answered. Which part are you unclear on?

 

Most people probably understand lightning from the Emperor killed Darth Vader. But how the lightning actually killed Vader could be open for debate. Like did the fan for his hard drive get fried and that's what killed him. Or was his heart char broiled in his chest.

The main questions of the thread is however - What is that blue energy explosion that happens after the emperor is thrown down the reactor shaft?

 

The question was in relation to the reactor shaft so if someone could explain what that actually is would be convenient as it is the subject of debate. For me reactor shaft is an energy grid that flows through the Death Star, electrically charged and travels through cylindrical tubes.

 

I have always interpreted the blue 'exsplosion' to have been dark side energy released from Sidious. I see it like this because Sidious was THE MOST powerful Sith lord of all time and his death had to be quite spectacular in the sense that his raw power had to be released. This view is also supported by the EU (RIP).

Anyone else agree with this?

 

Yes, I think he was so deep into the Dark side that he got himself into a kind of feedback loop where he kept calling for more power and doing more damage to himself. It was a vicious circle that ended with a bang.

 

I thought it was clear that the "blue energy" was the result of solid matter (Sheev's body and clothing) falling into the reactor and that Vader died because as he picked up and carried Sheev, Sheev's lightning short-circuited Vader's armor.

 

the emperor got disintegrated by the energy in the shaft.