CT How evil was the Galactic Empire?

I lean to the view that his life support system was destroyed by Palpatine's lightning, and he knew that would happen when he attacked Palpatine in the first place - result, it's "self-sacrificing".

 

Anakin didn't want to do evil things because he knew it was wrong deep down. Hence he's crying after killing everyone while waiting for Palpatine's call. Why he yelled, "What have I done?" after betraying Mace. Why he said that it was wrong to kill Dooku like he did. He just chooses to keep going along with it because he doesn't see an alternative to his situation that he can live with. Afterwards, he chooses to continue in service of Palpatine because he has become a slave to the dark side of the Force. Luke helps him to find the strength to break free of those shackles and turn on his Master.

Anakin isn't a hero. He just stops the horror and dies a good man. He cannot make up for his sins because Palpatine killed him in the process of saving Luke. He made a sacrifice for the first time in his life since leaving Tatooine and it was one that he could live with in good conscience. Trying to keep himself alive is the total opposite of what he had accomplished because that goes right back to the tragedy of Darth Plagueis and what he himself had tried to do in the first place. Yoda told both Skywalker men that death is a natural part of life and that it cannot be avoided forever. That's why when Luke says that he'll die with his helmet being removed, Anakin responds that it doesn't matter. He'll be dead soon enough with it on and that nothing can stop his death. He is acting as a Jedi Knight for the first time in a long time.

 

I don't think crying and saying 'What have I done?' makes Anakin any less evil. I agree it may foreshadow his eventual redemption though.

 

I choose to believe that his Chosen One status was his get out jail card.

"I didn't kill those Younglings, the destiny did!"

 

I didn't say it made him less evil. I said that it was not something he was desiring to do.

He admits his own guilt when he tells Luke that it is too late for him, at the landing platform. He knows that he was the one who did all those things. Killed and betrayed all those people. He knows that there is no one else to blame but himself. That's his penance. That's why this is my favorite scene.

 

Evil is not what someone does or doesn't do, evil is what someone stops you from doing, or makes you do.