CT In any other setting would Luke have joined Darth Vader?

Onboard Tantive IV when the ship was captured would he have turned.

Vader takes Luke prisoner on the Death Star. Ben is not killed so he would be able to turn Luke to the dark side.

Had Vader reached the Millennium Falcon before it left Hoth preventing Luke from going to see Yoda. Instead staying and eventually learning of his father.

The biggest one Luke gets frozen wakes up on the Devastator and Vader has time to persuade(torture) him into accepting Darth Sidious's authority.

Is it likely he would have turned to the Dark Side of the force.

 

After he learns that Vader is his father, Luke is conflicted. On one hand, he wants to stay with the rebels. If he turns against them, he betrays his friends. But if he fights Vader, he betrays---maybe even kills---his own father. Even after Vader had his aunt and uncle murdered, killed Ben, and cut off Luke's hand, there were times when Luke thought about going to the Dark Side.

After their first fight and Vader tells Luke he is his father, Vader says "Join me, and we will rule the galaxy together as father and son," and, judging by Luke's facial expressions, it looks like he is actually considering it for a few moments. After that, however, is the real give away. When Luke is back on the Falcon, Vader starts speaking in his head, and Luke answers "father!" Then Luke keeps angrily repeating, "Ben, why didn't you tell me!?" At this point, Luke was weak physically as well as spiritually. Had the ship not taken off at light-speed and left Vader behind them, I think Luke was in serious risk of surrendering to the temptation of the Dark Side.

So, if Luke is taken prisoner and Vader had time to talk to him and persuade him, I think there is a good chance Luke would have turned to the Dark Side, especially if this was before Luke had any training with Yoda. Vader could have tortured Luke to try to get him to turn, but I do not think that would have been very effective, since it would probably just turn Luke AGAINST him. However, if Vader would have simply talked to Luke and tried to persuade him, that might have worked.

Vader would not even have had to lie to Luke, because there was of truth he could have used to persuade Luke. Firstly, Obi Wan LIED to Luke. In order to turn Luke against Vader, Obi Wan lied to him. (I know Obi Wan gives his little speech about "I told you the truth from a certain point of view" but the devil with that. With that kind of thinking, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW THE JEDI ARE EVIL. No, Obi Wan. You lied.) Obi Wan tells Luke Vader killed his father, ultimately turning Luke against Vader and persuading him to join the rebellion. In some ways, even if it was for his own good as well, Obi Wan did use Luke. All Vader really had to say was, "You know Obi Wan lied to you about me, so how can you believe anything else he has told you?"

Plus, Vader could have thrown in the details about Obi Wan cutting off his arms and legs, letting him burn up in fire, and leaving him alone to die. I doubt Luke would have been super pleased with Obi Wan after he learned what he did to his father. To an extent, he could blame Obi Wan from Padme's, Luke's mother's, death, since it was Obi Wan who prevented Anakin from working with Palaptine to find the power to save her. (Whether they could have actually saved her, whether Palpatine would have saved her even if he could, or whether he was just full of crap, is another issue, but that's beside the point.)

If Vader captured Luke and just TALKED to him, I think there is a good chance he could have connived Luke to join him and the Dark Side. By the end of episode VI, when Luke is taken captured by Vader, Luke has become strong enough to resist the temptation of the Dark Side, but even then he is tempted. Had be been captured BEFORE this, I do not know if he would have been strong enough.

Also, (this never actually happened, so I don't know how relevant it is, but it's still something to consider) in one of the first drafts of "Return of the Jedi," after Vader's death, Luke does turn to the Dark Side! Apparently, in this draft of the script, Luke puts on Vader's helmet and vows to finish what his father started. Basically fulfilling the role Kylo Ren is now filling.

 

Thanks, that was very fascinated. Good to hear your view. Did not know about the draft bit. That is interesting.

 

Another thing to be considered - IMHO - is that Luke's fighting for the Alliance seems rather motivated by friendship than political agenda.

His personal grudge against the Empire is mostly motivated by having eye-witnessed the bodies of Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, but other than that he didn't strike me as a very idealistic and political character like Leia, in contrast.

I think this also becomes clear in Yoda's dialogue:

YODA Decide you must how to serve
them best. If you leave now,
help them you could. But you
would destroy all for which they
have fought and suffered.

Vader seems to be aware of that, let's end this conflict once and for all (and your friends will live rather than to be killed sooner or later anyway):

VADER There is no escape. Don't make
me destroy you. You do not yet
realize your importance. You
have only begun to discover your
power. Join me and I will complete
your training. With our combined
strength, we can end this destructive
conflict and bring order to the
galaxy.

 

One dropped concept for ROTJ had Luke killing Vader and pretending to turn to the Dark Side so he could trick Palpatine.

 

I also heard about a version when Palpatine actually kills Luke, and then Leia goes after him and Vader for revenge. Who would have guessed.

 

I agree. Had Vader captured Luke prior to any training with Yoda, Luke would have been in some serious trouble. It may have taken days or weeks. However, much like Darth Malak did to Bastila Shan, Vader could have tortured and/or talked with Luke until he broke. Even if Vader had not tortured Luke, Vader could have gone on tangents about Obi-Wan and this could have persuaded Luke. While Luke was reckless when he left Yoda's training, he still remembered some important lessons. I think that it's unlikely he would have turned after Vader's revelation, even if the Executor intercepted the Falcon. Luke would have still preferred death.

 

Luke could have acted as a spy for the Rebellion deep in the Empire. Working with his Father but secretly being part of the Rebellion. Hiding his true feelings and getting close to the Emperor. He may even have freed Vader of his enslavement to Darth Sidious. Become Palatine's new apprentice and encourage Stormtroopers to defect to the Rebel Alliance.