What would have the Emperor done, if Vader hadn't blocked Luke's saber in ROTJ?

Let's say Vader's reflexes weren't as good as they were when he killed Obi Wan on the first Death Star in Ep IV, and he reacted just a little too late, or the servos in his mechanical arm reacted too slow. What would the Emperor have done to avoid being chopped in half by Luke. Maybe some of those buttons on his chair could have activiated a force field, or maybe he would have pulled out his own lightsaber. But to depend on a cripple body guard seems too risky.

 

This is a matter of some theoretical and speculative debate.

It has been suggested that Palpatine is so powerful as to have some sort of defence against lightsabres.
Certainly he would know about the treacherous nature of Sith in general and probably about Vader's own ambitions.

I would think he would have something up his sleeve.

He is overconfident, not stupid.









Besides, Vader might have fumbled...

 

My guess is that he would've used the Force to deflect Skywalker's lightsaber then activated some kind of defense program. To buy enough time for Vader to act or to call in the royal guards.

 

Of course if Vader had failed to act and Palps did have something up his sleeve then Vader would be in big trouble.

 

Hence calling in the Royal guards to teach Vader a lesson...a permenent lesson. That treason is only met by death.

 

What would he have done? He would have died.
He would then have become "more powerful than you can imagine."

It's even likely that that was his goal all along, and Vader screwed it up. Maybe Vader even stopped Luke on purpose, so Palpatine wouldn't join with the Force.

 

He would then have become "more powerful than you can imagine."

It's even likely that that was his goal all along, and Vader screwed it up. Maybe Vader even stopped Luke on purpose, so Palpatine wouldn't join with the Force.

Why doesn't he ask Vader to take a swing at him at some other time? Palpatine was not trying to die.

 

Maybe he would have taken out his own lightsabre and blocked Lukes sabre.
Then he would have fought Luke one on one with Vader at his side.

 

He new that Vader would stop him, he had no doubt about that.

Because he new Vader was desperate to show off his new Pink saber at the first given opportunity, he couldn't wait to unleash his big pink weapon on his son. That guys got sooo many issues.

 

His spirit would be sent to one of his clones on Byss.

*Runs before the purists come*

 

Died.

 

*agrees with DarthLassic007 and then runs*

 

Screamed briefly and fallen off the chair seems a fair bet.

 

Stopped Luke's blade and crushed Luke and Vader with the Force.

As for the Royal Guards. They cannot take Vader. One of his jobs is to kick their butts in duels at the end of their training and scar them as a reminder of the power of the Dark Side. Oh yes and he kills the guy who gets top grade at midterms as well.

 

It's just as likely that Palpatine is the one who, through the force, caused Vader's arm to reach out with the lightsaber ignited and block Luke's saber.

 

Hmmm.

Seems like one would have to go with "Get cut in half and die."

 

It's just as likely that Palpatine is the one who, through the force, caused Vader's arm to reach out with the lightsaber ignited and block Luke's saber.

Thats precisely what I thought since my first viewing of ROTJ.

 

Same thing as when he was thrown down the reactor shaft; send his spirit into a clone on Byss.