Discussions Why did Darth Sidious even seek an apprentice after Vader?

As Galactic Emperor, he practically owned everything in existence, and was the richest and most powerful being in the Galaxy. Darth Vader, while laughable in his hobbled state, was competent enough as an enforcer for Palpatine. Palpatine also intended to live forever, somehow finding a way despite murdering his monster before he found out the secret. So in this case, why did he even bother to seek an apprentice, if he clearly had no intention to die? It's obviously evident Darth Vader would never, ever be a threat to his reign, so why not just keep Darth Vader around? By trying to replace Vader with Starkiller, and eventually Luke, he alienated him, and caused his own death.

Another interesting note. If somehow, he did manage to persuade, say, Starkiller to become his apprentice, he has now recruited an incredibly powerful Force adept as his apprentice, one who is almost certainly likely to kill him in the future without much trouble. So what's the logic in this if he seeked to live forever?

 

In Palpatine's own words:

Choose someone as a successor and you will inevitably be succeeded.

Choose someone hungrier and you will be devoured.

Choose someone quicker and you won't dodge the blade at your back.

Choose someone with more patience and you won't block the blade at your throat.

Choose someone more devious and you'll hold the blade that kills you.

Choose someone more clever and you'll never know your end.

Despite these cautions, an apprentice is essential. A Master without an apprentice is a Master of nothing.

 

Also the fact that Vader lost 1/2 of his total body mass to a Jedi Master with a quarter of his force potential means that you keep your eyes open for people with a stronger desire to win at all costs.

 

Vader is in no way laughable (post-ROTS). He is actually stated to be 80% of Sidious power, which is quite a lot considering Sidious is the most powerful Sith Lord ever... His Force powers actually increased after ROTS, although clearly he lost his potential to become the most powerful Force-user to ever live and was arguably not as skilled with a lightsaber as he was before, he's still a badass who could take on practically everyone.

I do believe that Palpatine originally intended Vader to take on his mantle. During his fight against Yoda, he says "Vader will become more powerful than either of us!".

 

so he didn't mind dying and having all his achievements passed down to Vader...?

 

If he still held some of the beliefs that Bane started their order with then if he wasn't strong enough to stop Vader from killing him then he didn't deserve the title of Master. Vader would deserve it instead.


I have to agree that Vader was still quite powerful after Mustafar and his power did increase even more. In fact, I think his power has been understated somewhat even though I also agree that he never reached his full potential due to his injuries. It's my opinion that there isn't a Force user, Jedi, Sith or otherwise, past, present or future that Vader couldn't stand toe to toe with. He would steam roll most of them. I can only think of three that were stronger than him. Of course power will only take you so far as his fight with Obi-Wan proved. And his fight with Luke on the second Death Star. Overconfidence was his undoing in the first fight and a lack of conviction in the second one.

 

Besides, Vader was extremely conflicted during his fight against Kenobi. I believe a clear-minded Vader or Jedi Anakin would've indeed beaten Kenobi. He had just learned of his wife's 'betrayal', after all, and proceeded to choke her, right before engaging his former 'brother' on a duel to the death... Without taking into account his murder of younglings and Separatists just moments prior.

There's no way in hell he was fighting focused, yet still gave Kenobi the fight of his life.

 

I agree. I hate to say it. Kenobi is my fav. character of all time and he is certainly not a slouch. But eventually Vader would have killed him if he had a clear mind.

 

Reading these posts have brought up a lot of things I've never considered. Love it!

 

One Master and one apprentice; one to embody the power of the dark side, the other to crave it. Thus would the Sith line always flow from the strongest, the one most worthy. Bane's Rule of Two ensured that the power of both Master and apprentice would grow from generation to generation. An apprentice had to earn the title of Dark Lord, wresting it from the Master in a confrontation that pushed them both to the edge of their abilities. That is the most fundamental tenet of the Rule of Two.

So as long as Palpatine was the strongest Sith Lord, he had no reason to worry. If a day came that he no longer was, the apprentice would strike him down and claim the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. This way the Sith line was assured to flourish.