Saga - OT 'Til Death Do Us Part, The Celtic Song Challenge, Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker [Updated 4/5/17]

Title: 'Til Death Do Us Part
Author: RX_Sith

Time Frame: Episode III and Before TFA
Genre: Angst, Family
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade Skywalker, Rey

Summary: The funerals and afterwards of both Padmé Amidala and Mara Jade Skywalker from Anakin Skywalker's and Luke Skywalker's viewpoints.

Notes: This was written for the Celtic Song Challenge , I received the song "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" by Sinéad O'Connor, Dead Can Dance, and Johnny Hollow. It is a song about death and lends itself to Anakin and Padmé' as well as Luke and Mara, so I have done both of their deaths in this story.

***

The somber cadence of the corpse of Padmé Amidala being taken towards her funeral wake was a very grim and painful memory for the person formally known as Anakin Skywalker. Now, in the persona of Darth Vader, he viewed the ceremony in his private castle on Mustafar and tears still streamed down his face even know, many years later.

The holovid was the only one that he had saved, and it was the only one that reminded him of what he had done, and he would never forgive himself for the death he had been a part of. It was the moment that was the end of Anakin Skywalker and the beginning of Darth Vader even though he had sworn to the Emperor before that he would follow his teachings, it wasn't until that moment that he meant it.

The aftermath of that moment when he literally squeezed the life out of his beloved wife was too much to bear even now thinking about it. He had caused her death. He alone was the reason for her not living anymore and for becoming the monster that he was to this day.

No mercy could ever resolve him of this painful killing of his wife, his companion, his angel. He would forever remember that he was the cause; the grim reaper himself he had become. He would continue to relive this moment from now until his death, because it was the only moment that mattered.

Nothing else; no personal involvement, no personal enjoyment; he wasn't even a person anymore; just a mechanical monster kept alive to continue to relive his torment forever and ever. He wished for death each and every day and still he awoke to more torment and pain. He was a monster who would have no atonement; no purpose; no real life to live.

***

Luke stood at the pyre as Mara Jade Skywalker's corpse laid upon it. It was this moment that made him stop caring about himself and his friends any longer. She had died because of his arrogance in training Ben Solo, and now that monster had killed his wife. It was all his fault. How could he not see what Ben was becoming? How could he not see that he was evil and not good?

It was his fault that he was lighting the torch to consume her lifeless body and he would never forgive himself for being so conceited; so naivé, so out of touch with only his problems and not that of Ben's. He would have to relive this moment from now until his death; he vowed that he would never forget; never accept anything but responsibility and no recourse for her death.

So, he had constructed her grave on Ahch-To and personally visited it each day to remind himself of the death he had caused; of the life that was taken from him, and of the pain and torment that continued to this day; the day that the girl showed up.

She stretched out her arm as if summoning a dead Jedi to resurrect from his secluded body. She held out the weapon that had caused the death of his beloved and looked upon it with a grief-stricken expression as a tear formed upon his cheek and dripped towards the ground that soaked up the moisture with a renewed purpose.

Would this be the start of something new between this girl and him? He questioned The Force and it answered a resounding "YES!" So now what, he openly wondered; do I come back to life or continue to relive death?

***

 

Two funerals. That's like, half of "Four Weddings and a Funeral", but not quite. Let's see if there will be anything but these two men crying for their wives. Nice contrast so far, knowing that one went dark and one remained light!

 

Late to the party (how did I not comment on this?)

I really liked this; Vader ends up giving up all hope, and Luke is offered hope by the appearance of Rey, and is torn on how to respond. It's short, but it's lovely and very poetic.

Really liked this bit.

 

Ewok Poet

Yes, Vader went dark, and Luke brought him back to the light, but now Luke is in the dark and Rey can possibly bring him back to the light.

Findswoman

Yes, Vader and Luke both feel remorse and regret for losing their loved ones; and yes, the circumstances are indeed different for each with Vader destroying his love and Luke having his love destroyed by Ben (Kylo).

Mistress_Renata

Yes, Vader gave up hope until Luke brought it back as "A New Hope" and now it is Luke who needs "A Newer Hope" to renew his life from being put in a deep slumber by Ben (Kylo).

 

Very interesting comparison of the father and the son. It's interesting that although both men blame themselves for the deaths of their wives, it's Luke -Padme's son- who keeps a flame of the light alive. Vader really did cause his wife's death, as Findswoman points out. Luke simply shoulders the blame, and it's hardly definite that he could have stopped Ben Solo's actions. The intentions of the actions are completely opposite.

I loved how Luke is redeemed by the arrival of Rey. I'm curious, though, how that lightsaber caused Mara's death...

 

This is an interesting look at how two different men, a father and a son, deal with a situation that is quite similar on the surface: the death of their most beloveds. They might not be literally stretched out on these women's graves, like the speaker of the song this story was inspired by, but they both live what lives they still have centered by those deaths--Vader with his one and only and grim home movie/holo, and Luke by his daily visits to the actual grave. But the similarities end there: Vader really was responsible for Padmé's death, and while the fans might make excuses for any part he had in it--since Palpatine is so much easier to blame--Vader never was one to indulge in much illusion.

Meantime, Luke does not owe the same guilt. He might have been naive, he might have turned a blind eye to things he ought to have seen, but ultimately, Ben was responsible for his own actions. And he was the one who struck the killing blow.

And it does seem possible, when the girl (I take it this is Rey from The Force Awakens) shows up with his lightsaber, that he might be able to finally learn that and forgive himself, if only a little. She is indeed calling forth the Jedi in him, recalling him back to the life he still has. It might have been too late for Vader, but it isn't too late for him.

Thank you for writing this for the challenge!

 

divapilot

Luke's orignial lightsaber was found first by Ben who used it to kill Mara. He left it behind like his namesake to remind Luke that it was he who had killed Mara.

Pandora

Yes, it is Rey who is offering Luke back his life, but of course, she does not realize yet that the lightsaber she now has was used by Ben to kill Mara.

A/N: I will post more to this story soon as far as the backstory and continuation of the circumstances for these two; father and son; who are linked by their respective deaths and lives.

 

Two men and their different way how to cope with loss.

The father, Vader, never grew up really. Still is a fearful, scared "boy" deep inside, a fact the dark side nourishes on. It shows that he truly is a Sith lord.

The son, Luke, is the "true" grown-up here. The Jedi knight that manages to move on. His loss is still dire, but not crippling and scarring. He seizes new opportunities.

It is also a brilliant idea of your´s to have Mara´s grave on Ahch-To. To move her character from the realm of old EU & legends back into canon.

 

AzureAngel2

Yes, Vader is still a boy inside while Luke was the grown-up who ultimately saved him and Mara should be included into canon.

Ewok Poet Findswoman Mistress_Renata Pandora divapilot

Next part is below:

***

The pain was persistent, agonizing, incessant, and non-stop for Darth Vader even now as he floated in the bacta tank free of his suit. His thoughts again took him back to the time that he was still a man; not the machine. But then the pain intensified and those thoughts were immediately washed away and replaced with torment and terror.

He would never experience such sweetness and purity ever again. Instead, it was replaced with pain and suffering; no longer could he experience good times; for they were permanently lost to the darkness that swelled inside of him.

It would not release him from his torment and it constantly reminded him that he was no longer a man. As he was carefully removed from the tank, the cleansing bacta oozed from his permanent scarred tissue. The pain intensified to a point where he would of screamed before, but now he was used to it; in fact he was enjoying it.

The pain now soothed him in its intensity and he felt relieved as the suit encapsulated his body; a body that was forever gone; to the machine that now walked with confidence with each step that it took. Now, he was who he was meant to be; Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, apprentice of Darth Sidious, his master forever.

***

Luke looked at the girl as she held out the weapon that had killed his beloved.

"Who are you?" He openly wondered.

"My name is Rey," she told him plainly, "I've been sent by Leia to find you and bring you back to help the Rebellion fight the First Order."

"I can't," Luke told her succinctly.

"Why not?" Rey questioned him, "Han has been killed and Leila needs you to return."

"I know," Luke stated briefly, "I can't leave her though."

"Who?" Rey wondered not seeing anyone else around.

Luke pointed at the grave. "Mara," he explained, she was my wife. I swore that I would never leave her again."

Rey looked at the grave and walked towards it and knelt down to pay her respects. " I am sorry for your loss, but Leia needs you."

"I won't do it," Luke told her truthfully, " Tell Leia that I am home and that I cannot leave."

***

 

Darth Vader's first bacta tank submersion as Darth Vader, I get?

Not sure what to make out of the Luke scene yet...

 

Superb use of the song for the Celtic Challenge and insightful and in-character parallels between the two heart-wrenching occasions of loss and grief. Luke of course has less overt guilt/culpability than Anakin but he is still weighed down with self-reproach. But Rey's presence is enough to cause him to ponder staying in loss and heartache and moving on with a renewed sense of purpose.

 

A really interesting look at father and son who share guilt in the death's of their wives. I find it quite fascinating the similarities and the differences. You've layered quite a few things into a short amount of time and I'd love to see more! Great use of the song for inspiration!

 

Each of us deals different with loss, because we are all individuals. And one can clearly see that Luke carries less rage in his heart than his father.