Wasn't it sad that no one else but Luke helped carry Vader to a shuttle at the end of ROTJ?

For me, a very powerful scene was when everyone was trying to retreat from the Death Star II at the end of ROTJ, and Luke was the only one helping Vader to an escape shuttle. All the officers and stormtroopers who were running by Luke and Vader didn't even bother to see if Vader was alright.

Of course, I don't blame them. They were probably glad, deep down, that the Emperor was dead and that Vader was dying, seeing as how they were treated like animals. But still, it must have been a very lonely feeling for Vader that the only one who bothered to help a dying Vader to safety was his own son, and that no one else gave a damn about him.

You would think that there would be SOME Imperial officers who were still loyal to Vader during those final moments of his life as he was being carried. But nope, nobody cared.

So to me, not only was the final dialogue between Luke and Anakin emotional, but the brief scenes of Luke helping Vader to safety was just downright depressing and sad, because everyone else just ignored him.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

They were thinking:

"use the Force Luke! Levitate your pops!"

 

But still, it must have been a very lonely feeling for Vader that the only one who bothered to help a dying Vader to safety was his own son

At that time he wasn't the evil he once was. His thoughts and concerns were of his son and his daughter.

As for the Imperials not helping him, again he wasn't the evil he once was, the evil half man/half machine they knew and they were cowards and out for themselves.

 

They probably wanted to get out, before the Death Star blew up.

 

After all the crap he did, he probably felt being kicked by his own former men was a pretty small price to pay

Besides, they could see a nice high-profile rebel was helping the poor man around. Surely he'd be safe in rebel hands!

 

Some time ago, in some Piett-appreciation thread, I said it would have been cool if Piett had been on the Death Star at that time, spotted them and helped Luke carry Vader, then preparing the Shuttle to have father and son have their nice moment.

But it is very telling that mere pilots and troops don't give a damn. Very good idea, and yes, somehow pretty sad.

 

I can't agree with the Piett statement simply because that needed to be solely a father/son scene dealing with the two most important figures in the saga. A second banana rounder-outer character just wouldn't fit.

 

I thought it played out perfectly...and was very telling about how "disciplined" the Empire really was. The ship was sinking...and all the rats were scurrying around, trying to get off.

 

Vengeance. "You made my life miserable and killed officers on a whim. I'd sooner kick you than help you reach a shuttle." That was probably the type of thing they were thinking.

 

A tragic image indeed.

 

Sad, but that's the nature of the Empire that Palpatine created. No real loyalty, just a bunch of power-hungry warlords who only care about themselves.

 

No real loyalty,

Not true for all. Baron Fel for example was loyal to the Empire until it died.

 

Sadly, Fel was in the minority.

You're right, Crash, it is sad to think about.
And no-one else, in the entire galaxy, truly had faith that Vader could return from the Dark Side except his son.

 

In a way, Vader not killing Piett at the end of ESB is indirectly the result of Anakin Skywalker making his return--culminating in the death of the Emperor. Maybe Piett could've unknowingly "returned the favor" to Anakin by helping Luke carry him to the shuttle? They could've still had the father-son moment IN the shuttle, and Piett--choosing to stay in the DS--could've had a far more dignified death than he did in the actual movie(One of the few things that annoyed me in ROTJ).

The force works in VERY subtle ways and the above idea would definitely make sense.

 

Did any of them see him? All those officers and stormtroopers didn't seem to notice, or even look in his direction in the hanger.

They probably assumed that since Vader was being dragged across the floor that he was either dead or almost dead, if they saw him at all.

 

"They probably assumed that since Vader was being dragged across the floor that he was either dead or almost dead, if they saw him at all."
But almost dead means there still is a little bit of life.

 

I would have been more concerned getting the hell off the doomed Death Star.

 

Suppose there's all of a sudden bombs exploding all around the Stadium that Edwards and Cheney were debating in last week, while running out of the stadium you happen to notice out of the corner of your eye what appears to be a secret service agent dragging Dick Cheney towards safety...you really going to run back over to them and start asking what you can do to help?

They don't know who Luke is, if they saw the duo at all they assumed that Vader was in fact being taken care of, and the area was still in danger.

I'd say it's more surprising that none of them tried to take the shuttle for themselves, during a drawn-out conversation scene in a docking bay

 

Wow. That's a really good point, and I never thought about it before. It is very sad that Luke was presumably dragging Vader all that way through open corridor and no one even noticed or cared.

The Imperials were all looking to save their own rears and didn't care about anyone else, which is a stark contrast to how the Rebels evacuated Hoth. Wonder if there's symbolism there.

 

Good point about Hoth, cause as Han runs back to the command center, you see two rebels carrying another with a limp, while the Imperials on the DSII hightail it out of there as quickly as possible.

 

I really love that Piett idea, as he is one of my favorite "non-main" characters in the movies. He was the perfect officer, and deserved a dignified death. It would have been a powerful character moment to see him helping his leader even to the very end. Shame that didn't happen.

 

okay, but how come not one of the other Imp's tried to take the shuttle?
The place is falling apart and there is still a shuttle with no one in it? I would think that Luke would have to fight off some rowdy Stormtroopers from rushing the gang plank!

Luke: (<ignites saber>)"Back up fellas, you REALLY don't wanna mess with me right now!"

 

My question is that no officer seemed to stop Luke Skywalker hero of the Rebellion, dragging Vader throughout the Death Star. Surely the officers on board the Death Star knew that Luke Skywalker was aboard.

 

No one cared. Those men were slaves. Once chaos broke out without leadership it was only logical that every man fend for himself.

"As for the Imperials not helping him, again he wasn't the evil he once was, the evil half man/half machine they knew and they were cowards and out for themselves."

At the time im pretty sure alot of officials were confused about what was going on save for the higher ups. People were right to run by seeing Vader powerless and thinking "Would you look at that. Not so scary now are you." One has to realise that through fear the Empire was formed and there must be hundreds of men working for it who are not nessessarily evil. They are slaves, or people who figure its best to be on this side, trapped. Personally, if I had ran by and saw Vader being dragged after spending a portion of my life carrying out duties against my will, Id kick'em. Id walk over like I was concerned to see what condition he was in. Luke had no weapon so I probably could get a good kick to the head before Luke could force-push me or something. Hed be too busy scrabbling for pops helmet to bother with me. Or, I could wait and see what was going on from a distance. When Luke removes the helmet I could run over and say "Now look upon me with your own eyes, 8!%(#!. Spit in his face and put a lazer in his head. Luke would probably go into a darkside rage and kill me but I probably wouldnt be escaping anyway.

 

They didn't care for Vader. They rather cared for THEIR own life.
Yes, it is powerful to see the dying leader being dragged by one "enemy" in the anomynous croud of fleeing people.