CT What Would Have Happened to Vader if Luke Died?

Hey guys,

I've been thinking about this scenario for a little bit now and I wanted to hear your guys thoughts. We all know Darth Vader and Luke have this special connection. They're father and son, after all. Once Vader learned that he had a child, Anakin was slowly returning. He longed to have his son with him. He wanted a family. And he became obsessed with searching for Luke. But, let's just say that in some type of battle or event, Luke died by any type of way other than Vader, of course. How do you think Vader would react to learning that Luke died, knowing that he was his son? Would the good left in Anakin be completely gone? Would he become more of a monster than he already is? Would he become more of a killing machine than ever before? What are your thoughts?

 

He would be very angry that he never got to meet his son, and feel cheated by Palpatine. He would stay a Sith from that point on.

I thought you were going to ask what would happen if Vader let Luke die during the Battle of Endor. In that case, Vader would continue to be Palpatine's apprentice until someone else killed Vader. Then the new apprentice would kill Palpatine at some point.

 

Palpatine would punish him for treason, but he could hardly kill him unless he was willing to bet the future of the Sith on Leia as his next apprentice (he'd know about her at this point).

Vader would give up hope of living, or try to recruit Leia to his side the way he did with Luke. I don't see him living as Palpatine's apprentice for long after that, too much would have happened. I can see Vader being drawn to the light more after the incident, though not enough to consciously repentant immediately.

 

i agree. i think he would also conclude that his son hadn't been that strong with the force after all.

(also, i'm assuming that luke dies before vader could meet him again in ROTJ in this.)

this would be interesting... if he knew leia was his daughter, which i don't think he would at the time that luke died (and leia wouldn't know either). but i think given the force, leia's and vader's destinies would coincide after the passing of luke.

 

Oh! I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear, I meant what if Luke died somehow, like in a battle or something, after their duel on Cloud City.

 

My bad, lol, I meant what if Luke died after their encounter on Cloud City, like in a battle...

 

If he'd died on cloud city, presumably an accident on Vaders part, Vader would be disappointed and likely give up on living. He may eventually sense Leia if he doesn't kill himself first, and seek her out the same way. If he failed, then he would definitely lose the will to live.

 

I think he would've continued on, but his hope for the future would be lost. He'd just continue on as Sidious' puppet / pawn / lackey , whatever you want to call him. His desire to overthrow Palpatine would be burned away, and knowing that the last living part of Padme was now gone forever would destroy any good left in him,and his will to do anything. Just a broken man in a suit until the day he died.

 

I think it would depend on at what point Luke dies. Had Vader succeeded in destroying Luke's X-Wing in the trench he couldn't have cared less, even if he'd found out later that he just killed his son. Even during all of ESB and most of ROTJ I'm pretty sure Vader would have gotten over Luke's death quickly. He never really cared about him as a son, just wanted him as an ally to overthrow Sidious. I think the only time he might have really regretted losing Luke was at the very end, if the Emperor had been successful killing Luke. Before that point whether Luke lived or died would have been just a matter of "destiny" to Vader, as he himself said. I don't see Vader capable of feeling deep grief at Luke's death; too much of the dark side in him. He would have accepted the loss and followed Sidious just as before.

 

My series of events:

• Vader would continue to serve, Palpatine. He would have lost any light that remained, Anakin was truly dead from this point onwards.
• Palpatine would continue ruling the galaxy and would destroy the rebellion and any hope along with it. The Jedi were truly dead at this point... I assume Leia would have perished at the battle of Endor.
• Palpatine and Vader would evacuate the doomed death star and take charge of the battle of Endor, they would call reinforcements and command the battle whilst, Palpatine used battle meditation. They would crush the rebellion.
• Palpatine would continue his research into wild space and meet, Snoke. Perhaps, they could learn the secret to immortality or, Snoke may replace Vader.
• The galaxy would be plunged into an eternity of darkness. Palpatine may have discovered more secrets of the force and would become an entity within the force.

This just emphasises how important the battle of Endor was, it altered the course of history forever.

 

All depends on WHEN it happens. Interesting What If though. Pre-ROTJ Vader doesn't mourn a son whose "Weak" enough to get himself killed. ROTJ Vader who takes Luke to Palps and then watches him die would be crushed by it. Luke felt the conflict in Vader already he was battling his love for his son. I think had Palps killed Luke, Vader would have gone force unleashed on Palp and either got himself killed or successfully overthrown the Emperor.

 

Lord Vader would launch a coup d'etat and impale Sidious. Have himself declared the new Magistrate of the Galaxy. ALL HAIL LORD VADER MAY HIS RULE BE LONG AND FOREVER MAY WE SERVE IN HIS PRESENCE AS LOYAL SOLDIERS OF GALACTIC EMPIRE. LET THE ENEMIES OF VADER DIE A BLOODY DEATH AT THE FEET OF LORD VADER.

I can see that happening in a galaxy far far away.

 

Vader would become extra mad.
The Alliance wouldn't like him when he's extra mad.

 

If Luke was shot by a Stormtrooper, he'd wonder why Padme cheated on him.

 

Interesting premise. Let's examine it in depth.

Let's say Luke perishes in one of the events in ESB, before Vader reveals his true heritage to him.

Luke encounters the wampa in the Hoth tundra and is a fraction too slow and the wampa is a shade angrier. Luke dies in the frigid caves of Hoth.

Aboard the Executor, Vader feels the sudden shift in the Force. He feels his son die. And is livid. Luke was Vader's one great hope. His chance to have a family again, an apprentice, a legacy. His one and only chance to take revenge on Palpatine for all his manipulations and seize control of the Galaxy for himself. All those hopes and dreams are now gone. Vader's great ambitions have crumbled to dust in the frozen landscape of Hoth.

This time, when the fleet arrives at Hoth, Vader is on the bridge and overrules Ozzel's command. The Imperial fleet sneaks into orbit and catches many of the Rebel transports. Vader leads the ground assault as before, but this time sends every stomtrooper he has and attacks the Rebels in the trenches himself. This is a Vader unleashed, in the depths of rage.

The Rebels don't make a clean evacuation from Hoth and suffer heavy casualties. Vader storms the base, searching for his son's body. After accessing records, he learns that Luke went on a scouting mission. Vader deploys all his forces to scour the frozen tundra to find his son's body. Eventually they find his frozen corpse in the wampa cave and return it to Vader. The Sith Lord is so angry and sorrowful that he orders all of Hoth to be razed from orbit, taking his son's body back to the Executor with him.

It should be noted that in this reality, the Falcon escapes from Hoth cleanly. With Luke dead, Vader has no reason to pursue them. Without his son alive, Vader loses much of his purpose. After having such a great hope snatched away from him, Vader becomes despodent. He has no idea he still has a child left in the galaxy.

Obi-Wan finds a way to contact Leia and tells her to go to Dagobah and train with Yoda. She's the only hope the Jedi have left. Once she begins her training, Vader becomes aware of her as does Sidious. But unlike Luke, Leia won't be leaving Dagobah in a hurry. Yoda finishes her training and then the two of them go to confront Vader. Fully trained, Leia defeats her father, and kills him. Leia isn't as merciful or compassionate as Luke was.

Yoda imparts a few last words of wisdom before dying and Leia rejoins the Rebellion as a Jedi Knight.

Of course, then, Palpatine comes on the scene, draws the Rebels into an ambush, fights Leia and turns her to the Dark Side. The last Skywalker becomes a Sith as her father before her, and eventually succeeds Darth Sidious, becoming Galactic Empress.

 

Like all that!

There was actually a comic about this - Empire Strikes Back Infinities, I think - where Luke dies on Hoth, in the snow, as Han reaches him too late. But a dying Luke imparts upon Han the need to go to the Dagobah system and train under Jedi Master Yoda , and Han thinks Luke means HE should train to be a Jedi! Of course, when the group gets there, Yoda reveals Leia as Luke's sister and the one who should be trained. If i remember correctly, Vader doesn't know Luke is dead, as he still senses a Skywalker strong with the Force out there ( Leia),and still searches the Galaxy for him.

Just curious - what would Leia's Sith name be, you think?

 

Darth Apostas

An apostate is someone who has turned away from their faith or cause. By becoming a Sith and Empress, Leia would have turned her back on everything she believed in.

 

Vader might have repeated his "noooo!" over Padme's death or simply said nothing. Continued being a Sith Lord, because there is no hope for him. The fact is Vader was redeemed because of his Son. Without Luke, Anakin never returns, Vader can't do it alone, he is dependent. He has always been dependent on people, from his mom Shimi, then Qui-Gon, then Padme, and so on and so.

 

That was amazing! I could totally see Vader doing that! Do you think Vader would be more upset that he lost his son or lost someone who could potentially help him overthrow Palpatine?

 

I think Vader would have another breakdown like he did with Padme, and be forever lost in Darkness.

 

Probably the same thing would happen Vader would kill the Emperor and this one dies by Sidious
The story would be repeated only that Luke, Vader and Sidious would be dead

 

According to what I've been told, Vader would rediscover his selflessness and compassion for all, regardless of Luke not surviving. It's not even important that it's Luke, apparently.

 

Vader would have crept deeper into the dark side and been more Vader than ever. Anyone who displeased him in any way or failed at anything while he was present would be extremely lucky to survive...
Eventually, some course of events would have caused him to kill Palpatine, losing his own life in the process. Leia would have been the catalyst.