Why didn't Luke try to deflect the emperor's lightning?

I have always wondered about this. What did he hope to achieve by throwing away his lightsaber? He could have used it against the emperor.

Also, does anyone know if palpatine had his lightsaber in ROTJ?

I think Luke should have got into a lightsaber duel with him.

What do you think?

 

If Luke had his lightsaber, he would strike out in anger and agression which would be the worst thing for him to do. By throwing it away, he is throwing away all his anger and hate. He is a Jedi, his ways are the ways of peace.

 

He thew his lightsaber away to show that he was not going to fight and fall to the dark side. He didn't know the lightning was coming. And I doubt Palpatine would have fought then, he was "above" lightsaber combat at that point.

 

I think... people should think for a few moments before making threads.

What did he hope to achieve by throwing away his lightsaber? He could have used it against the emperor.

It was a symbolic act more than anything else. I'd like to think it's obvious that he didn't know anything about deflecting lightning, or even that lightning existed as a weapon.

Also, does anyone know if palpatine had his lightsaber in ROTJ?

Nobody knows the answer to that, though I expect most people will say "no".

I think Luke should have got into a lightsaber duel with him.

That would have been great. An inexperienced Jedi against one of the greatest Sith of all time.

 

If Luke had his lightsaber, he would strike out in anger and agression which would be the worst thing for him to do. By throwing it away, he is throwing away all his anger and hate. He is a Jedi, his ways are the ways of peace.

I completely agree.

 

Yeah, this is kinda weird. He should've deflected it like Mace Windu. But I seriously doubt it would've helped much. Emperor Sidatine has had 24 more years to grow stronger in the Dark Side, and Mace Windu could barely hold it off BACK THEN, so that means that the lightning he shocked Luke with was much stronger than the lightning that Mace Windu got shocked with. Also, Luke didn't even see it coming, and b4 he knew it, he was on the floor getting lit up like somebody shoved a firecraker up his ass.

 

this kind of pointless "what ifs" cant't be answered because hypothetical questions like this will never have an answer. This is an epic morality that deals with a lot of symbolism and archetypes. It's not one of those lame "make your own adventure" books.

 

....again, Wally? *tsk, tsk*

Still, Luke perhaps did not see it coming, and once in the emperor's "clutches", he probably gave in to what he probably perceived at the time as his inherent destiny-- albeit a crummy one.

 

In the Novel he does, however he's only succesful at deflecting it until Palpatine gets more PO'd and increases the lightning flow.

 

Actually it's in the script as well. If you watch very carefully, you can see it in the movie as well, the lightning being deflected off him and onto the surroundings as it hits him. As the script and the novel says, he couldn't keep it up because of the intensity.

 

Yeah, and Luke didn't even KNOW Sidious could do that funny Sith stuff.

 

If you watch very carefully, you can see it in the movie as well, the lightning being deflected off him and onto the surroundings as it hits him. As the script and the novel says, he couldn't keep it up because of the intensity.

Are you certain that Luke deflects any of it? I remember a previous thread where someone made this claim, but I haven't been able to see it. A picture was posted where there were sparks on the floor after the first blast of lightning, but I thought that was simply the result of it hitting Luke's body and creating sparks nearby. I never saw him use his hands to deflect the lightning the way Yoda did. Actually, many times throughout the scene where Luke was on the floor , I could see the lightning glowing around him and sparks flying close by in the room. But I didn't see any deflection, I just assumed the sparks were the aftermath of Luke's body being struck.

 

He wanted to prove he was a real jedi.

 

i think lukwe wanted to keep passive.. like people who tie themselves to trees to protect them..

 

I don't think Luke knew HOW to deflect Force lightning. Mace probably just stumbled on the solution during their duel as a reflexive blocking action, and since Luke had thrown his lightsaber across the room already that was out of the question. Plus I don't think Yoda taught Luke how to shield himself from the lightning like he did in AOTC and ROTS (although he should have, it looks like).

But keep in mind, Obi-Wan and Yoda keep saying Luke has to face VADER. Although it might've been implied, they didn't say anything about facing the Emperor; it's doubtful that anyone in the galaxy could defeat Palpatine. Aside from Vader himself, of course.

 

Are you certain that Luke deflects any of it? I remember a previous thread where someone made this claim, but I haven't been able to see it. A picture was posted where there were sparks on the floor after the first blast of lightning, but I thought that was simply the result of it hitting Luke's body and creating sparks nearby. I never saw him use his hands to deflect the lightning the way Yoda did. Actually, many times throughout the scene where Luke was on the floor , I could see the lightning glowing around him and sparks flying close by in the room. But I didn't see any deflection, I just assumed the sparks were the aftermath of Luke's body being struck.

The deflection is done before Palpatine increases the intensity to killing strength, and it certainly is not as clear as it should've been (the sparks bouncing off him is a result) due to how stuff was back then. They were certainly no aftermath of his body being struck, the deflection was not done in the way of catching it all in his hand, since his whole body was being attacked. It's really quite easy to pass it off as just some visual effects showing the aftermath of the attack.

Even if you don't consider the novelization as valid, check the movie script where Luke deflecting it, and failing to keep up doing it, is explicitly mentioned.