Why does Luke say "like my father before me"?

Why does Luke tell the Emperor, "I am a Jedi like my father before me"? Luke is trying to tell the Emperor that he cannot be turned to the Dark Side, but saying he's a Jedi like his father suggests he could be turned like his father before him. It's as though Luke thinks Vader lost the duel on purpose and is already returning to the Light Side.

 

my interpretation is this:

Luke knows that his father was once a Jedi, also knows that there is good in his father. He is saying that he cannot be turned like his father once was because he has his father's lesson to learn from.

 

He said it to be defiant and to tell the Emperor that he thought Anakin could be turned back to the lightside.

 

I think Luke was telling the Emperor that fact in a proud way. Anakin was a powerful Jedi before he was turned to the dark side.
Luke could definitely feel his father's resistance wearing down. The Emperor, although very powerful, couldn't feel this change in Vader. He could feel Vader's struggle to a certain degree but I don't think he could feel he was finally "losing" Vader to the good side.
Also, in ROTJ Anakin/Darth Vader was an older man. Not to mention the armour that he had to wear to sustain his own life. Vader was wearing down and his fatherly instincts and the love for his own son was starting to kick in.

 

vader was a jedi before luke was, and when luke became a jedi, he was the same as his father was, just his father has a different job now... like if my dad worked in space, and then he got a new job in a office in the town, then i worked in space... I would be a spce worker, like my father before me... you get it?

 

Luke was just laying the smack down and declaring that he is now a Jedi and the new bad ass of the galaxy

LUKE KICKS ASS!!!

 

Vader was once a Jedi when he was Anakin.

 

It's incredible how scenes from the OT are now having different meanings to us, thanks to the prequels. For example when Luke is captured and talking to Vader in ROTJ. He brings up the name Anakin and Vader quickly says, "That name no longer has any meaning to me!", and of course when Leia and Luke talk about their mother and the Clone Wars being mentioned in ANH. You know have images to think back on an it changes the feel of the films.

Did anyone ever hear the rumor that the pancho in Obi-Wan's crib in ANH is supposed to belong to Qui-Gonn Jinn? Meaning he kept it all these years to remember his Master. I like to think that's true, even though it can't have been done on purpose. Some of you will ruin it now and tell me, it's Luke's or Obi-Wan's.

 

>>>>Luke was just laying the smack down and declaring that he is now a Jedi and the new bad ass of the galaxy

This would obviously explain why Palpatine then handed him his 'bad ass', LukeSW. Right?

Luke could not beat the Emperor. Only the Chosen One could do that.

-JR

 

This would obviously explain why Palpatine then handed him his 'bad ass', LukeSW. Right?

Well its not like Luke was fighting back

 

I think he was throwing it in Palps' face, insulting him, in a "gentleman's way", of course. He was telling the old prune, "Whatever you do, you can't change me, you old geezer"! He was showing insulting him by reminding him that: A)My father was a Jedi at one time and could be again, and B)I will always be faithful to the Jedi, no matter how hard you try! Nyah, nyah!

 

He is just saying that he is choosing to remain a Jedi like his father before him (before he became a Sith instead).

He is trying to plant seeds in Vader's head about the good man he used to be.

 

swanarchy got it. Anakin was a Jedi. Reguardless of what he is now, he was once a Jedi.
When he's saying 'like my father before me', he's not comparing himself to Anakin, he's comparing himself to what Anakin was.
I wonder if that stirred anything in the Anakin in Vader before Luke got the smack down.

 

Anakin was a Jedi that why.

 

no, correction 'obiwan-jr', Luke refused to turn to the dark side

He was willing to DIE to save his soul and his father's

THAT'S real power and strength, not being able to shoot lightning out of your fingers thank you very much

not to mention palpatine only attacked him after he was unarmed

 

I think Luke was telling the Emperor that fact in a proud way.

I agree with that. Luke's proud of the Jedi tradition, kinda sticking it in Palpatine's face that he still hasn't rubbed all the Jedi out.

 

Ok, Luke and Ben both said that Anakin Skywalker died when he became Darth Vader. So this man that is Darth Vader is not his father persay... So his father, Anakin, was a Jedi. And even if he were referring to Vader (he did kind of jerk his head toward Vader when he said "like my father before me") he USED to be a Jedi.

 

Luke and Ben both said that Anakin Skywalker died when he became Darth Vader

Obi-Wan's take on the situation is very different from Luke's...Luke is virtually the only person in the entire galaxy that has faith in Vader. Faith that Anakin Skywalker still exists somewhere in him. The only other person to believe this is Yoda ,and even that theory is arguble.

Luke's comment of "Then my father is truly dead" seems to be born out of frustration or, more likely, to needle his father into coming out of his shell again. It's kind of like an ultimatum..."If you really were once my father, then prove it and help me out when I need it." When it comes down to it, Luke's faith is repaid.

Referring to Vader as being a Jedi is another attempt by Luke to remind him of what he once was, as Anakin.

 

IT also ties in nicely with the line in ANH:

"I want to come with you to Alderaan. There's nothing here for me now. I want to learn the ways of the Force, and become a Jedi like my father"

 

...Yeah, why DID Luke say; "...like my father BEFORE me"? I mean, at the time, Vader was clearly laying on the floor, BEHIND him. Sigh...yet another Lucasfilm continuity blunder.

 

"I am a Jedi...like my father slumped in a heap behind me."

 

You have all forgotten about the scene that leads up to this in ESB, between Luke and Yoda. Yoda says "..you must confront Vader... ...only then a Jedi you will be". So when Luke defeats Vader he proudly announces that he accomplished much more then Vaders defeat, but that he is now a Jedi, like his father before him!

I hope this clarifies things for you

 

I think he was talking about his real father!!! Obi-Wan Kenobi! and the whole Anakin=Luke&leia's dad was just a cover up to keep Anakin from staying with Palpy.