Yoda's Dying Words and Possible Interpretations

I was watching ROTJ today and when Yoda was dying, he said something very strange that I hadn't picked up before:

"Never understimate the power of the Emperor, or suffer your father's fate, you will."

What did Yoda mean by this? Lucas could have generalized the statement and just put, "Never underestimate the power of the Dark Side," without singling out Palps.
Yoda is implying something that happened in the past, which directly related to Anakin's turn. But isn't Ani supposed to be on Palpatine's side? Palps may not be as great a father figure to Anakin as Obi-Wan ("You're like a father to me"), but he's up there.

Yoda's words would suggest that Anakin confronted Palpatine, underestimating his power, and fell to the dark side. But I thought Anakin fell of his own free will? This statement makes it sound forced, as though by defying Palpatine and failing to succeed, Anakin was punished by being made Palpatine's apprentice. Does anybody else see this as a viable possibility? Because when I watch ROTJ now, the way the camera lingers on Vader when Luke is being tortured by the Emperor's force lightning, the way you can almost SEE the pain in Anakin's face through the mask; this is too significant not to be something Anakin experienced first hand.

At first I thought his compassion for Luke was because he stood by and watched Palpatine kill Padme in the very same manner, but now I feel Vader saved Luke from the torture because he himself had experienced it first hand from Palpatine. Perhaps this is how Vader ended up in the suit, we won't know until 2005. Regardless, I think there is a lot to be drawn from OT dialogue, which just gives me more reasons to watch my favorite movies over again.

 

I don't think that Yoda was refering only to Palpatine's obvious powers. Palpatine also posses the power to persuade people with his words, and it is this power that was most effective in bringing Anakin to the Dark Side. Notice that when Palpatine was trying to turn Luke, he was tempting him with words. He only resorted to the Force lightning after Luke had defeated Vader and refused to join with him. Palpatine was no longer looking to bring Luke to his side; he was trying to kill him.
I don't think that Anakin so much uderestimated Palpatine's ability as he just didn't realize what was happening. Now that Yoda has had the time to look back and see how Anakin fell, he can warn Luke.

 

Well put. I never looked at Palps' persuasive ways as one of his powers, tho Palpatine DID talk circes around Luke. I had never thought of it in that light until then.

 

yes yes, to Fingorfin you listen.

Yoda probably meant besides his formidable DS powers, Palpatine is a master manipulator - he'll find your weak spot and exploit it. Offer something you desire, frighten you by threatening something/someone you love.

"Greed can be a powerful ally" - Qui-Gon

 

Don't forget another key line from ROTJ:

VADER: You don't know the POWER of the Dark Side. I must obey my master.

Yoda's comment, along with Vader's comment, make it sound as though Anakin may have been somewhat overpowered, or at the very least coerced. Vader's line above sounds like something a slave would say, not a man freely following the Dark Side. I think Palpatine will use some show of force in III that will make Anakin realize he will die if he does not turn.

 

agreed, but it's still a choice to turn.

Luke understands that "You've failed your Highness, I am a Jedi like my father before me." He'd rather die than turn to the DS.

As of AOTC, I'm not so sure Anakin does. "I'm sorry I've failed you Senator, but I have no choice." Yes you do Anakin, yes you do. You just made a choice.

 

KNIRE_DARK - I too was watching ROTJ, and I must agree, although I think this nmay be the wrong title. When Luke was getting zapped by the Emperor's lightning bolts, you could see Vader looking on in a sympathetic way, as he endured it too. Could this serve as point for Ep III

 

I think possibly Anakin will either:

a) be subjected to Palpatine's lightning

b) watch someone be killed by Palpatine's lightning

This will make Vader's decision in ROTJ that much more meaningful.

Hmmmm...perhaps he knows that the lightning is fatal. Perhaps that would mean that he knew he would die in ROTJ when he decided to save Luke.

 

"you could see Vader looking on in a sympathetic way"

That's the difficult part of that scene, though. We don't KNOW what expression was on Vader's face because of the mask/helmet. I still do feel that Vader was looking on in sympathy, or possibly even empathy, because the camera did linger on him for quite a while. It would tell a great deal if we could actually see the expression on Vader's face. But in that scene, you could almost see the sadness wrenched into the skull of the mask. Leave it to Vader to be the only person who can emote with a mask on!

 

Do not understimate the power of the Emperor, or suffer your father's fate, you will
It does raise some interesting questions about what "power" Palpatine possesed that Yoda felt the need to warn Luke against. Is it his ability to manipulate a situation with only words? (he did provoke Luke into attacking him) or was it a warning not to assume he can undo the hold Palpatine has on Vader?

Because it would have been helpful if Yoda had said something like:
Force lightning, guard against you must...toss away lightsaber and fried you be!

I think Yoda was warning Luke to be ready for the possibility that Palpatine's control over Vader may be too much for whatever is left in Anakin to break free.

 

Clearly Palpatine has something to do with Anakin's fall. I think that's all that statement is supposed to mean.

 

"It would tell a great deal if we could actually see the expression on Vader's face. But in that scene, you could almost see the sadness wrenched into the skull of the mask. Leave it to Vader to be the only person who can emote with a mask on!"

One of the things thoough is, you just dont need eyes to show emotion, look at how he is holding his head, or more appropiately letting his head sag. Think how is head is postioned, and think how you are when your head is like that.
The other day when i saw it, was the first time that i "saw" it.

 

Kudos to David Prowse.






.

 

well put KNIRE_DARK i think you put it rather well

 

Kudos to David Prowse.

Yes, many kudos to David Prowse.

SBC

 

the darkside force lightning is what Palpatine used to restore Anakin to life, and into Darth Vader.

The fusion of Dark Side lighting and the Vader suit is wha tkeeps him alive, AND on the dark side. Anakin can't live with out the darkside, or his suit, which contains the darkside.

That's what Yoda was warning Luke about.

I think.

 

you dont need to see vader's face to see his emotion and reaction to a situation. just listen to the music and how the camera rushes in on vader. you just know he is sympathetic towards his son.

just look in ANH when they brought the probe droid into leia's cell, now dont tell me you cannot see vader smiling through his helmet there. thats the beauty of it, you dont need to see his face.