Since the bounty hunters failed, Palpatine thought Luke Skywalker might be capable and willing to kill Vader. Granted, Palpatine told Vader that he wanted Luke to join them as a dark side ally. But in actuality, he wanted Luke to take Vader's place.
In the moment where Luke declares "I am a Jedi, like my father before me", he is accepting that he does not have to become Vader. He can choose to see the good in his father and stand with him, rather than against him.
Vader's redemption in Return of the Jedi was not just about saving his son; it was also a defiance of the dark side's corruption and his own past as a Sith Lord. Vader's decision to block Luke from killing Palpatine was motivated by his knowledge that it would corrupt Luke and lead him down a similar path of suffering.
He believed that the Jedi's lightsabers, created as the order's primary weapon, clouded their vision and blinded them to the fact that everything around them is a weapon through the Force, and that the Jedi put too much stock in lightsabers.
Why Vader STOPPED Luke From Killing Palpatine (CANON)
Why did Vader never betray Palpatine?
The novel explained that, had Vader killed Obi-Wan on Mustafar, he would have tried to kill Palpatine too, but given how badly wounded he was after the duel, his power wasn't the same and he was weak, both physically and mentally.
So while Luke may have bested him in terms of athletics, Palpatine's Force-powers could very likely give him the victory. So while fans may never know for sure, it would've likely been a very close battle, with neither side being a clear victor.
In a new comic it has been revealed that Darth Vader knew he could singlehandedly defeat Emperor Palpatine prior to Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.
A Dark Lord of the Sith and a member of the Dark Council, Darth Sajar was very powerful in the Force. He eventually became a Sith Lord during the reign of the Sith Empire, but before long, he came in contact with a Jedi Master who helped him turn to the light.
Why didn't the Jedi sense the dark side in Palpatine?
Palpatine used his powers to hide his true nature from the Jedi, utilizing Force Concealment to completely hide his presence in the Force while clouding the Force for the Jedi. The Clone Wars also kept the Jedi busy and weakened, preventing them from realizing his true identity.
He was so clouded by the dark side and Palpatine's lies that he unknowingly walked away from his own family. To confirm that Vader had no clue during the trench run, the moment he finds out about his son is actually revealed in a comic.
It was the fact that Luke was his son that caused turmoil within Vader. It was his love for his son that caused his loyalty to Palpatine and the Dark Side to falter. If Vader didn't know who Luke was he would have been just another force sensitive person to be trained to serve Palpatine like an Inquisitor or be killed.
Leia could've become the galaxy's next Darth Vader, but was so committed to avoiding darkness that she even halted her own Jedi training in the hopes of fighting that temptation off altogether.
The only way that Palpatine knew how to defeat Plagueis was to eliminate him in his sleep. If Palpatine needed this kind of one-up on Plagueis, there's little chance Luke Skywalker would be much more powerful than him. In fact, he may not even last long in a fight.
Another possible explanation is that Luke discovered Rey was a Palpatine after he became one with the Force. With the time afforded to him and being so attuned with the Force, then it's possible Luke could have used this to discover the knowledge of Rey's parentage.
However, when it comes to who Darth Vader hates more than anyone in the Star Wars galaxy, himself and Obi-Wan Kenobi don't hold a candle to the true point of Darth Vader's hatred, Emperor Palpatine. Star Wars: Darth Vader #39 by Marvel Comics is available now. Please verify your email address.
But did Vader ever regret his transformation? RELATED: Sauron vs. Darth Vader: Who Is the Greater Dark Lord? The short answer is yes, without a doubt, Vader regretted becoming a cybernetic monstrosity.
The canonical comic Star Wars: Darth Vader #7 confirms the younglings' deaths caused Anakin grief, self-loathing, hatred, and pain, fueling his descent even further into the Dark Side.
As Darth Vader, he was one of the strongest beings in the entire galaxy. But even then, he was never able to surpass his master, Darth Sidious. A Sith Apprentice can only become the master when they murder the one who trained them.
Vader had lived most his life with Palpatine. He probably thought of him as a father figure. They were in constant contact with each other and planned and plotted every action to secure power. 90% of the time they got their way.
