Luke-Padmé's Saving Grace

Originally posted on July 14, 2006

Obi-Wan. There's still good in him. I know there's still... Padmé to Obi-Wan, ROTS 

Buy why must you confront him? Leia to Luke, ROTJ
Because there is still good in him. I felt it...I can save him. I can turn him back to the right side. I have to try. Luke to Leia, ROTJ

I started thinking about this after VA2 made a connection between Luke's cry for help in ROTJ and Padmé's cry for help in ROTS. The PT is filled with connections to the OT...some more subtle than others. I have said before that it is no coincidence that Luke was held near his mother when she uttered the words there's still good in him. Luke uttered very similar words to both Leia and Vader in ROTJ, and it made me wonder-since he did not remember Padmé as Leia did, had he carried her dying words with him his entire life only to be recalled at the right moment? And further, what was this "right moment?" The moment he discovered that Vader was indeed his father, the moment he learned that Anakin had become Vader around the time of his birth, or the moment he was made to confront his father?

So, you have accepted the truth. Vader to Luke, ROTJ
I have accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father. Luke to Vader, ROTJ
That name no longer has any meaning for me. Vader
It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten. I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully...Come with me. Luke

Here, as we all know, Luke was trying to convince Vader to return to the Light, to remember the man who was once Anakin, his father. Padmé's words also rang through Luke here-I know there is good in you; Come with me. Although Vader said that Obi-Wan once thought this way, it was really Padmé who did. Obi-Wan had tried to turn Anakin back, but was unsuccessful. However, it was Padmé, using her love for him, who tried the hardest...she wanted him to come with her, to help her raise their child(ren), to be the man she fell in love with, the man she married.   She was willing to give up everything to help him, to save him. However, he was too far into the Dark Side, too deluded, to listen to what she was saying.   But now...now that Vader knew the truth of what happened all those years ago, he was beginning to "break," to allow Anakin to surface. As amidalooine said in her entry "Padme...on the Bridge," her presence was felt by Vader through Luke: Her dying words rang in her son's ears as he repeated them to his father...Finally Padme was allowed to support her husband...and shortly thereafter, Anakin finally let her in as he saved their son. Luke was there to save Anakin from himself, something Padmé had once tried to do, tragically and unsuccessfully. However, here, Luke was Padmé's saving grace-he was there to finish what his mother had started. And this time, there would be success. Not only did he save Anakin that day, but he also saved Padmé.

Thoughts?...anyone?

May the Force Be With You All...Always