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Star Words: Episode VI, Part 33
Jul. 8th, 2021 01:48 pmVader is more conflicted than he will admit. But in the end, he declares that he must obey his master. He sends for the stormtroopers to escort Luke away. Luke looks at him, unflinching, and answers calmly.
"Then my father is truly dead."
That quiet remark is more devastating than a lightsaber through the heart. Brief, simple, perfect agony.
There's a lot of symbolism of life and death in these movies. Even if old Ben's explanation came from having to clarify a change in continuity, it's still so potent. The man who was Luke's father died. Anakin is gone, consumed by Vader.
Luke has denied it, hoped for some part of Anakin that still survives somewhere deep inside. If he's finally come to admit Anakin is gone, things must be pretty bad. But maybe it's just the thing that Vader needs to hear -- the crushing blow of disappointing his son. Ever-hopeful, optimistic Luke, the only one who's believed in Anakin in twenty years. He keeps his gaze on Vader to the very end, till the elevator doors close. And there's no question of the impact that those words, that gaze, have upon Vader. That silent shot of him alone on the platform -- the conflict is almost visible. There is more hiding behind that mask than we ever guessed.
Next, hijinks with unlikely allies....
"Then my father is truly dead."
That quiet remark is more devastating than a lightsaber through the heart. Brief, simple, perfect agony.
There's a lot of symbolism of life and death in these movies. Even if old Ben's explanation came from having to clarify a change in continuity, it's still so potent. The man who was Luke's father died. Anakin is gone, consumed by Vader.
Luke has denied it, hoped for some part of Anakin that still survives somewhere deep inside. If he's finally come to admit Anakin is gone, things must be pretty bad. But maybe it's just the thing that Vader needs to hear -- the crushing blow of disappointing his son. Ever-hopeful, optimistic Luke, the only one who's believed in Anakin in twenty years. He keeps his gaze on Vader to the very end, till the elevator doors close. And there's no question of the impact that those words, that gaze, have upon Vader. That silent shot of him alone on the platform -- the conflict is almost visible. There is more hiding behind that mask than we ever guessed.
Next, hijinks with unlikely allies....
