Redemption and Death -- Skywalker's Passing

Summary: Anakin's thoughts at the end of his life.

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Star Wars is the property of George Lucas and Twentieth Century Fox. No disrespect is intended with this story.

Timeframe: ROTJ

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Vader is a forgotten observer to the battle of wills between Luke and the Emperor. His mind free, he considers the situation. Luke, young, half trained though he is, shows immense potential to becoming a powerful Jedi, perhaps even more powerful than the young Anakin had been. If he could be turned to the Dark Side, as the Emperor desired, his power would eventually rival that of Palpatine himself.

Has Palpatine foreseen the danger in that? Or is his ego too bloated by years of arrogant, unchecked power to consider beyond the triumph of the present moment? Vader can see plainly that his own usefulness to the Emperor is waning, as if the capture of Luke completed some unknown plan. Had Palpatine known of Luke's existence during all these years? Vader now thought it probable that he had known. The Sith were patient, biding their time, waiting until the perfect moment to strike.

An unwelcome idea grew in his mind--at all times there were two Sith and only two. He had no doubt that Luke's first task as a Sith would be to destroy Vader, his own father, just a Vader's first had been to destroy all those Jedi who had mentored him, even the younglings who had admired the young Anakin and aspired to be like him. And as he had discovered, the Emperor only rarely could be thwarted.

Anakin, ever present in the depths of Vader's mind, grew in power as Vader's doubts about Palpatine began. Of course that would be Luke's first assignment to prove his loyalty. And he would comply, just as Anakin had, slashing his light saber with abandon, even as tears blurred his vision. Anakin recalled his actions with revulsion. How could he not have seen the evil of the Dark Side? It was his visions, though, that had gotten him into....

Vader pushed away the burgeoning presence of Anakin as he sensed a change in the chamber. He could feel Luke's anger and frustration growing as the space battle raged in the void outside the windows.

As each hit claimed. another of the Rebel fleet. Luke's anger and helplessness seemed to grow. He looked at his light saber, obviously wanting to call it to his hand, but reluctant to give in to the impulses of his anger, no doubt hearing Master Yoda's voice admonishing against following that path and opening himself to the Dark Side.

The Emperor also sensed Luke's anger and chuckled in gloating satisfaction. He patted Luke's light saber.

"Yessss...you want this...."

Vader's attention returned idly to the battle in the void outside. Suddenly Anakin caught a stray thought from Luke's mind. Frantically, he willed Luke to take care. Even as Luke struggled to suppress the thought, to protect the girl, Vader pounced. He swung back into the room.

"Sister? If you will not turn, perhaps she will!" Vader knew his Master well; one Skywalker with Jedi abilities would do as well as another; control was all that mattered.

The implied threat to Leia did what personal intimidation could not. Luke's light saber flew into his hand and flashed into readiness, as Vader also armed himself.

A powerless observer in Vader's mind, Anakin viewed the ensuing light saber duel almost dispassionately. As he analyzed each thrust and parry, he felt pride and a growing admiration for the boy's courage and skill. He tried to subtly influence Vader's swordplay; the usually ruthless Vader began showing unusual reluctance to strike. Suddenly, a swift downward slash of Luke's weapon sent Vader's right hand, still clutching his weapon, into the abyss below. Abruptly Luke stopped and his light saber flickered off.

"I will not kill you, Father. There is still good in you. I can feel it."

To Anakin's horror, Palpatine sighed in satisfied resignation and raised his hands, fingers poised to strike. "Then, young Skywalker, you will die!" Lightning bolts of pure Force slashed at Luke, again and again; he writhed on the floor, futilely struggling to break free of its deadly embrace. An all-too-brief cessation as the Emperor approached closer. "Only now, at the end, do you know the full force of my power." And once more the bolts enwrapped Luke in their coils.

Through Vader's eyes, Anakin watched his son's agonies, remembering his own mercifully brief encounter with that power at Count Dooku's hands long ago; Palpatine had refrained from using it on Vader--the delicate circuitry of his body could be irreparably harmed by that fully unleashed energy flow.

Anakin turned Vader's head back toward the Emperor. The pure evil of the creature who stood there was plainly visible. The man cackled gleefully as he gloried in the power of the moment, feeding on Luke's agony. At last, Anakin fully realized tragic mistake in blindly following this master to the Dark Side. He grasped desperately for the positive power of the Force. Using it, he pushed Darth Vader firmly away into nothingness.

Not my son! You will not destroy my son! I won't allow it! I see you now for the evil creature that you are!

Anakin used all the mechanical enhancements of Vader's body to lift the Emperor and hurl him into the depths of the Death Star's reactor core.

The backwash of energy destroyed major bionic circuitry. He collapsed. Mechanisms sustaining Vader's body inexorably began failing. Anakin felt incredibly tired, but refused to let his eyes close; he wanted to savor these last moments with his own mind, fully Anakin, unfiltered by Vader. He was dimly aware that Luke had risen and was trying to pull the Vader body along a passageway as alarms sounded around them.

Powerless to assist in his own rescue, he finally let his attention turn inward when he felt a familiar mental touch too long absent.

Master Yoda! I'm sorry. I wanted too much too fast...I wasn't the Jedi I should have been. But my son...I could not let him die! You and Obi-Wan have trained him well....

Yoda's mental touch faded and was replaced by Qui Gonn, then Obi-Wan, then followed by other Jedi Masters in succession, each leaving him with an impression of forgiveness, acceptance, and...welcome?

Anakin drew labored breaths into malfunctioning synthetic lungs. This Vader shell was rapidly failing. Luke's super-human efforts to save his father's life would be futile; Anakin knew that he was dying. They reached the shuttle's ramp. As Luke stopped to rest a moment, Anakin tried to open Vader's face mask.

"Luke, help me remove this "

A protest burst from Luke; Anakin silenced it with the reminder that his own death was inevitable anyway; why prolong the process behind artificial vision? He wanted to see Luke and to let the boy know that he had not failed. If saving Anakin was his goal, it was already done. Anakin wasnow safe from the Dark Side and Darth Vader, Sith Lord was gone forever. Only Anakin Skywalker, Jedi, remained. Gazing at Luke, he sighed.

"Tell your sister you were right."

He at last let his eyes close. His labored breathing slowed; Anakin felt another welcoming and loving mental touch.

Padme! I did it for you, but I failed! I know now that I was wrong, Beloved, but....

The feather touch caressed mind with its loving touch.

I know, Annie, I know. I knew that the good man I loved was still there somewhere, but I could not live with the creature who possessed you. But our children were saved. Aren't they beautiful Annie?

And, in Padme's welcoming mental embrace, Anakin slipped into death. The Chosen One had not failed. At last, he had brought balance back to the Force.