I've always been of the opinion that just because Darth Vader did something good right at the end of his life, it didn't redeem him and make up for the literally millions of innocent people he killed and helped kill. Just think of all the Ewoks that were killed during the battle for Endor. How do you think the survivors would feel if, just a few hours later, Luke comes back with Vader's body and they're expected to treat him like some kind of hero and give him a "fine send off", when he was responsible for the death's of their friends and relatives? Imagine if Hitler had done something good at the end of his life, do you think the remaining Jews would all be like "Hey, let's give him a hero's funeral, he has redeemed himself!"?
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quartz (482)
a year ago
I agree. I guess the concept was, not that he redeemed himself for everything, but that he wasn't "all evil"
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Martoto (5191)
a year ago
Just because Return Of The Jedi provided a satisfying conclusion for the original trilogy, doesn't necessarily mean that Anakin is redeemed and forgiven of any wrongdoing. People come along later and slap on terms like "redeemed" as if it defines the outcome of the whole story. One of the reasons that redeemed pops up is that the audience wishes for Anakin to be redeemed. But I don't think anyone seriously considers all those sins atoned for.
It's not a hero's funeral. It's one man burning the body of the father who gave his life to save him in the end. Whatever you think of Vader's career, I should think there is plenty justification in the story for Luke to personally commemorate the end of his life, privately.
What would you prefer? Chucking Vader's bones down a well? Feeding him to the Ewoks.? Dragging him through the streets of Theed? Stuck on a spike in Bespin?
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GreenGoblinsOck8 (7993)
a year ago
Then why does Anakin become a force Ghost at the end and stand next to Yoda and Obi Wan?
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quartz (482)
a year ago
Industrial Light & Magic had a tenner left in the special effects kitty?
and in the SE's, they changed the Force ghost from "adult" Anakin to Hayden Christensen (this probably means something)
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Martoto (5191)
a year ago
Because he was taught to become one before his identity merged fully with the force.
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FootOfDavros (8712)
a year ago
It's a bit early in the conversation chain to be pulling Hitler out of hat but it's worth remembering the Ewoks were quite vicious themselves - don't forget they were quite happy to make musical instruments out of the helmets of the Stormtroopers they'd ruthlessly slain...
Plus - Did they really know much of Darth Vader? I'm not sure if he would have been down on Endor much before the whole shenanigans kicked off.
And that doesn't change the fact that they're only seeing Vader because Luke chose to dress him back up and put his helmet back on after he'd fled the Death Star. I'm not sure if Darth wore pyjamas under that suit but he could surely have dressed him up more appropriate if he'd wanted him to have a redeemed Jedi hero's send off rather than that of the panto villain...
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