I still do not know what one of Emperor Palpatine’s lines inReturn of the Jedimeant, even after the film turned 41 this year. AlthoughReturn of the Jediis commonly seen as the weakest entry in the originalStar Warstrilogy, it is my personal favoriteStar Warsmovie for a multitude of reasons, with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine’s scenes in theDeath Star II’sthrone room being among the most resonant moments in theStar Warsfranchise.Jediis not without flaws, of course, and one of Palpatine’s lines does not make much sense.
When Darth Vader brings Luke before the Emperor, Palpatine examines Luke’s confiscated lightsaber, noting its similarity to his father’s weapon. As he puts it:
“Ah, yes. A Jedi’s weapon, much like your father’s. By now you must know that your father can never be turned from the Dark Side. So will it be with you.”
The problem with this line is that the hilt ofLuke Skywalker’s iconic green-bladed lightsaberis nearly identical to that of Obi-Wan’s inA New Hope, with a design that differs greatly from the weapon Anakin Skywalker used during the Clone Wars and the red-bladed Sith weapon he uses as Darth Vader. I recall reading tongue-in-cheek comments on this line, with some suggesting that perhaps Obi-Wan is Luke’s real father, but there are potential explanations for this seemingly erroneous comparison.
It’s Possible Lucas Hadn’t Decided That Sith Used Lightsabers
One possible explanation for Palpatine’s line is that – at the time ofReturn of the Jedi’swriting –Star Warslore had not yet established that lightsabers are used bySith Lords. The word “Sith” is never spoken in the originalStar Warstrilogy and as far as average viewers knew, Darth Vader used a lightsaber because he was a fallen Jedi. In fact, many viewers most likely did not perceive Vader and Palpatine as being part of a different Force-using tradition, which would make Luke and Vader’s use of lightsabers – exclusively Jedi weapons – the basis of Palpatine’s comparison.
Luke Skywalker’s 9 Lightsaber Duels Before Fighting Darth Vader Explained
Luke Skywalker’s climactic fight with Darth Vader in Cloud City wasn’t his first lightsaber duel, nor was it even his first battle with Darth Vader.
The idea that the Sith lore did not exist before the prequels is incorrect, however. The word Sith first appeared inA New Hope’snovelization and elements of Sith lore appear in some of the earliestStar Warsnon-movie material, such as the classic MarvelStar Warscomics. The comics introduce Sith other than Vader and Palpatine, with Kharys, Flint, and Lumiya all battling Luke Skywalker at different points. Notably, all three Sith wield lightsabers (or a lightwhip, in Lumiya’s case). Since the comics were officially canon at the time,they established that lightsabers are not exclusively Jedi weapons.
Lucasfilm had creative oversight over Marvel’sStar Warscomics, vetoing ideas that would conflict with the films, such as a Second Death Star appearing beforeReturn of the Jedi.
One explanation for Palpatine’s line only works in theStar WarsLegends continuity. Steve Perry’s 1996 novelShadows of the Empireintroduces synthetic lightsaber crystals toStar Warslore. Although Jedi traditionally use naturally occurring lightsaber crystals to power their weapons, the Empire destroyed most sources of such crystals by the time Luke began constructing his lightsaber, leading him to create a crystal using the Force and machinery. Sith, on the other hand, traditionally use synthetic crystals, created with the dark side of the Force. PerhapsPalpatine was noting that both Luke and Vader’s weapons used synthetic crystals.
While I like this explanation’s use of Legends-era lore, it is not perfect. The explanation relies on lore established afterReturn of the Jedi’srelease, soit was certainly not what George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan had in mind when writing the film. It also raises additional questions. How would Palpatine know that Luke’s lightsaber uses a synthetic crystal just by examining the hilt? Did he come to this conclusion because his regime wiped out most natural crystal sources? Can he sense a difference between natural and synthetic crystals? The synthetic crystal comparison makes some sense, but it is convoluted.
What Does Palpatine’s Line Mean In Current Canon?
TheStar Warscanonunderwent a partial reboot in April 2014, rendering the Legends continuity – previously the officialStar Warscanon – an alternate and mostly-discontinued timeline, thoughReturn of the Jediis part of both continuities. With the modernStar Warscanon rewriting lightsaber lore and rendering synthetic crystals unfit for use in lightsabers, this once-plausible explanation cannot work in the newer continuity. Ultimately, I believe no explanation fully makes sense of Palpatine’s line inReturn of the Jediin either continuity.Palpatine was simply trying to manipulate Luke, invoking his fallen father, making Luke’s corruption appear inevitable.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Cast
Return of the Jedi concludes George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy with Luke Skywalker and his allies seeking to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and facing a renewed threat as the Emperor attempts to obliterate the Rebellion through a second Death Star, broadening the epic battle between good and evil.
