Why Darth Vader Remained Loyal to Palpatine After Padme's Death

Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side is cinematic perfection, but why did Darth Vader stick around after Palpatine very clearly betrayed him?

Star Wars has some excellent worldbuilding, with the franchise brought back to life through Disney in a mixed bag of TV shows and films. Who doesn't think Andor is a 10/10 show, after all.

Anakin Skywalker’s gradual transformation into Darth Vader is a real highlight of the entire franchise but his place as Emperor Palpatine’s apprentice and muscle gets a little skewed when you remember why Anakin helped the Sith lord in the first place.

Palpatine essentially grooms Anakin by convincing him that his beloved wife Padme is going to die, and only the dark side of the Force can save her.

Anakin aids Palpatine in the destruction of the Jedi and becomes a Sith himself, but through his actions fulfilled his own prophecy and caused Padme’s death himself.

So after all of that, why did he remain by Palpatine’s side as Darth Vader, when he probably could have fled or attempted to overthrow his master years before his son Luke entered the picture?

Lucas Films

Star Wars: Master Of Evil reveals all

Star Wars: Master Of Evil will seemingly give us some answers, as reviews for the novel say it covers “why he remained loyal to the Emperor after Padme’s death” and “enhances the original trilogy” in the process.

To briefly summarise, Anakin joined Palpatine with the intention of learning how to prevent someone from dying. This same ability can also bring someone back to life apparently, so as Darth Vader the former Jedi stuck around in the hope that Palpatine would one day teach him how to do it.

Now did Palpatine actually have the knowledge Vader wanted? Probably not. Did Vader know this? Probably. However if there was even the slightest chance he could bring Padme back to life he had to take it, as Palpatine was one of few Sith lords still alive in the galaxy.

If Palpatine did know how to bring someone back from the dead he likely wouldn’t teach Vader anyway, as if he did there’d be nothing keeping his apprentice by his side.

This also explains why Padme was never cloned like Palpatine was in the Disney trilogy, as again Vader only stood by Palpatine in the hopes he’d see his wife one day.

It’s a horrible fate that Vader endured but one he brought upon himself, though he did redeem himself at the end of the original trilogy.

For those who want the full story check out Star Wars: Master of Evil when it drops tomorrow, 11 November.