Besides, I dont think Luke could have killed him anyway.
His training was rushed, wasn't it..
He couldnt do even half the stuff that the old school Jedi used to do.
He didnt look like he had been prepared in time by Yoda for tactics in dealing with force lightning or even to expect it.. other wise he could have kept his lightsabre handy.
I think in a way Anakin saved Lukes life for a bit longer (allowing for the Palps-getting moment to present itself):
Better that Luke face's a middle aged man with no arms and legs crippled badly enough to need a respriration suit to breathe who actually did care about him a bit, than a sith master who was fast enough and good enough to best three Jedi at a time in lightsabre combat and strong enough with the force to blast Mace Windu a mile out of that office window...
If he didnt intervene, Palpatine probably would have killed them both right there and then.
he wanted the emperor to die, proven via the force unleashed.
So he could have let the emperor die, then Luke's anger would've caused him to join the dark side twisted1
Or if he doesn't convert, vader could kill him and then be ruler supreme.
But if he did let Luke do it, there wouldn't be that epic final battle.
Originally posted by Hewhoknowsall
he wanted the emperor to die, proven via the force unleashed.So he could have let the emperor die, then Luke's anger would've caused him to join the dark side twisted1
Or if he doesn't convert, vader could kill him and then be ruler supreme.
But if he did let Luke do it, there wouldn't be that epic final battle.
The force unleashed: EU
Luke's ass would be probably just be destroyed along with the Death Star thanks to the impending reactor explosion if he Sith'ed up and hung around..
Assuming Palps wouldn't have defended himself in some way, had he not forseen Vader's defence.
Originally posted by Jack Daniels
cause it was planned b4 hand as part of Lukes conversion process..the only thing the emperor did not plan on completely was vader throwing his ass over ledge... how do I know all this.. sweersa I mean mickey told me..hahaha..jus kiddin I have no idea
The Nightmare Never Ends.
The Emperor knew of Vader trying to recruit Luke to destroy him. He's always known that Vader could never do it alone.
IN ROTJ, the Emperor told Vader to bring Luke before him when he came looking for daddy. Vader knew that the Emperor would pit them against each other and they'd fight it out and see if Vader would remain his apprentice.
Luke showed and was brought to the Emperor. The Emperor knew that Luke could defeat him, but he was sure that Vader was beyond saving at this point, his life was meaningless without his Master - and would protect him.
The Emperor began to push Luke into killing him - filling him up with the Dark Side so he and Vader would fight it out (a'la Dooku/Anakin). And they did.
As they fought, Vader realized that the Emperor wanted Luke to win. Vader didn't want the Emperor to have Luke, he didn't want to give him the satisfaction...he hated Palpatine after all.
In the end, Luke said screw it - I ain't fightin'.
The Emperor decided to kill him and as he did, Luke shouted out for his daddy. "HELP MEEE!" Vader realized, "Hey, somebody out there loves me!" He snapped out of his self-loathing and saved his son's life and ended his nightmare by chucking the cause of everyone's beef down the shaft - which cost him his life.
When Luke first arrived and offered him a chance at freedom, it was pointless. Darth Vader is a slave to the Dark Side! He knows he is nothing without his Master and he MUST obey. The Dark Side is why he exists. He will obey, even if it means his own death - let alone his son's - this man/machine cares for nothing.
When Vader offered an alliance to Luke at Bespin, it was just that - a Sith Alliance. Pure business.