I watched Return of the Jedi again the other night, having not seen it since I saw Revenge this summer. And I was disturbed by something.

Luke forgives Vader, sees the goodness in him... opening the way for Anakin Skywalker to return and be redeemed.

But Luke doesn't know the whole story. Would he still have forgiven his father so easily if he had seen the last horrible moments of the Younglings during Vader's rampage through the Jedi Temple?

These aren't able-bodied Jedi adults we're talking about, or even Rebel troopers withholding information-- these were children. Kids who trusted Anakin to help and save them, and he betrayed them so brutally.

In your opinion, would Luke have forgiven Vader so easily if he'd known the truth?

And second question, did Anakin truly earn his redemption merely by killing the most evil man in the galaxy? (Hardly a huge act of unqualified heroism, if you ask me, but I'm willing to hear alternate opinions.)