The duel scene in Empire Strikes Back is familiar to us, and I've discussed part of it in regard to its connection to the final scenes in Revenge. But there is another connection within the story of Empire itself that I find nearly as intriguing. Vader has just told Luke of his dark heritage:

"No. I am your father."

Luke, stunned, denies it: "No. That's not true! That's impossible!"

"Search your feelings", Vader guides him.. "You know it to be true."

Luke again denies this, screaming at the very idea. And here comes the interesting part:

"Luke. You can destroy the Emperor," he shares with his son. "He has foreseen this. It is your destiny..."

But that's not exactly what the Emperor said, is it?

"Search your feelings, Lord Vader," Palpatine says.."You will know it to be true. He could destroy us."

"Us", he said. Not just "me", meaning he Emperor. Not just Vader, either. "Us" = both of them. But strangely Vader ignores this advice from his evil mentor, and informs Luke only that the all-powerful Palpy, known for his ability to foresee and manipulate future events to bend them to his will, is fearful only for himself.

Firstly, yes, yes, I know, so I'll ask the rhetorical question forming in your mind even now - "Why would Vader reveal to Luke that he may have the power to destroy Vader?" Vader didn't just fall off the back of a Sithnip truck, right? But then again, Vader has just beaten Luke handily (excuse the pun) and is menacing him at the end of a behemoth weathervane over a yawning pit. It's not as if he's exactly afraid of Luke any more... In fact, he means to destroy Luke if he does not join him.

So why again would he be so selective about Palpatine's comments? I wonder if it was not just motivated by outward secrecy. I wonder what Vader thought inwardly about his master's visions. Was it because he didn't believe his master, and thought Palpatine was still attempting to manipulate him to eliminate another threat to his power? Was it, in fact, Vader's selective listening because of his age-old bravado, a residue of Anakin trapped in Vader's armor? A combination thereof?

Because what's most interesting, if you think about it, is though slightly misplaced, the Emperor's warning was real. Luke would lead to both of their demise. Though I doubt it was an unselfish act, the Emperor was actually doing Vader a backwards favor by telling him what Luke's involvement could do to them.

What the Emperor didn't see, however, is that it was not Luke that would pull the trigger, it would be Vader himself. But it is still ironic that, armed with this warning from his own master, a seemingly omniscient soothsaying Sith, Vader appears to have ignored it. Even more ironic, is that this is Anakin, product of a Prophecy himself, choosing not to heed his own looming Ides of March.

Odd which prophecies The Chosen One chose to give merit as he approached his own destiny.

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