"...With our combined strength we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy"
--Vader to Luke in "The Empire Strikes Back"

I don't know how many times I repeated that scene as a kid in play and just to impress my friends with my white-boy James Earl Jones impression. I never got the full meaning until literally seconds ago.

Obviously, the statement appealed to Luke; he wanted to see the conflict between the Rebellion and the Empire resolved and have peace restored to the galaxy, but he didn't want it Vader's way. End of story? That's what I thought for the last 27 years.

Think back just two years ago (or two hours ago, depending on the last time you watched "Revenge of the Sith") what did the Emperor tell Anakin when he was recently converted to the Dark Side? He said that as long as the Jedi were alive there would be "Civil War without end". He said something that typically the good say about the evil: "The Jedi are relentless."

Vader's offer wasn't coming from Anakin's heart, it wasn't to "rule the galaxy as father and son", it was simply an offer to crush the good inside of Luke and turn him into DV, Jr.

When you watch the movies it is clear that Vader believes Obi-Wan was Luke's only teacher. Apparently he believed Yoda was killed 20 years ago (in the JEDI novel Palpatine is relieved to discover Yoda is dead). Anyway, Vader believes Luke is the last Jedi, therefore, if he is turned it is not only to have a strong new member of the Dark Side, but it insures the fire has gone out of the Light (because, of course, he didn't know about Leia either).

You probably like, "Whatever I knew all dat", but it comes as quite a revelation to me.

A note about the photo I used: This website doesn't have a photo of Luke and Vader dueling. Please help.