When Leia had first heard the rumors she had dismissed them as propaganda. Or that cult, Vader Lives, indulging in wishful thinking. Her contacts in the New Republic certainly thought so. Vader, alive? It was either fake, or they had stuck some poor Force-sensitive in a replica of his suit.
Unlike her contact and her allies in the Resistance, there was no denying the reality of the situation when a month into the galaxy spinning itself into choas on the rumors of a fake resurrected Sith Lord, a presence brushed up against her mind in her sleep.
“Lei-Your Highness,” it said. For a moment Leia allowed herself to hope it was Luke. Or even more improbably Ben. They were the only ones who would even think to reach out to her like this.
Then her sleeping mind recognized the title, not her name. She puzzled over that for a moment, sleep-fogged brain trying to figure out who would start to call her by her name, then switch to a title she hadn’t answered to in four years.
She reached out, trying to get a sense of the presence waiting patiently at the edge of her mind, and everything in her snapped to immediate attention. Even in her sleep, she recognized him. She might not have been aware of what caused the feeling of danger dancing along her skin in her youth. But she knew enough about the Force to know what that meant now. Vader. It was Vader, who had so softly been saying her name. His presence was still like a large moon, blocking out all light, but she thought she caught the glimpse of warmth, here and there. She didn’t remember that from before. All she could recall was the frightening cold and dread whenever he was near her.
“Wonderful,” she hissed, mind coming awake, even if she didn’t consciously leave the dream state “So the rumors aren’t just rumors. You really are here.”
“Yes,” he said in a hesitant sounding voice. If it weren’t for the uniqueness of how he felt in the Force, Leia would have doubted this was him. Vader didn’t do hesitant. “And I have something to offer you.”
“You have nothing I want,” she told him, shouting in as loud as a mental voice as she could manage. “Go away.”
“I have your son,” was all he offered in return.
“Ben?” Leia’s heart skipped at the thought. “You have Ben?”
“Is that his name?” he sounded amused “All he tells me is that he is called Kylo Ren. I was wondering about that. You don’t strike me as the type to give such a pretentious name to a child.”
Leia’s eyes snapped open, and she sat bolt upright in her bed. She didn’t sever the connection to him “If you hurt him, I swear by all the gods-”
“No, Your Highness,” now his voice sounded regretful “the boy is not seriously injured.”
There was a wave of sorrow and regret from him “He has a few bruises, but the only major injury is to his pride.”
“Where do I meet you?”
A long pause, then “I will allow you to pick the meeting place. I am not as familiar as I should be of the current planets that would suit best.”
So she selected Crait. It was isolated, out of the way, and far enough into New Republic territory, that the First Order couldn’t easily strike at it with an aerial bombardment.
The Resistance High Command was sufficed to say, apocalyptic when she informed then where she was going.
Poe and Ackbar were both convinced that it was a trap, laid out by her son. Leia shook her head “It’s Vader,” she said, “I don’t know how or why he is here, but it is Vader.”
Amilyn was silent during most of the shouting, but when things quieted down she asked in a soft voice “Do you believe him?”
Leia blinked “Vader?”
Amilyn nodded “Do you believe him when he says he has your son?”
Leia nodded. Amilyn looked thoughtful “Do you think he means you harm?” she asked.
“Means to harm me?” Leia chewed her lip, thinking about that cautious voice in her head “No, I don’t. Doesn’t mean he won’t, but I don’t think that is his goal.”
Amilyn nodded, “Then you should go. At the very least we might learn what his intentions are.”
So Leia left, alone. Vader hadn’t specifically put that as a condition, but she wasn’t willing to risk anyone’s life over her son. She wished briefly she knew where Han was, she could use his support, but he had disappeared from her life as thoroughly as Luke had. And Luke, while ideal to deal with their father, wasn’t someone she wanted near her son. For both their sakes.
Leia entered the system and landed near the old Rebel base. All the while she continually scanned the planet and surrounding system. There was nothing there, except one shuttle, exactly where it was supposed to be.
As she landed across from it, she drew in a deep breath. She could feel both of them, her son and her father, she didn’t need to look through the viewscreen to know they stood not fifty feet from her. The Force moved between the three of them, in ways she didn’t understand, but could feel the pull of in her bones. Leia moved to the back of the cabin, and flicked the ramp, descending down into the salt surface.
Vader was standing there, silent except for his respirator. His armor didn’t have the dark gloss polish that she remembered. In fact, it looked downright scruffy, and there were several rips and tears in the cape billowing in the wind. What ever he had been up to, he hadn’t had an easy time of it.
Her son, on the other hand, was anything but quiet. He was bound in cuffs, standing on Vader’s right. He was yelling about how Vader was a traitor, that this was not what he was brought here for, that Leia had denied him and their legacy.
Vader only watched as Leia approached, and then said in a rough voice as she came to within feet of them “I tortured your mother boy. Twice. That gives her the right to do whatever she wishes in regards to me.”
Ben fell silent at that and turned wide amazed eyes at Leia. She gulped at the betrayal in them. Another secret she had kept from him.
Vader’s voice was quiet “You didn’t tell him?” he asked Leia.
Leia’s gaze never left her son, but she did answer the Vader “Would you?”
“No,” he said.
Ben’s face twisted, and Leia’s heart broke “Are you going to save my soul grandfather?” he asked in a sneering voice.
Vader gave out a bark of laughter at that. “No,” he said, “I cannot even save my own.”
Leia finally managed to tear her gaze away from Ben, “Then why are you doing this?”
Vader shifted on his feet for a moment, then said “Snoke is dead.”
Leia’s mind blanked at that “What?” she whispered.
“Snoke is dead,” he repeated, “Hux is now in the Supreme Leader, but I imagine he will not hold the position for long.”
Leia gaped at him. At the careless tone as he described how he had just set another system-wide government into chaos.
“Your Highness,” Vader said respectfully, “Snoke thought he could use me as my Master had once done. That is the reason behind my ‘resurrection.’” He sounded tired then, even though the vocoder. Leia wondered if this Vader remembered his death, and the peace he found there. “He underestimated me, and himself.” Leia snorted in derision at that. Snoke really thought he could hold Vader’s leash?
Vader nodded his head in acknowledgment of her derision. “Then what is your goal?” Leia asked.
“My only goal, as you say, is to see to your, and your brother’s, happiness and welfare. What do you wish of me now?”
Typical Vader, Leia thought, of course, he would make such an offer. When had the man ever done anything half-assed?
“I don’t know where Luke is,” she said softly.
He nodded his head, “Then may I suggest you see to your son, and I will look for him?”
“He killed you!” Ben howled “Just like he tried to kill me!”
Vader sighed “I don’t know the circumstances of your encounter with Luke grandson, but I can most assuredly tell you Luke did not kill me.”
Ben fell silent at that.
Leia looked into those red-rimmed eye lenses, debating with herself. A Vader without a guide was a Vader who would careen through the galaxy with no thought of the damage he would inflict. She wondered at how far his offer really went. If she asked for his life, would he give it to her?
No, Leia dismissed the thought. No, that was not the way now. That was not the way to repay him for bringing Ben here. And if there was one thing she knew, it was that Vader would tear the galaxy upside down in an effort to find Luke. Give him that goal, and when Vader found him, let him be Luke’s problem. “First we get you out of that suit,” she decided.
“Concerned for my welfare?” he sounded disbelieving.
Leia shook her head, “You are not what I would call ‘inconspicuous’ in that thing. If you really want to help me, I need you to be able to go places without people breaking out into mass hysteria everywhere you go.”
“And after that?” he asked.
She looked at her son, who was pale and shaking “Then we see.”
Vader bowed, “Thank you, Your Highness,”
Leia shook her head “I’m no longer a Princess anymore. Please call me Leia.”
There was a flicker of shock, and then an almost shy “Thank you, Leia.”
Leia looked at her son and her father and sent a prayer to every god willing to listen that she hadn’t just doomed them all.
Personally, I don’t really see anything wrong with giving Luke to Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. What else was Obi-Wan gonna do? (He pretty much raised Anakin and look how that turned out, he’s not gonna risk Round 2.) (He could have given both kiddos to Bail and Breha Organa, actually. Luke and Leia Organa is a cool as heck AU.)
I like Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. As much as people like to say Luke really is Padme’s son, he didn’t get those morals from her. (Keeping in mind I have read no comics or novelizations, and not seen the Clone Wars TV show) It’s pretty clear that Luke’s iron spine and goodness and refusal to abandon his friends come from his upbringing. Owen and Beru Lars are kinda the Ma and Pa Kent of the Star Wars universe.
And they are Luke’s family. Owen is Shmi’s stepson. Owen and Beru probably knew Anakin’s mother for years. It’s a neat circle, and in some ways it has the feelings of an apology, for Obi-Wan to bring Luke back to his family on Tatooine in the same way that Qui-Gon took Anakin. Obi-Wan can’t undo what’s been done, and he can’t start over, but he can give Luke what the Jedi denied Anakin: a loving family and normal upbringing.
Tatooine is Darth Vader’s home planet? Yeah, sure, but did Anakin ever go back to Tatooine? (Probably once or twice, I’m guessing, in the comics at least.) Darth Vader hates that place. Bad memories. Damn sand would fuck up his suit. He’d burn it all down and then the Hutts are gonna be pissed. And how many people actually know that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker? Like, about five? (Bail, Obi-Wan, Yoda, R2-D2, and Ahsoka?) Dude is not exactly getting invites to school reunions and the weddings of childhood friends, is all I’m saying.
Even if Darth Vader ever went back to Tatooine, Tatooine is a big place. The Lars Farm is in the middle of nowhere and Obi-Wan is hanging out left of the funky rock five miles past nowhere. Anakin met his stepbrother once in the entire film trilogy and idk if they even exchanged words, much less space e-mail addresses. I kind of doubt that Uncle Owen and Darth Vader are sending each other Life Day e-cards. (That’s really funny, actually.)
Anyway, the point of this rant is that I want you to imagine new parents Owen and Beru Lars caring for toddler Luke, it’s just after Life Day, and someone rings the doorbell. Owen Lars opens up to Darth Vader holding a fruit basket, because he didn’t know what else to do for Life Day and spontaneously decided to visit distant family rather than mope in his Evil Castle again.
(Everything Obi-Wan hoped would never happen, just… happening.)
Owen, after introductions, panicking, “Uh… the suit is… new.”
He has to invite Vader in, because it’s Life Day and how exactly do you tell Darth Vader to fuck off? Then Owen and Beru have a hushed argument in the kitchen while Darth Vader is sitting awkwardly in their living room with a drink that he can’t actually drink but took to be polite. When they come out, they introduce Luke as Luke Whitesun, Beru’s late brother’s kid, which they guess makes Luke… Darth Vader’s… nephew. (They can’t hide him, Vader’s already seen this 2-3 yr old Luke and the house is COVERED in baby and kid stuff.)
And Darth Vader just… fucking falls for it.
And the Lars family has to spend the holidays with Uncle Darth Vader who is super keen to have a step-nephew-in-law. Beru is showing off her cross-stitching to Darth fucking Vader as Luke plays at their feet. Owen is in the kitchen sending a desperate space text to Obi-Wan, who basically has a heart attack on the spot when Owen sends a shitty stealth-pic of Darth Vader on their couch.
Bonus points if the Lars’ don’t even move after this, because Vader left without issue and Uncle Owen afterwards was like, “It turned out fine. I don’t want to move, that’s too much hassle.” So, every major holiday, Luke gets a visit from his Uncle Darth Vader, which works out fine so long as they instigate a “Don’t Talk About Politics” rule when Luke starts getting excited about Rebellions and starts bad-mouthing the Empire (Vader making small talk at a Star Destroyer water cooler to his terrified staff: “Ugh, I’m going to have to debate my liberal 13-yr-old nephew at the dinner table again.”), and Vader even helps with the dishes and stuff, and every time Obi-Wan ages an extra year from stress.
Guys, please, the way this continues is that the general events of the Star Wars universe continue as normal (Leia, having literally just left a space battle: “Darth Vader, the AUDACITY of attacking an innocent diplomatic vessel!”) UNTIL the stormtroopers show up at the Lars Farm. (Luke is desperately chasing down the droids he lost and properly meeting Obi-Wan Kenobi.)
At first, it’s business as usual, y’know? Stormtroopers break down the door and interrogate the occupants and start prepping to burn the place down, and the leader is in the middle of shouting, “TELL US WHERE THE DROIDS A-” when he pauses and just… stares… at the mantlepiece.
Because on the Lars family mantlepiece and walls are, like, a hundred family photos and roughly half of them have Darth Vader in them. There’s Darth Vader wearing a Life Day party hat at a dinner table. There’s Darth Vader holding a toddler and playing with model ships. There’s Darth Vader and a pimply thirteen year old in the stands at the Boonta Eve Classic. There is a cross-stitched pillow on the couch that says OUR FAMILY on it, consisting of a man, a woman, a boy, and Darth fucking Vader.
Stormtrooper Grunt #1: “What… what… what the fuck.”
Aunt Beru, who has HAD it with these guys wrecking her house, already angrily jabbing at their space phone: “I am calling Mr. Vader RIGHT NOW about this.”
Darth Vader, excusing himself from the bridge of his Star Destroyer to take a call from his stepsister-in-law: “Beru. This isn’t a good time-”
Beru: “Well, MAKE TIME, because your stormtroopers broke down our door and tracked SAND all over my nice clean floors and they won’t stop yelling about the droids we just bought! You better have a good explanation for this!”
Darth Vader does not, actually, have a good explanation for this. The stormtroopers can feel his wrath from across the galaxy. It’s a work thing and he’s very sorry and he’ll make the stormtroopers fix their door, but he does really need those droids and could they hand them over, please? He’ll have the Empire compensate them. Yes, he’ll pay them back and send new droids. Yes, kicking doors down is very rude, Beru, you’re absolutely right.
So Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru promise to pick up Luke and the droids, and hop in the spare Landspeeder to go looking for them. Owen is Not Happy to find that Obi-Wan’s given Luke a lightsaber, and Aunt Beru is Not Happy to find out that the Empire’s made some superweapon. Of course they have to get these plans to the Rebellion! Yes, she promised Vader, but he should have told her it was for such a terrible thing! Yes, Owen, they’re all going to Alderaan.
So the Lars family runs away to Mos Eisley and get on the Millennium Falcon to Alderaan, while the stormtroopers are standing around like, “Are they… coming… back???” And Han Solo does not know what the hell is going on or what to do about the Weird Old Wizard talking about “universe-penetrating magic”, or the Grumpy Farmer who keeps trying to fix his “piece of junk” ship that excuse you does not need fixing, or the Sunny Farm Boy waving a light sword around, or the kindly old woman who is currently cross-stitching in his back seat and gossiping with Chewie like he’s not even there.
Later, after the Death Star’s been destroyed, Owen and Beru Lars are now a part of the Rebellion with Luke. Beru sends Darth Vader a piece of fabric in the Space Mail, and it’s the little cross-stitched Vader from her OUR FAMILY pillow who’s been cut out because she’s mad at him. (Except her note says DISAPPOINTED and that’s worse.) Darth Vader is more upset about this than the Emperor being mad at him for the destruction of the Death Star.
Man, one characterization of Vader that I love but rarely see is: Vader as deeply religious.
Because from an in-universe perspective, that’s so weird! Vader and the viewer know that the Force is not a matter of faith, and that it does in fact give him powers up to and including the ability to accurately see the future, but the galaxy at large doesn’t know that and his fellow Imperials definitely don’t. I think the point of Motti, besides introducing Vader’s ruthlessness toward even his own faction, is to demonstrate that Force use is not just a known factor of the Star Wars universe.
In that context, Vader is inexplicable. Not only does he have uncanny and inscrutable powers, like those the murdered Jedi are rumored to have had, but he is the only figure in the Imperial military who seems to talk about his religion. At least among the military leadership, he’s not secretive about it; if he’s got to leave a conversation to hunt down Obi-wan, he’ll just come right out and say that he has supernatural knowledge which he needs to go address now. He wields a banned, antique Jedi weapon. He has several times invoked the Force while speaking to his officers.
In-universe, the general public doesn’t know why he’s like this! The Empire isn’t a theocracy; besides banning the Jedi religion, Emperor Palpatine doesn’t really seem to make a lot of overtly religious policy choices, and I don’t think the general public knows if he subscribes to any specific faith. Except for people who know what the Sith are, Vader just seems like an extremely devout sole adherent to a religion that is all but dead, its other practitioners hunted for treason. He’s like if the president had a weird murder pet who was a Catholic nun, only Catholicism was banned and all other church officials had been murdered by the government.
also like if catholicism was banned because it was DEFINITELY fake lunatic bullshit that so-called ‘catholics’ made up specifically to seize power from the former government, except the murder nun has just turned your manager’s blood into wine right in front of you and you’re both just standing there watching him die horrifically in the middle of your fucking office
Darth Vader: [Offscreen, hidden by layers of dry ice] You’re a villain, alright. Just not a super one.
Krennic: Yeah? What’s the difference?
(Vader emerges from the billowing fog, Backlit by sinister light, cape billowing.)
Darth Vader: PRESENTATION!
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