Question: Why did Vader stop Luke when he tried to strike at the Emperor with his lightsaber? I know he said earlier that he has to obey his master, but he keeps encouraging Luke to give in to the dark side. If he hadn't stopped Luke, Luke could have given in to his anger and killed the Emperor, and also rid Vader of the Emperor at the same time.
Big Game
20th Jun 2009
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Answer: It was still too early. While Luke was upset that the Rebels appeared to be losing, he was still relatively calm, and his attempt to strike the Emperor right then was still a rational choice made out of pragmatism, to bring him to justice. They need him to act on pure hatred so he can behold "the power" of the dark side, which they expect to be completely irresistible.
Answer: I've always thought that Vader has already turned and everything he does from this point on is to redeem himself: he stops Luke from killing the Emperor to prevent him from falling to the Dark Side and to fulfill the prophecy, since it says it must be "The Chosen One" (Anakin/Vader) who does it. He stops Luke from falling to the Dark Side a second time by provoking him and showing him what could happen if he turns, and finally he saves him in the scene where he grabs the Emperor.
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Answer: Because the Emperor probably wouldn't leave himself so open to attack without a trick up his sleeve (a personal shield, perhaps), and if Luke failed in this direct assault, as Vader is expecting him to do, he would have had to explain why he didn't do anything to defend the Emperor and would have been executed himself.
Captain Defenestrator