Why Luke Skywalker Could Redeem Darth Vader (But Obi-Wan & Ahsoka Couldn’t)

Luke and Vader’s climatic clash at the end of Return of the Jedi is the last in a long line of battles Vader has fought with people who mean something to him, yet none of his earlier encounters led to his redemption. Before Luke confronted his father, Vader battled his old master twice, and his old apprentice once. Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka meant an enormous amount to Darth Vader, but neither of them were able to reach what remained of Anakin Skywalker in the hulking metal suit. Luke alone was able to break through Vader’s cold exterior and resurrect his father.

Ultimately, Luke was successful because he still believed that there was good in Vader, while Ahsoka and Obi-Wan believed Anakin was gone. Everyone around Luke told him that there was no chance of redeeming Vader, and that going to face him would be Luke’s death. Even Leia couldn’t understand why Luke needed to face Vader. Nevertheless, Luke still believed that there was good left in his father and that Vader had only forgotten about his true self. Luke’s faith in Anakin was why he alone succeeded in rescuing Vader from the dark side.

Related: Vader’s Obi-Wan Defeat Echoed His Worst Mustafar Mistake

Why Obi-Wan Couldn’t Redeem Darth Vader

When Obi-Wan first learned that Anakin Skywalker lived and had turned into Darth Vader, he still believed there was a chance that Anakin was still in there. At the end of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kenobi’s duel with Vader echoes Luke’s duel. Both Kenobi and Luke went into their battle initially believing that they could reach Anakin and save him, but Kenobi failed to get through to him. He ultimately came to the conclusion that his friend was dead, and that Vader was all that remained.

The reason Obi-Wan failed to reach Anakin was that he blamed himself for Anakin’s fall to the dark side. To him, Vader had become a nightmare that reminded him of his past. He needed Vader to be redeemed not for Anakin’s sake, but for his own. Vader realizes this and declares that Obi-Wan didn’t kill Anakin—but that Vader killed Anakin. From this moment, Obi-Wan gave up on redeeming Anakin and declared him to be dead. This is why Kenobi accepts his death at Vader’s hands in A New Hope, believing it to be repayment for the life he’d taken from his friend.

Why Ahsoka Couldn’t Redeem Darth Vader

Years after his duel with Obi-Wan, Vader encountered his old Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, at a Sith Temple on Malachor. In many ways, their duel at the end of Rebels mirrored that of Obi-Wan and Vader in that Vader’s mask was sliced in the process. But Ahsoka’s motive for fighting Vader was much different than Obi-Wan’s. She refused to believe that Vader was Anakin, and when Vader assured her that he had killed Anakin (like he does with Obi-Wan) she decides to avenge her former master.

Ahsoka is intent on getting revenge by killing Vader for murdering Anakin. Despite the mirroring of Obi-Wan and Ahsoka’s duels, Ahsoka believes that the real Anakin is dead far sooner than Obi-Wan does. But like Obi-Wan, she does not fight Vader in order to save Anakin. She needs to kill Vader in order to put Anakin’s memory to rest. She tells Vader that she won’t leave him like she did before, but in reality, it’s because she feels guilty for having driven Anakin down the path he chose. Like Obi-Wan, she duels Vader to try and get personal closure.

Related: Why Anakin In Ahsoka Is More Important Than Vader In Obi-Wan

Why Luke Skywalker Was Able To Redeem His Father

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were not able to reach Anakin within Darth Vader because they could not let go of their memories or guilt of failing him. But Luke is not hindered by what Vader once was—he only knows that Anakin Skywalker is his father. Luke and Anakin’s bond goes deeper than anyone else’s ever did—so much so that the Emperor could not sense Luke on Endor, but Vader did. But despite Luke initially believing he can redeem Vader, there is a brief moment in Return of the Jedi where he—like Obi-Wan and Ahsoka before him—pronounces Anakin as dead.

Even toward the end, Luke chooses not to kill his father. He senses the conflict within Vader and knows that he is on the precipice of choosing good. In Vader’s final moments with Luke, he tells Luke that he was right—there was good in him after all. Luke alone reached what was left of Anakin solely because he wanted to save his father. While Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were each able to unmask a sliver of Anakin, only Luke is able to fully take off the whole mask at the end of Return of the Jedi.

Next Article: Who Would’ve Been Palpatine’s Replacement For Darth Vader (Before Luke)?