One of the greatest retcons George Lucas ever made to the Sith and Star Wars made a crucial scene in The Empire Strikes Back even better. The Empire Strikes Back is widely considered one of the best Star Wars movies ever made, and one of the best sequels in movie history. The Empire Strikes Back is certainly worthy of those distinctions, as it expanded the Star Wars galaxy and introduced some fascinating dark elements that are now core parts of the franchise. Even with how beloved the film is, though, one of George Lucas’ retcons made it even better.
George Lucas made several changes to the original trilogy and Star Wars in general over the years. From the special editions, which added new scenes and replaced old ones, to the prequel trilogy, which redefined Anakin Skywalker’s past, the original trilogy is almost completely different today. Many of Lucas’ changes weren’t seen as positives, though, and were often met with quite a bit of backlash. One of his changes, however, was a great addition, and it made one specific scene from The Empire Strikes Back into one of the best moments of the original trilogy.
The Rule Of Two Completely Changes Vader & Palpatine’s Conversation
Though it happened decades after The Empire Strikes Back was originally released, George Lucas’ retcon of the Sith Rule of Two made the movie even better. One of the most important parts of The Empire Strikes Back was when Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine were discussing what to do with Luke Skywalker. After Palpatine revealed that Luke was the son of Anakin Skywalker, Vader proposed the idea of turning Luke to the dark side. That was an amazing scene on its own, but George Lucas’ more recent definition of the Sith Rule of Two has completely recontextualized it.
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Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
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Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
The senator for Naboo, Palpatine rose to power and influence during the dying days of the Republic. In reality, his public persona was just a mask; he was really Darth Sidious, greatest of the Sith Lords, and he used his political skills and Machiavellian cunning to bring down both the Republic and the Jedi. Palpatine ruled his Galactic Empire for decades, until he was betrayed by his apprentice, Darth Vader. Even this wasn’t enough to stop the Emperor, however, as he was resurrected by his followers – only to be defeated once again.
Now, with the knowledge of the Sith Rule of Two, Vader and Palpatine’s discussion in The Empire Strikes Back is even more powerful. Instead of being a moment where the two Sith Lords were working together, the Rule of Two has changed their conversation into a subtle game of cat and mouse. Vader was trying to protect Luke Skywalker, even if that meant he would have to be killed so that Luke could take his place. Palpatine also became even more sinister because of the Rule of Two, as his words were given a tinge of murderous intent.
Luke’s Refusal To Turn To The Dark Side Is Even More Meaningful
The Sith Rule of Two didn’t just change The Empire Strikes Back, though, it also transformed Luke’s story. In Return of the Jedi, both Vader and Palpatine tried to seduce Luke to the dark side of the Force. That means every Sith in the entire galaxy was trying to turn him to the dark side, yet even with their combined power, Luke still turned Vader and Palpatine down. Even the influence of a single Sith Lord was more than most people could withstand, and the Rule of Two only makes Luke’s willpower even more impressive.
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A big reason the Sith Rule of Two works so well as a retcon is because it fits perfectly in with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It’s the rare example of a retcon that perfectly explains something that the source material left unsaid. Because of the Rule of Two, the power dynamics between Palpatine and Vader are much easier to understand and Vader’s thoughts about his son are much more apparent. The Empire Strikes Back was pretty much already the perfect Star Wars movie, so it’s impressive that the Rule of Two was able to make it even better.