SPECULATION When Did Vader Know?

From the script

I think it's pretty clear that Vader sensed it in that very moment.

 

Agreed, an' not any time 'fore that.

 

And his one mistake was to taunt Luke, with the possibility of corrupting Leia. The boy's temper flared like nothing else, in response to that possibility...and it almost cost him his own soul. Only the sight of Vader's severed hand and Palpatine's continued gloating, showed Luke how close he was to becoming exactly like his father.

 

I'm still amazed that Palpatine's own arrogance and ego prevented Luke from giving in to evil.

 

Yeah, that's pretty interesting... the fight on the DS/Luke's "You failed your highness, I'm a jedi like my father before me" it's one of my favorite scenes for a reason; it has so many layers to analyze and even more if we take the prequels into account.

 

Yeah, begs the question whether Luke would have come to his senses without Palps insisting on pointing out the situation to him.

Palp: Oh, BTW, that’s the darkside you’re using.
Luke: Ah, CRAP! Wait . . . I mean - nuh uh. No way. Look, I’m not even holding a lightsaber. See? Good guy Luke here. All the way.
Palp: <heavy sigh> . . . Skywalkers.

 

I wouldn’t exactly call it a mistake. Vader repeatedly taunts Luke and tries to get him to fight, and that’s the one threat that finally works. While it’s true that Vader’s actions put everyone in danger, he accomplished exactly what he was trying to do.

 

Not exactly, since Vader's original goal was to have Luke kill Palpatine. His comment about Leia seemed more about realizing he had another option if Luke refused...but mentioning it out loud set Luke off. Vader's abrupt turn seemed to indicate genuine surprise.

 

I'd actually be really interested in Vader's train of thought during those moments. I think it's pretty obvious he was poised to use whatever information he gleaned from Luke, but I don't think he was quite prepared to hear that he actually had another kid. I think he rolled with that pretty well, but I do wonder how disarmed he was by this information. Not only does he now know he has another kid, but also it's a Princess that he's definitely well aware of. Vader knows Leia, and has run into her at least a few times. Most of which were rather unfortunate.

He says:

Much like with Luke, Vader wants to rule with Leia if possible (which is a bit weird to be so open about right in front of the Emperor, but oh well).

But I find this to be much more interesting. Later, with his literal dying breath, his last words are:

Vader's looking out for Leia, she's clearly on his mind. She's probably been very much on Vader's mind since learning of her relationship to him. In fact, his last words of concern that Luke look to her may also imply that his saving of Luke was also a bit of a vicarious way of saving Leia.

Maybe he even was thinking back in horror to all of the times he terrorized Leia during the war. Maybe (maybe) he even felt guilt, knowing the awful ways he treated his and Padme's children.

I don't know, it's a lot of speculation, but I'd love to see a canon examination of this some time.

 

Uh, yeah. Like that time he, you know, personally tortured her and all.

 

In the novelization you can definitely tell it was a surprise, although it goes a little bit differently...

Vader stopped. He sensed something.

Luke withdrew further into shadow. He tried to hide, but there was no way to hide what was in his mind—Leia was in pain. Her agony cried to him now, and his spirit cried with her. He tried to shut it out, to shut it up, but the cry was loud, and he couldn’t stifle it, couldn’t leave it alone, had to cradle it openly, to give it solace.

Vader’s consciousness invaded that private place.

“No!” screamed Luke.

Vader was incredulous. “Sister? Sister!” he bellowed. “Your feelings have now betrayed her, too … Twins!” he roared triumphantly. “Obi-Wan was wise to hide her, but now his failure is complete.” His smile was clear to Luke, through the mask, through the shadows, through all the realms of Darkness. “If you will not turn to the Dark Side, perhaps she will.”

 

Vader"So you kissed your sister...Obi Wan was wise for hiding that from me."

Luke"Nooooo...it's not true...not all of it...ok I kissed her once."

Fight ensues.

 

When Luke was thinking about Leia at that exact moment, is my guess.

 

I always got the impression that he figured it out right then and there. He was reading Luke's mind and Leia was on his mind; because he thought he was going to die.

 

Well like, whaaat? Vader classed Luke, Skywalker, and luke was lke, where th,.. you know that name?
And Leia didn't, know, who her father was? Organa didn't tell her? Who'd you think gave her the, plans, to give to Artoo? He wasn't there when she got taken, and you don't know what a geek looks like?
That guy's who's legend for wearing the suit, that's the first shot you see, and it's one of the emperor's goons, after that, it was the real Darth Vader actor, George Lucas, right, who did it? Thank God, for george Lucas, he used to tell Leia she had to slim down, so he'd stop shooting, for it, and James Earl Jones didn't, want to be in that suit? You can't, walk like that, if you can't, talk, like that; it's breathing, dumb, damnit, yes, he knew who she was, he's Anakin

 

Did you have a stroke when you were typing that?

 

Protocol droid requested....This does not appear to be written in basic...