Though he does not consciously recognize it, the Dark Side tempts Luke throughout the films whenever he becomes consumed by ideas of revenge. The Force as Yoda teaches emphasizes balance and inner peace, whereas the Dark Side allows for passion, emotion, and the temptation of the great power those create. In the climactic final fight between Darth Vader and Luke in Return of the Jedi, Luke overcomes Vader by submitting to his rage at the idea of Leia coming into harm’s way. Though it’s not immediately obvious, the Dark Side gains it’s power from love, which nearly allows it to consume Luke entirely before he lets go of his hate and embraces the principles taught by Yoda and Obi-Wan.
Revenge is the driving force behind much of Luke’s action in Return of the Jedi, as he is impatient to resolve his conflict with Vader. Though it is necessary, it goes against the way of the Jedi and pushes Luke closer to the Dark Side. The previous title of the third film was Revenge of the Jedi, and as Pfeiffer states “Lucas was reminded by many fans that Jedi knights do not give in to feelings of vengeance. Therefore, the word ‘Revenge’ in the original title was at odds with the Jedi philosophy of peaceful coexistence” (133). It is only in the climax of Return that Luke realizes the direction his thirst for revenge is taking him, and he rebels against the hatred, instead forgiving Vader and absolving him of his sins as he in turn rebels against the Emperor.
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| The memento of the Dark Side with which Vader leaves Luke |
Luke’s inner conflict between his passion and his sense of justice is the root of his character development, and we see it reflected in different ways. The same battle between light and dark is represented by the contrast of the natural and the mechanical. Vader has very little of his physical body remaining, and we see only small glimpses of flesh, much in the way we see small glimpses of the good left in him, such as having mercy on Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. Luke presents a mirrored version, as he is almost entirely human, but for one mechanical hand that is only ever visually noticeably when it is first installed, and when his artificial skin is injured by a blaster shot in Return of the Jedi. Throughout Return, Both Vader and Luke are attempting to strengthen that small iota of conflict in each other, and though Luke hangs precariously over the penumbra of the Dark Side, it is finally Vader who returns to the side of light, both leading himself to salvation, and redeeming the Dark in Luke.
You make an interesting point about the power the Dark Side gains from love. Luke's friends as well as the rebellion are all he cares about in his life. When he makes the realization that his friends and the rebellion are in trouble he springs into action. Due to his hasty reaction, he does not fully realize that he is doing exactly what the Emperor wants. Perhaps at this point, he thought that if he lost everything that he loves then there is no point in stifling his anger. It is clear he wants revenge and he let his emotions get the better of him in dueling with Darth Vader. As we learn in the prequel trilogy, the reason for Darth Vader turning to the Dark Side was love. In an attempt to save the lives of his love interest and children he was converted to the Dark Side. It seems that all of these negative emotions and the need for revenge all stem from love. However, love is not all that bad. Han Solo’s love for Leia and Luke was the driving force for him to return and help the rebels. In his case love won over his normally selfish behavior.
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