Why Palpatine Told Vader to Stop Looking For Obi-Wan - Star Wars Explained

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Twitter: @StupendousWave

Composer: Whitesand (Martynas Lau)
Year: 2017
Title: Eternity Additional Music Terminus by: Scott Buckley
Released under CC-BY 4.0.

[seanblair]

To Palpatine, Obi-wan was a distraction to Vader. Kenobi wasn't part of the Rebellion, wasn't trying to interfere with the Empire. He was off, staying out of the way. He never would have come out of hiding if Leia wasn't kidnapped. Kenobi did not matter to anyone except Vader.

[evanalden]

Palpatine is all about control, He is threating Vader in that moment. He is saying you appear weakened. When what he is really stating is if you keep acting like this I am going to lessen/remove your power in the empire, thus threatening his position. He does this because anyone who was close to Anakin has the ability to draw Anakin out and convince him to join them against Palpatine. So he will manipulate Vader to stay away from his past to keep his dark puppet on task and loyal / free from distraction.

[audience]

The Emperor telling Darth Vader to end his obsession with Obi-Wan Kenobi was a genuinely good addition to the story.

[WonderfulHayden]

Palpatine knows the emotional effect Obi-Wan has on Vader. We witness powerhouse Vader in the fifth episode lose the fight to Obi-Wan in the sixth episode when logically the former should have won. At this rate, Palpatine is worried that Obi-Wan might actually succeed in convincing Vader to leave the Empire. For the sake of holding onto his henchman/apprentice, he'd rather redirect Vader's focus elsewhere.

[legendrings]

He's weaker because the emptions Obi inspires arent just hate. Its love, respect, and friendship which weakens the dark side.

[alexricky]

6:40 that's why Vader says to Obi-Wan "I was but a learner, but now I'm the master" and it's why Obi-Wan called him Darth and not Anakin. To both of them at that point Anakin was dead and Obi-Wan was fighting Vader, not his old friend, Anakin.


This video definitely helped put into perspective all of what the last scene with Vader and Palpatine was really about. Thanks for providing context.

[PropersPlace]

Man, this makes the meeting on the first death star and even Vaders dual with Ahsoka much deeper than when we first seen it!

[BerserkerX]

Palpatine " stop looking"
Vader "why?"
Palpatine "you'll get him in A New Hope"

[guapocat]

Palpatine recognized the risks of Anakin stirring deep within Vader. Best to make sure Darth Vader always dominates the will of Anakin Skywalker. Love that Luke is able to sense the conflict within.

[Harbyn]

Vader talks to Palpatine like he's talking about an ex-girlfriend that he's still not over. "He means nothing to me" - bro you just spent the whole season tracking him down

[KeyFrameMedia]

There is another small node of cause for Palpatine telling Vader to move on.

Repression.

Palpatine knows that repression can lead to growing internalized hatred. He might in some way believe that by forcing his apprentice to move on that a seed of anger will always continue growing inside Vader. If Vader ever succeeded in killing Obi-Wan, there is a small chance of a change in his internal conflict. Vader could soften or become unstable.

Keeping Obi-Wan on the line without ever being able to reach him is another method of control.

[wahn]

That was basically a death threat from Palpatine, delivered with deeply menacing subtlety. "Continue on this path of weakness and I will end you, " he might as well have said.

[jujuBeanRemo]

I feel like Palpatine could sense the conflict within Vader not between Vader and Obi but with Vader and anakin, Anakin is like someone with a split personality disorder/ multiple personality (him and Vader) throughout the series Vader is used (to Anakin) as a sort of protector for Anakin. When his mom dies Vader avengers her, when Anakin loses his hands Vader kills dooku when Pal order Anakin to kill the younglins Vader takes over suppressing his Anakin side in order to gain a power he wasn’t able to achieve as one of the strongest Jedi. Which is why in the series we can see him crying through his left eye Anakin(after he kills the younglings, and when obi apologize for failing him during their final fight in kenobi.)is still inside witnessing the horrors he’s committing by letting Vader take control . When pal said Vader left weakened I think he means by this that he senses Anakin all tho a small part is still in there and in conflict with his actions/Vader but personally feels it’s to late to redeem himself or the choices he made because he already lost every think he ever cared for all being through him not being strong enough to protect the ppl he cared for his mom, wife, padawan, the order he would have nothing to come back to if he wanted. Anakin was conflicted from the moment he first face the counsel and instead of teaching him how to deal with the dark thoughts and fear in his heart they shunned him at times and treated him as less than because they couldn’t teach him how to manage his emotions which is one of the reason I think he thinks the Jedi are evil.

[miragewizard]

Lots of good points here. Yes, Vader had to let go in order to be effective for the Emperor's will. He had to let go of all of that rage and anger that drove him before, because that came from Anakin, not from Vader. Vader would immerse himself within the Power of the Dark Side of the force, and it would become this craving for Power that would replace all of this anger and rage. When Vader began to be motivated by Power, then the Emperor knew that he was finally letting Anakin die, and becoming a true Sith. And then Vader would say later "You don't know the power of the Dark Side! I must obey my Master." It became more about Power for Vader rather than being about Obi-Wan, or rage and anger.

[shanecochran]

Because Obi Wan Kenobi keep whipping Darth Vader 's ass.... The original Sith Slayer is Obi Wan Kenobi....

[darkhoursofday]

I kinda figured it was because Vader lost twice now. Palpy was like "Yeah... maybe let it go. I just replaced your chest lite brite and every time you fight that guy I have to replace machinery or limbs. Maybe take a hint... he's better."

[parazightsporch]

Palpatine knew vader would generate a truckload of hate not being able to go after Kenobi, fueling his connection to the dark side. Palpatine is torturing Vader here.

[NoNotThat-hzbo]

There’s a scene in Rebels where Vader and Palpatine are talking and Vader makes point of mentioning that they might get closer to Kenobi. So he always cares more for him than any other Jedi even after this

[willjohnson]

If anone elses makes you angry and upset that other person controls you and your focus....it is distracting.

[Mikael-]

I thought Palpatine was questioning Vader's loyalties and thus subtly threatening him. So Vader finally decided to let it go.