Warning! Spoilers for Darth Vader #11
In a new comic it has been revealed that Darth Vader knew he could singlehandedly defeat Emperor Palpatine prior to Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. It’s not a new idea in Star Wars that a Sith would kill their master, but it’s notable that this could’ve happened without Vader recruiting his son Luke Skywalker to be at his side.
When Vader first confronted Luke in The Empire Strikes Back, he gave him the option of joining him to rule over the galaxy together. Together, they would kill the Emperor and Vader would presumably train his son in the ways of the Sith. Since it seemed that taking down Darth Sidious required Vader to team up with another Force user, and fans already knew how strong Vader was, it emphasized the Emperor’s power. However, this might not have been the case after all.
In Darth Vader #11 written by Greg Pak with art by Raffaele Ienco, Darth Vader has a vision in which Luke tells him that he’s capable of killing Palpatine. The two of them have switched positions during their fight in Empire Strikes Back on Cloud City, as Luke stretches out his hand. His son’s message seemingly becomes a part of Vader’s motivation to rejoin the Emperor, after having left him throughout previous issues. While given trials to endure, such as the Sith assassin Ochi who hunts Vader, the Sith proved his resilience. In the process, the Emperor enhanced his apprentice’s abilities as he earned back his spot in the Empire. Growing in his power, Vader’s confidence that he can kill his master gives him a new perspective. “You can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny.”
It’s been noted in other issues of Darth Vader that his arc was readying him to eventually be redeemed, as he realized the Emperor could throw him away at any moment. This time, it appears that Vader is finally acknowledging he could best the Sith who trained him. In retrospect, it causes his iconic redemption moment during Return of the Jedi to have some new context, since he was aware that he was the only person in the galaxy who could defeat his master.
However, during his encounters with Luke, both on Cloud City and in his vision, Vader wanted to kill the Emperor and replace him. The fact that he finally decides to go along with it due to the motivation of saving his son speaks volumes. The returned Anakin Skywalker’s strength came from his compassion for his family. Even while he was Vader, he wasn’t motivated to go through with the plan. As Darth Vader said, “If I do this, I’ll succeed. Is that what I want?” When the time comes and he realizes he can have his son back if only for a moment, he doesn’t hesitate to throw Emperor Palpatine into the Death Star’s core.