One of George Lucas' greatest retcons to the Sith and Star Wars created an important scene The Empire Strikes Back even better. The Empire Strikes Back is considered one of the best Star Wars movies ever made and one of the best sequels in cinema history. The Empire Strikes Back certainly deserves these distinctions as it expands Star Wars galaxy and introduced some interesting dark elements that are now staples of the franchise. As cute as the movie was, one of George Lucas' retcons made it even better.
George Lucas made several changes to the original trilogy and Star Wars generally over the years. From special editions that added new scenes and replaced old ones, to the prequel trilogy that redefined Anakin Skywalker's past, the original trilogy is almost completely different today. Many of Lucas' changes were not seen as positive and were often met with some backlash. However, one of his changes was a great addition and it created a specific scene The Empire Strikes Back became one of the best moments of the original trilogy.
The Rule of Two Completely Changes Vader and Palpatine's Conversation
Although this happened decades later The Empire Strikes Back in the first release, George Lucas' retcon of Sith Rule of Two made the film even better. is one of the most important parts of The empire strikes back Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine discussing what to do with Luke Skywalker. After Palpatine discovered that Luke was the son of Anakin Skywalker, Vader came up with the idea of turning Luke to the dark side. It was an amazing scene in its own right, but George Lucas' more recent interpretation of The Two Rules of the Sith completely re-contextualized it.
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Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Created by the will of the Force, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring balance to the Force. Anakin struggled to balance rival attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padme Amidala, eventually becoming Darth Vader. He served as Palpatine's right-hand man for years, but was eventually saved by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now the Force Ghost continues to act as Anakin's balancing agent.
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Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
Senator Palpatine of Naboo rose to power and influence in the dying days of the Republic. In fact, his public persona was just a mask; he was actually Darth Sidious, the 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 the Galactic Empire for decades until he was betrayed by his apprentice Darth Vader. Even this was not enough to stop the Emperor as he was resurrected by his followers – only to be defeated once again.
Now, with information on the Two Rules of the Sith, a discussion of Vader and Palpatine The Empire Strikes Back is even stronger. Instead of being a moment where the two Sith Lords worked together, Rule of Two turned their conversation into a subtle game of cat and mouse. Vader was trying to protect Luke Skywalker, even if it meant Luke had to be killed to take his place. Palpatine was also made worse by the Rule of Two, as his words were given a tinge of murderous intent.
Luke's refusal to turn to the Dark Side makes even more sense
The Two Sith Rules simply did not change The Empire Strikes Backalthough it also changed Luke's story. In Return of the Jediboth Vader and Palpatine tried to draw Luke to the dark side of the Force. This means that every Sith in the entire galaxy tried to turn him to the dark side, but despite their combined power, Luke still turned away Vader and Palpatine.. The influence of even a single Sith Lord was more than most people could handle, and the Rule of Two only made Luke's will more effective.
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A big reason why Two Rules of the Sith works so well as a retcon is because of its perfect fit The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This is a rare example of a retcon that perfectly explains something the source material didn't say. Because of the Rule of Two, the power dynamic between Palpatine and Vader becomes easier to understand, and Vader's thoughts on his son become clearer. The Empire Strikes Back it was almost perfect already Star Wars movie, so it's impressive that the rule of two can make it even better.
