You've given me far too many feelings over Vader today. Because what has he had to live for all those years? Absolutely nothing. Just lingering in his eternal punishment and self loathing and regret. And he deserves every single second of it, doesn't he? Darth Vader deserves no rest. Goddamn it.
all his suffering is justice for what he’s done - but, the whole time he’s punishing himself, he’s continuing to hurt people. his pain is justice - but what is justice actually worth?
all that horror is only making it worse; sometimes, pain doesn’t change you for the better - sometimes it just gets worse. he’s still committing crimes on a massive scale. he’s still serving a tyrannical government. and that overwhelming despair is what’s actually keeping him there.
justice won’t change anything. the more hurt he is, the more he’s going to hurt other people; you have to break the cycle. promises of revenge and death will not pull vader out of his lonely castle, but kindness will. he may not deserve kindness - but what if, in the future, he could? what if, in the past, he did?
lmaooo i waxed philosophical on you - because no, vader definitely does not deserve it, but luke is going to give his love and compassion anyway. and THAT’S what changes things.