Originally posted by: mverta

What's that? It was Anakin's powerlust that made him switch? NO IT WASN'T. Didn't you see the movie? "I will do whatever you ask, just help me save Padme's life. I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HER." It's not about powerlust, it's about saving Padme. And the Emperor says, point blank, that he can't. END OF STORY.

You just tapped into another one of the, if not the core, reason that ROTS originally didn't do it for me, not even in theatres. And it's the fact that George, even though claiming in interviews that it was his lust for power, decided to make Anakin much more sympathetic (apparently) by making him do the wrong thing for the right reasons. "Don't blame Anakin," George would say. "He's the hero of the Star Wars universe. He was just trying to save his wife. He did it all for love." Gag. Blech. I always hated that. Like you said, it was definitely compelling enough motivation to get him to that point, but once that point's been reached, then there's no reason for him to stay and continue down that path!

And then, just to try to establish some sense of continuity, they just randomly have Vader bring up the power thing when he's trying to woo Padme to his evil chambers! But I couldn't buy it for a second, because it just seemed totally random. Obi-Wan's, "Your arrogance and your lust for power have already done that," was a line that I admit was chilling... out of context. But then you can't help but think, "I've never really seen this arrogance or lust for power. Up until now in this movie, he's been sort of trembling and crying and regretting his bad decisions." I just don't get it.