Scruffy said:In this scenario, I have abandoned most of the melodramatic plot threads that built up both around the real story and various fan interpretations. Vader does not accidentally kill his wife, they are not passionately in love until the end, Vader's refusal to let his wife go as per a murky prophetic dream does not drive him into the Sith (yecch). He simply accrues more and more power, becomes more important on a galactic scale, and forgets about her. I like this because it's much more gradual, and parallels my idea of how the fall should've been.
Interesting choices, Scruffy. I can see why you'd want to expel melodramatic elements because of how poorly they were done in the prequel series, but I personally feel that melodrama is quite a big part of Star Wars.
If it were up to me, I probably would have done an Othello type scenario with Palpatine gradually (with emphasis on gradually, not just telling him in his office one day that "you're a sith now! Yay!") convincing Vader not only of the evils of the Jedi as dogmatic defenders of the undeserving weak but also of his own wife's treachery, who has been increasingly involved with emerging rebel organisations. His turn would, like with your version, be a rejection of his wife and his humanity and not an attempt to save her.
The final episode would not involve Anakin's turn, instead it would largely concern events after his turn to the dark side and the beginning of martial law. Obi-Wan attempts to flee the now dystopian Coruscant along with Anakin's wife. Vader, however, is intent on finding his pregnant wife not out of any concern for her but in order to turn their child to the dark side. In the end, she successfully escapes and lives in hiding with Bail Organa who adopts Leia, changing her last name to avoid detection. Suspicion is avoided further as Vader was convinced that his child would be male, in typical "evil macho father" fashion. Finally Vader admits his wife and thus the chance for a dark heir has slipped away from him, is physically transformed by a fiery confrontation with Obi-Wan during his attempt to purge the Jedi and begins his new life as servant of the Emperor. It would not be until many years later that the chance for an heir would reemerge.
As for the romance itself, it would have to develop relative to increasing tension in terms of action like with the relationship between Han and Leia instead of being an annoying interval. Hey, perhaps his wife could even be a Jedi herself, and their romance develops while they are on a mission together pursuing a Sith? Or, hey, maybe she's his apprentice and develops an attraction for him based on his authority figure status? Although having her realistically say "Oh Master" may be a little too kinky. ;)