xhonzi said:

Bester said:

11) "I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine" and then........nothing.

I spent a few minutes searching because I recall a decent conversation on this point a little while ago. Not finding it, I will quickly summarize:

Ben's death catalyzes Luke. That's what he meant, and that definitely came true.

It's an interesting point but I always thought it was even simpler than that. By more powerful, I always assumed Obi Wan was telling Vader that he will survive death and have greater but unknown influence through the Force. I never expected anything to happen. It's an insightful point that one way this could be accomplished was by catalyzing Luke - though that could have been done even if we never heard from Obi Wan again. Obi Wan did become more powerful after death (even if don't don't know exactly what he does all day in spirit form).

I don't get the confusion as expressed by Bester. In the OT, the Force wasn't about overt showing of powers. It was a force that helped guide one's actions. One could harness it to do amazing things - lifting a ship, for example - but that was never the main use of the Force. I never thought Obi Wan was going to turn into a flaming dragon and rise from his robes after Vader smote him or show up in ROTJ and throw the Emperor down the shaft. What I loved about the OT was the mystical nature of the Force. When Obi Wan told Vader "more powerful than you can possibly imagine" I thought he literally meant it.

Which is one of the most annoying inconsistencies of the PT: Jedi are superheroes constantly levitating things, sometimes speed running, and performing other superhuman feats. In the more quiet moments we learn about Midichlorians.