Vladius said:
Why should it mirror Prequel Anakin?
Doesn't need too, was mostly an observation. I do like symmetry between the trilogies from a saga perspective though.
Vladius said:
Why can't he be doing both? He's clearly fine with Luke falling in any way possible. He wants Luke to be his apprentice, but he also wants Luke to kill him in anger, and he's happy when Luke attacks Vader. All of these things would lead to the outcome he wants. This isn't a contradiction, it's just using all of his available options.
The two are incompatible. You're not tempting someone to do a little evil or give into temptation to do a greater good if what you're monologuing about how awesome and kickass (or inevitable) being evil is and how you should just give in to your feelings and turn.
He says his faith in his friends is his weakness, not his friends themselves. He's referring to their ability to blow up the Death Star ("soon I'll be dead, and you with me") not Luke's desire to save them.
Even so, it doesn't change my point. Palpatine isn't playing Luke's attachment to them in the manner i'm describing, and referencing them in the way he does is counterproductive to what i'm talking about.