Throughout Star Wars films, series, novels, and comics, Darth Vader constantly struggles with his true identity. When Vader thinks back to his duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar, his thoughts show the truth in his heart: Vader believed the ultimate act of love from Obi-Wan would have been to kill him.

Despite some of the atrocities he commits, Vader’s thoughts, memories, and actions are still inherently connected to Anakin and regret going down the path that twisted the great Jedi he once was.

Darth Vader (2015) #24, written by Kieron Gillen with art by Salvador Larroca, takes place approximately 20 years after Revenge of the Sith, and Vader meets his maker, quite literally. Cylo, the Imperial mad scientist who created the life armor and fused Anakin into it after Mustafar, reveals that he created a kill switch that could shut down the mechanics of Vader’s suit.

Vader Wanted The Battle of Mustafar To End Another Way

Darth Vader (2015), Written By Kieron Gillen With Art By Salvador Larroca

Cylo triggers the switch and shuts down Vader’s life , leaving him to die. As the remaining human part of Vader’s body begins to die, he envisions the end of the battle of Mustafar with Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan expresses his heartbreak over how much he loved Anakin, but in a deviation from Anakin’s response in Revenge of the Sith, Anakin tells Obi-Wan that if he really loved his apprentice, he would have killed Anakin. The Obi-Wan in Vader’s dying mind hoists Anakin and throws him into the fire, asking if that is what Anakin wanted; if ending his life would have been better.

Whereas Anakin’s reaction to his defeat in the original canon scene in Revenge of the Sith is full of hatred and rage, the alternate version Vader wished had happened is visceral and heartbreaking for both Anakin and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan could not bring himself to kill Anakin because of love, whereas Anakin’s idea of Obi-Wan’s true sense of love and brotherhood would have been a swift and kind death that prevented him from falling into Palpatine’s hands and becoming a pawn in the Emperor’s machinations.

Seeing Obi-Wan actually throw Anakin into the fire to let him die is striking, as the action is so violent and out of character, which is why it could only happen in Vader’s imagination. However, it begs the question: would Obi-Wan have complied with Anakin’s request for a merciful death on the fiery shores of Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith if Anakin actually asked for it? Given Obi-Wan’s emotionality and his bond with Anakin, which also represents a connection to his late master, Qui-Gon Jinn, it is unlikely that Obi-Wan would have been able to tolerate Anakin dying at his hands.

Anakin Skywalker Always Survived, And Continued To Fight For What Was Right

No Matter How Much He Tried, Vader Could Never Kill Anakin

Directly after, Vader imagines himself rising from the fire born anew, strong enough to strike Obi-Wan down instantly. But he is met immediately by Anakin, in his full Jedi robes and clear mind, seeking revenge for the death of his master. Anakin fights fiercely against Vader, but ultimately is not strong enough. This imaginary fight between Anakin and Vader is Vader still trying to convince himself that there is no more Anakin Skywalker left inside of him. However, Anakin does not die; instead, he screams that he hates Vader as Vader walks away, dismissing Anakin as nothing more than a child.

Ultimately, Vader’s inner desire to have died at Obi-Wan’s hands on Mustafar is heartbreaking, but also represents Anakin having control over his fate.

The imagined Anakin yelling his hatred for Vader is the ultimate sign of self-loathing on Vader’s part. Vader hates that he could never quite extinguish Anakin Skywalker from his soul; he hates that Anakin still has such a hold over him and his extremely unstable morality; and he hates that Anakin is the one who so desperately seeks out his and Pe’s son, Luke, out of love and not hate. Though Vader tells himself he is searching for Luke so he can bring Luke to the dark side where they can rule as father and son, the lingering bit of Anakin tells him otherwise.

As Vader, in all his twistedness after his fall to the dark side, never stopped loving Pe, he cannot deny that he seeks his son out of love as well. Luke (and Leia, though her parentage is still unknown at this point) was conceived out of unselfish and pure love between Anakin and Pe, and that is something that even Vader would not corrupt.

Ultimately, Vader’s inner desire to have died at Obi-Wan’s hands on Mustafar is heartbreaking, but also represents Anakin having control over his fate. Asking Obi-Wan to show a true act of love by killing him would have allowed Anakin to end his life on his own , free from the painful existence he would go on to have as Darth Vader. The desire also gives a deeper significance to Vader’s hatred towards Obi-Wan, even after his death, as Vader sees Obi-Wan as the one person who could have prevented the rise of Darth Vader.