7. Just Kill Luke, Han, & Leia
Could it really be that simple? Yes, it could. For most of Star Wars: Episode VI, the Empire is holding Princess Leia hostage. After they fail to get any information from her, though, they opt to keep her around. Were they hoping she might crack and give up the rebel base on Yavin 4? Seems doubtful: Luke found her in the detention level just hours before she was scheduled to be executed. So what was the Empire truly waiting for? Do they have so many executions to carry out per day and not enough personnel to do them? Is there some Imperial regulation that says they have to wait a certain amount of time after it has been determined to kill the subject? It's not like these guys follow any sort of due process. And then there's The Empire Strikes Back. Darth Vader captures Han Solo, Chewbacca, the droids, and - once again - Princess Leia. Vader keeps them alive as bait to trap Luke. Since it's his plan to turn Luke into a block of metallic ice in the carbon-freezing chamber, something that is only done to dead things, he first tests it out on Solo. After the dirty deed he turns the still living Solo over to Boba Fett saying: "He's all yours, Bounty Hunter." Really? Seriously? The whole being more machine now than man thing... did that extend to Vader's brain as well? Just compensate Fett for his trouble and then kill Solo. Better yet, kill them both and while you're at it Leia and Chewbacca. Is this like James Bond where the villain comes up with a million elaborate traps that always seem to fail? When Luke finally shows up on Bespin, Vader just toys with him during their lightsaber duel. He hardly even tries, fighting Luke one handed with his lightsaber and yawning with the other. Luke is the only hope for the light side of the force and still Vader doesn't kill him. If he has a problem with killing Luke because he has been his absent father for Luke's entire life then why did the Emperor send Vader to perform the task anyways? What an idiot. He should have sent Mara Jade to turn Luke to the dark side of the force. Return of the Jedi? Well, it's the same exact story. The Empire captures Luke, Han, and Leia. Do they kill them? No. This plucky group of near-on teenagers thwarts them all over again - and all it would have taken was a few shots of a blaster.