But this epic showdown ended on an incomplete note, with Vader allowing Kenobi to escape with his life as a wall of fire separated the two characters.
So instead of risking letting his emotions get the better of him, Darth Vader opts to let Obi-Wan go with the assumption that he is no threat to him or the Empire.
Ironically, it's Vader who gives Obi-Wan the closure he needs. He tells his old master, "Anakin's gone. I am what remains." Obi-Wan apologizes to Anakin for everything.
Actually, the point is that the real shock was to come from Luke when he sees it happen before his eyes. Vader was poking at the robes to show the audience that Obi-Wan had actually disappeared. Vader had no huge backstory at that time, so he acted as surprised as we were that Obi-Wan vanished.
But did Vader ever regret his transformation? RELATED: Sauron vs. Darth Vader: Who Is the Greater Dark Lord? The short answer is yes, without a doubt, Vader regretted becoming a cybernetic monstrosity.
Admiral Ozzel : [appearing onscreen with Captain Piett] Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of lightspeed and we're preparing to... Darth Vader : You have failed me for the last time, Admiral! Captain Piett?
Obi-Wan apologizes for what he did to Anakin, but Vader assures him that he killed Anakin, not Obi-Wan. He then goes on to proclaim that he will destroy Obi-Wan in the same way.
Between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan, it's pretty clear that Vader is far more powerful with the force. After all, he pretty easily used the force to stop a starship from taking off in the previous episode, and manhandled Kenobi throughout the majority of the show.
In that time Anakin apologizes to Obi-Wan, desperately asking him to forgive him for everything he has done to him and everybody over the years. Obi-Wan's response was teaching Anakin how to do connect with the force and keep his spirit intact.
Anakin Skywalker ultimately ended up hating Obi-Wan Kenobi for many misguided reasons, but Darth Vader's subconscious response to the Jedi's final declaration of love in the Star Wars prequels shows the real reason he could never forgive him.
Before he discovered Vader had survived Mustafar, Obi-wan lived with the regret of killing his son, brother and best friend. After, he regretted not killing him and wondered if he had only made things worse by pushing Anakin further into dark side and Palpatine's arms.
Vader believed that his and Padmé's child died when she did, so there was no reason for him to consider anything else.
In order to hide from the Empire, he needed to keep a low profile. This means that he's not in his best fighting form. Couple that with his wavering faith and he isn't really attuned with the Force, further impeding his fighting skills.
No, Vader did not let Luke win. Think about it, Luke had Vader at his mercy at the end of the fight; Vader could have been killed if Luke had done what he and the Emperor were trying to do: make Luke snap and turn to the dark side.
Rechristened as Darth Vader, he became an agent of evil. Sidious assumed the mantle of Emperor, and Vader helped the Empire destroy the Jedi Order; without mercy, Anakin led a legion of clones into the Jedi Temple, and personally killed both fully trained Jedi and novice younglings alike.
1/15 Luke Skywalker
Having faced his father once before, Luke was familiar with his tactics and used the force to gain an upper-hand. In Star Wars Canon, only Luke Skywalker can be acknowledged as the one who truly defeated Darth Vader.
Obi-Wan Kenobi has provided context for Obi-Wan's failures as a Jedi Master. He failed Anakin by being more of a friend than a mentor. His fears and insecurities held him back, despite having obvious proof that Anakin was a danger to himself.
The answer is seeming, simple: Obi-Wan's self-imposed isolation also includes a news blackout. Not only does he not spread information about himself around, but, he also doesn't appear to take in any new information about what's going on in the galaxy.
Vader held respect for Tarkin which is clearly shown and the only case in which Tarkin outranked Vader would be the case in which Vader was in the Death Star or within Tarkin's Oversector which he likely was as Tarkin was Grand Moff of the Outer Rim Oversector, the largest one.
Erv Lekauf was a lieutenant in the Imperial Army who served as Darth Vader's personal aide for several years. On a mission to Vohai in 19 BBY, Lekauf helped Vader fight the Emperor's Hand Sa Cuis, impressing the Dark Lord with his courage and loyalty.
VS Obi-Wan Kenobi
And now that he is no longer held back by the Jedi Code, Anakin is swinging to kill. Despite Obi-Wan technically winning — he does get the high ground, after all — he and Darth Vader both lose this fight, because they lose each other.