Amidala Honor
In Return of the Jedi, Luke surrenders to Vader and after a brief conversation he is handed over to storm troopers to be searched and processed. Later, Vader escorts Luke to the Emperor. For a brief moment, they are alone in the elevator.
Luke and Vader both face the elevator doors. Luke recognizes another opportunity to talk to his father. But Luke already tried and failed to turn him to the light. Even so, he has questions for his father. But could he even trust Vader to answer truthfully? Or worse, could his questions be be seen as a vulnerability and used against him? Their time is running out anyway, and Vader is loyal to the Emperor to a fault. Still, it could be his last chance to ask though-
Vader: What?
Luke scoffs. He's not used to being around other trained Force users who can sense his turmoil. Luke calms himself, determined to ask without agenda, accepting the risks, and focusing on his burning desire to know. He turns to his Vader who is still facing the elevator doors.
Luke: What was my mother like?
Vader doesn't budge.
Luke: Did you know her well? Did you love each other?
Vader lowers his head. It had not occurred to him that his son would not even know about Padme. It makes him angry.
Vader: Another thing Obi-Wan should have-
Luke: I'm asking you.
Vader turns his head ever so slightly in Luke's direction. That was a mature response. Luke is not allowing himself to be distracted, or angered by the past. He's not a boy anymore, but a son who wants to know his mother.
It makes Vader feel unsteady; he spent so long trying forget Padme, trying to forget his previous life. But Padme doesn't deserve to be forgotten. Vader can remember how close he was to his own mother, and can sense how deeply Luke wants to know.
Luke waits for an answer and thinks Vader may refuse to tell him anything. Their time is ticking down and Luke tries another question, steeling himself for a potentially unpleasant answer.
Luke: Was she nothing to you?
Vader finally turns to meet Luke's gaze: No! [He says it with a sharpness that surprises both of them.]
Vader, more gently: No.
Luke waits for more.
Vader: ...She-
The elevator dings and Vader turns away, squaring himself to the doors, shutting down further conversation. Luke exhales his disappointment, Vader tries not to be affected by it. But Luke recovers with the speed of a doomed man who doesn't have the time to dwell on much. It's clear his father cared for his mother. It was more than he knew a moment ago. The elevator doors open to the Emperor. Luke stares at his reflection in the side of Vader's black helmet and nods in resignation. It would have to be enough. Luke steps out of the elevator to face his trial.
