None of Star Wars makes any sense in context. From “Darth” to the whole I think I have your dad’s lightsaber stashed here somewhere thing to who Luke’s family is supposed to be and these days even Obi Wan’s weird desert hermit outfit now being official Jedi uniform, apparently or how Vader keeps getting bullied by all of the Empire’s middle management.
Honestly, that last one is the most impressive. In retrospect, Tarkin is an absolute badass that doesn’t give a crap about Vader’s whole deal. And it works. The magic space wizard that basically runs the empire and everybody is terrified of just sits there and takes it. You have to respect that.
Vader wasn’t originally planned to be Luke’s dad. One of the producers came up with it halfway through Empire.
Part of being Sith is fucking over others, even those you are “allied” with. The way to become second in command is to kill the current second in command. Tarkin is at the point in his career where killing Vader would probably be a good move if he could manage it.
Wasn’t Vader being his dad hinted at in a new hope when Luke talks to obi wan?
‘Vater’ is father in German. Make of that what you want.