So, Palpatine actually had a pretty interesting take on what would’ve happened if Yoda had gone after Vader instead of Obi-Wan. And let’s just say, he wasn’t exactly confident in his apprentice’s ability to win.
In Dark Lord - The Rise of Darth Vader, we get a glimpse into Palpatine’s thoughts on this hypothetical fight, and it’s pretty revealing. At one point, he directly confronts Vader about it, saying, “Just imagine what Yoda might have done to you.” That wasn’t just Palpatine mocking his apprentice – he genuinely believed that if Yoda had been the one to confront him on Mustafar, Vader wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Palpatine understood exactly why Obi-Wan won: his intent was clear – he went to kill Vader. If the Jedi had been as decisive as Obi-Wan from the start, things could have played out very differently. Instead, fear of the dark side had made the Jedi hesitant, easier to wipe out. But Yoda? He was different. He wasn’t just another Jedi; he was their greatest warrior, the last symbol of the old Order. And if Yoda had taken out Vader, it wouldn’t have been just a loss – it could have shaken the entire foundation of the Empire.
Palpatine built his rule on fear, on the idea that the Sith were all-powerful and the Jedi were gone for good. But if the last great Jedi Master had taken down Palpatine’s own apprentice, it would have proved otherwise. The illusion of Sith dominance would have cracked, and that was something Palpatine couldn’t afford.