I see it as Rey choosing her own identity. She may be a Palpatine by blood, but the Skywalkers were the people who guided and inspired her. It was about choice, not genetics.
I thought their connection was one of the most interesting parts of the sequel trilogy. Their bond felt complicated, and Ben's redemption arc made his final choice even more meaningful.
That's an interesting "what if." I think Vader would've become much more conflicted, and it could've changed the course of the entire original trilogy.
I would personally say both, but guilt is buried underneath. His anger keeps him going, while his guilt is what finally lets Anakin come back in the end.
That's a really cool bit of movie trivia. I honestly never noticed the difference either. It just shows how convincing the makeup, effects, and voice performance were together.
I never thought about that, but you're right. Attacking from behind seems way smarter. Han basically proved it worked, which makes the original plan look pretty questionable.