Palpatine
Palpatine is one of the main characters, and chief villain, in the fictional
Star Wars universe.
Senator Palpatine
|
Before his rise to power, Palpatine was known as an unassuming Senator in the Galactic Republic |
Like
Yoda, many details regarding Palpatine's past have not been revealed in the series, making him an enigmatic character; this obscurity has been explained as due to a purge of any records concerning Palpatine's family and past when he became Emperor
[The Dark Empire Sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st edition, 1993. Horne, Michael, ISBN 0874311942].
[The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode III Revenge of the Sith, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0756611288] In the novel
Shatterpoint it is stated that he was born into a
noble family on the eleventh day of the eighth standard month, in the year 82
BBY, apparently in the capital city of Naboo,
Theed.[
1]
[Shatterpoint, 1st edition, 2003. Matthew Woodring Stover, ISBN 0345455738] As an adult, Palpatine ran for political office numerous times, suffering a string of defeats. In 52 BBY, however, he was elected sectorial senator for the Chommell sector after the former Senator,
Vidar Kim, was mysteriously
assassinated by a hit-and-run gunman.
Originally regarded as somewhat unambitious and unassuming by his peers
[The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0345449002] [Revised Core Rulebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game), 1st edition, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, Steve Sansweet, ISBN 078692876X], Senator Palpatine would surprise everyone as he became increasingly popular, cultivating friendships with respected public figures, military commanders, and even
Jedi Masters (such as
Jorus C'Baoth).
[The Essential guide to Characters (Star Wars), 1st edition, 1995. Andy Mangels, ISBN 0245395352] Palpatine wrote extensively; his scholarly notes on the nature of political power —
The Book of Anger The Weakness of Inferiors, and
The Creation of Monsters — became popular texts among
political and
military science students, his theories even taught at leading universities throughout
the galaxy.
Palpatine as Darth Sidious
|
Palpatine as Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. He contacts his minions via hologram. |
It is unknown when Palpatine first turned to the
dark side of the Force and took the
Sith name "Darth Sidious" but it apparently preceded the events of
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace by several decades.
[Revised Core Rulebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game), 1st edition, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, Steve Sansweet, ISBN 078692876X] According to the
Expanded Universe, Sidious' master was
Darth Plagueis, who was reputedly capable of manipulating
midi-chlorians to create life and avert death. Sidious killed his master in his sleep, but not before he claimed he had learned Plagueis' power
[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Novelization Novelization, 1st edition hardcover, 2005. Matthew Woodring Stover, George Lucas, ISBN 0712684271]. He had great patience and his maneuverings were as a
dejarik grandmaster moved pieces on a board.
[The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0345449002] A political
genius [Revised Core Rulebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game), 1st edition, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, Steve Sansweet, ISBN 078692876X] and self-proclaimed savior
[The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode III Revenge of the Sith, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0756611288], he methodically planned his rise to power over several decades, and would go on to accomplish the ultimate goals of the Sith Order: the complete destruction of the Jedi, and the total domination of the galaxy.
Sidious began training an apprentice,
Darth Maul, sometime before 52 BBY.
[Darth Maul (Star Wars: Episode I Journal), 2000. Jude Watson, ISBN 0613247639] Maul was taught aggression, anger and hatred toward the Jedi; Palpatine used Maul to assassinate early political enemies and expand his influence.
[Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, 1st edition, 2001. Michael Reaves, ISBN 0345435397] [Darth Maul: Saboteur, ebook, 2001. James Luceno, ISBN B00005AAMX] This eventually led to a secret alliance with the
Trade Federation, a consortium which controlled shipping throughout the backwaters of the galaxy that was large and powerful enough to be granted full representation in the Senate. The Federation used its Senate power to enforce loyalty; Palpatine would use the Trade Federation's leverage to start his rise to power.
[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Novelization, 1st edition paperback, 1999. Terry Brooks, George Lucas, ISBN 0345434110]Palpatine's chancellorship and the Liberation of Naboo
For more, see Palpatine's chancellorship and Liberation of NabooAt the beginning of
The Phantom Menace, the Senate, at Palpatine's behest, voted to levy taxes on commerce in order to raise funds for the Republic. The Trade Federation (at the urging of Palpatine/Darth Sidious)
blockaded Naboo in protest. Naboo's Queen,
Padmé Amidala, traveled to Coruscant to urge the Senate to intervene. Palpatine urged her to endure the blockade, claiming the Senate was too inefficient to take swift action. She refused to submit to the Federation, and (at the suggestion of Palpatine) called for a
vote of no confidence in Chancellor
Finis Valorum. Palpatine ensured his name was put forward as a compromise candidate to succeed Valorum, as well as the sympathy for the Naboo blockade to win the election.
When Queen Amidala made clear her intentions to return to Naboo to reclaim the planet from the Trade Federation, he made a half-hearted attempt to keep her from going. She was not to be swayed, however, and worked with the
Gungans to infiltrate the palace and defeat the Trade Federation droids.
New apprentice
After Obi-Wan killed Darth Maul during the
Battle of Naboo, Palpatine set his sights on taking another, even more powerful Force-adept:
Anakin Skywalker, a young
slave from
Tatooine whom Qui-Gon believed to be the "
Chosen One" who, according to Jedi
prophecy, was
destined to bring balance to the Force by destroying the Sith and restructuring the
Jedi Order.
The true extent of Palpatine's influence on Anakin's life remains unclear. It has been suggested that Palpatine created Anakin by manipulating the
midi-chlorians, but
film director,
producer, and
screenwriter George Lucas has said in interviews that the circumstances of Anakin's
conception were left deliberately ambiguous.
When Anakin was brought before the
Jedi Council by Qui-Gon, they initially refused to allow him to be trained, because they sensed a dark cloud surrounding the boy's future. However, he was allowed to remain the Jedi Master's ward. When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan returned to Naboo, Sidious ordered Darth Maul to destroy them. Maul killed Qui-Gon, but was killed by Obi-Wan, which deprived Sidious of an apprentice. Qui-Gon's dying wish was that young Anakin be made a Jedi, a wish which the Jedi Council was unwilling to deny their fallen hero. Obi-Wan thus became Anakin's mentor despite the Council's concerns, and Anakin was put on the path to becoming a Jedi Knight. After the Battle of Naboo, with Anakin having proved himself strong in the Force, Palpatine took an immediate interest in the boy.
[Vader: The Ultimate Guide, 2005.] [Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones Novelization, 2003. R. A. Salvatore, ISBN 034542882X] [Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith Novelization, 1st edition hardcover, 2005. Matthew Woodring Stover, George Lucas, ISBN 0712684271]At about the time of the Battle of Naboo, he took as his new apprentice a disaffected Jedi Master named
Count Dooku. Dooku had resigned from the Order in disgust when it ignored his warnings about the threat posed by the Sith. Palpatine (as Sidious) approached and persuaded him that the Republic was collapsing under its own weight, and promised to teach him about the dark side and how to use it to remake the galaxy in their image. Dooku eventually took on the name Darth Tyranus. Although Dooku had grand plans for a future Galactic Empire, Palpatine only intended him to be a placeholder for Anakin Skywalker.
[Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones Novelization, 2003. R. A. Salvatore, ISBN 034542882X]Clone Wars
Palpatine secretly dispatched the little-known Jedi Master
Sifo-Dyas, an associate of Dooku's, to the planet
Kamino to order an army of
clone troopers. As a test of loyalty, Darth Sidious ordered Tyranus to murder Sifo-Dyas and take over the clone project. As Count Dooku, he slowly assembled and led the
Confederacy of Independent Systems, which drew support from thousands of systems and became a threat to the Republic.
After the Jedi discovered a secret droid army on
Geonosis in
22 BBY, it was clear Dooku and the Separatists were not interested in peace. Palpatine claimed he lacked the authority to activate the Republic's new clone army, and had several of his supporters in the Senate make a motion to confer absolute authority on him to deal with the Separatist threat. Feigning sorrow at this undemocratic turn of events, he promised to return his
emergency powers once the threat passed. While advocating more power for the Chancellor as Palpatine, he secretly advised the Separatists as Sidious, propping up their war effort by funneling them information and materials.
At about this time, Palpatine renewed his friendship with Anakin, now an angry, headstrong teenager chafing under Kenobi's stern tutelage. Sensing Anakin's insecurity and impatient desire for power, Palpatine fed the young Padawan's fragile
ego, telling him he would one day be the greatest Jedi in the galaxy. Over the next three years, he would become like a father to Anakin, soothing his greatest fears while subtly undermining his belief in the Jedi Code.
As shown in the animated series
Star Wars: Clone Wars, the novel
Labyrinth of Evil and
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith,
General Grievous, the Supreme Commander of the Separatist Army, kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine under the command of his
alter ego, Darth Sidious, shortly before the end of the Clone Wars.
[Labyrinth of Evil, 1st edition hardcover, Jan 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0345475720] Obi-Wan and Anakin returned from the Outer Rim sieges to rescue the Chancellor and stop Grievous from escaping in the
Battle of Coruscant. There, Anakin killed Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus at Palpatine's urgings, leaving Darth Sidious without an apprentice and the Separatists without a political leader. Grievous took the helm to some extent, reporting directly to Sidious, but soon died at Obi-Wan Kenobi's hands.
By the time of
Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine had acquired enough power that he could take virtually any action without Senate approval (though he had an overwhelming majority in the Senate in any case). This made him a virtual
dictator. As a result, a small but influential group of Senators grew increasingly concerned that Palpatine would not return his emergency powers when the Separatist threat passed. This group included Padmé,
Bail Organa of Alderaan and
Mon Mothma of Chandrila.
Soon after his rescue, the Senate gave Palpatine — who again feigned reluctance — personal control over the Jedi Council and their clone army. Palpatine appointed Anakin Skywalker, by now a full-fledged Jedi, as his personal representative on the Council. The Council grudgingly accepted the decision, but denied Anakin the rank of Master. Palpatine used the appointment to manipulate Anakin's resentment of the Council and his desire for power. He also learned that Anakin was having visions of Padmé, now his wife and
pregnant, dying during
childbirth, and
played to those fears to gain Anakin's trust.
Palpatine soon revealed to Anakin that he was, in fact, Darth Sidious. He encouraged Anakin to become his new apprentice and promised him power over life and death — including the power to save Padmé. Disillusioned, Anakin reported Palpatine's true identity to Jedi Master
Mace Windu, who assembled a team of Jedi Masters to arrest him. When they arrived, Palpatine revealed his
lightsaber for the first time to defend himself. He displayed a surprising amount of skill with a lightsaber and quickly dispatched all but Windu. The Sith Lord and the Jedi Master dueled until Palpatine seemingly hesitated, giving Windu the chance to finish the battle — when, suddenly, Anakin burst into the office, imploring that Palpatine be spared. Palpatine used the distraction to fire
Force lightning at Windu, but the Jedi used his lightsaber to reflect the lightning back to its source, which twisted and transformed Palpatine's face into a wizened mask of
corpse-gray skin. Anakin pleaded for Palpatine's life out of
guilt for killing the unarmed Dooku as well as fear of losing his last chance to save his wife. However, Windu insisted that he should kill Palpatine himself rather than arrest him, as he controlled the Senate and the courts, making a fair trial impossible.
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Palpatine, his identity as the Sith Lord exposed, duels the assembled Jedi in his private quarters |
As Windu prepared to execute a killing blow, Anakin came to Palpatine's defense, severing Windu's saber hand. Palpatine then surged to action, blasting Windu with Force lightning and hurling him out the window to his death. Anakin then pledged his allegiance to Palpatine, becoming his new apprentice:
Darth Vader.
Palpatine used his newly deformed face as enough evidence of an assassination attempt by the Jedi. He declared
martial law and issued
Order 66, which directed the clone troopers to kill their Jedi generals. He sent Darth Vader and his legion of clones (the 501st) to kill everyone in the
Jedi Temple. Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi were two of the few survivors.
Palpatine becomes Emperor
Palpatine declared the Clone Wars over, but then used the Jedi Rebellion to convince the Senate to support a "reorganization" of the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire. He did not reveal his Sith identity to the Senate or the public, though from this point onward he wore his Sith robes in all his appearances on-screen. Certain personnel knew of his dual-identity, such as the various
Dark Jedi and
dark side adepts, close aides like
Mas Amedda or
Sly Moore and members of the Imperial Privy Council and other high-ranking Imperial servicemen.
[The Dark Empire Sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st edition, 1993. Horne, Michael, ISBN 0874311942] [The Annotated Screenplays, softcover, 1997. George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, Laurent Bouzereau, ISBN 0345409817] [The Essential Chronology (Star Wars), 1st edition, 2000. Kevin J. Anderson, Daniel Wallace, Bill Hughes, ISBN 0345434390] [Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Novelization Novelization, 1st edition hardcover, 2005. Matthew Woodring Stover, George Lucas, ISBN 0712684271] [The Essential guide to Characters (Star Wars), 1st edition, 1995. Andy Mangels, ISBN 0245395352] [The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0345449002] [Rebellion Era Sourcebook, 1st edition, 2001. Bill Slavicsek, ISBN 0786918373] [ Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith The Visual Dictionary, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0756611288]Palpatine, who had earlier sent the remaining Separatist leaders into hiding on
Mustafar, sent Vader to the planet to kill them and end the Clone Wars. Obi-Wan Kenobi dueled with Vader there, while
Yoda confronted Palpatine on Coruscant in a last-ditch attempt to take back the Republic.
 |
Emperor Palpatine duels with Yoda in the Senate chamber |
During a long and intense battle with Sidious in the Senate Rotunda, Yoda was unable to defeat the Dark Lord, so he retreated, going into hiding on the swamp planet of
Dagobah. On Mustafar, Vader did not fare as well as his master; after
Force-choking Padmé in a jealous rage, he lost an arm and both legs and sustained near-fatal
third-degree burns and
lung and throat damage in his duel with Obi-Wan. Palpatine brought what was left of Vader's body back to Coruscant and placed it in a black armored suit with extensive
life support systems. Once Vader regained
consciousness, Palpatine told him that the Force-choke had killed her (Padmé had in fact died because she lost the will to live after delivering healthy twins,
Luke and
Leia.) As intended, this broke what remained of Anakin Skywalker's spirit and bound him to the Empire's service.
With his new Empire inaugurated, Palpatine became a
despot determined to bend the galaxy to his
will. To that end, he embraced a sweeping policy of
state terrorism to cow his opposition. This policy became known as the
Tarkin Doctrine, explained by its namesake,
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, as "rule through the fear of force rather than force itself."
[The Annotated Screenplays, softcover, 1997. George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, Laurent Bouzereau, ISBN 0345409817] This doctrine was exemplified in one of his most powerful weapons: the
Death Star, a moon-sized battle station with a
laser so powerful it could destroy a planet. Palpatine had manipulated the Geonosians into developing the early technical designs of this weapon for him through his late apprentice, Count Dooku. Palpatine later assigned Tarkin, a ruthless Imperial officer, to supervise the further development of the weapon at Tarkin's secure
Maw Installation.
[Jedi Search, 1994. Kevin J. Anderson, ISBN 05532979788] Palpatine ruled the galaxy from his throne on Coruscant (now renamed Imperial Center), with Vader as his right-hand man; his empire was run by the sector and Grand Moffs and supported by an array of agencies and special organizations, ranging from
COMPNOR to
Imperial Intelligence to the
Imperial Starfleet as well as dark side adepts such as the
Emperor's Hands. In
0 BBY, in which
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope takes place, the Emperor dissolved the Senate, thus erasing the last institutional remnants of the Galactic Republic, and formally gave their authority to the
Moffs.
[The Annotated Screenplays, softcover, 1997. George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, Laurent Bouzereau, ISBN 0345409817]=
|
Palpatine conversing with Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back (2004 DVD edition) |
To demonstrate the Death Star's might, Tarkin destroyed the
Core world of
Alderaan, from which
Leia Organa was working for the
Rebel Alliance. Shortly after the destruction of Alderaan, the Death Star itself was destroyed by the
Rebel Alliance in the
Battle of Yavin.
Three years later, in
Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, Palpatine told Darth Vader that his son
Luke Skywalker was actually alive and was the Rebel pilot responsible for the destruction of the Death Star. He was now trained in the Force and becoming a great threat to the Sith lords in command of the Empire. Vader convinced Palpatine that it would be beneficial for both of them if Luke was converted to the dark side. (In actuality, Vader had already discovered that his son was alive several months prior and had been actively searching for him, hoping to use Luke to help him overthrow his master. However, Palpatine knew of Vader's plan and intended for Luke to kill Vader and become his new apprentice.) Vader lured Luke to
Cloud City, where they fought an emotional lightsaber duel in which Vader revealed his true identity, and offered to form an alliance with his son: together, they could kill the Emperor and rule the galaxy. In the end, however, Vader was unable to turn Luke to the dark side.
Fall of the Empire
|
By the time of the Battle of Endor, Palpatine planned to sacrifice Vader and replace him with Luke Skywalker as his apprentice |
The following year, in
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Palpatine ordered the construction of a new Death Star and crafted a trap meant to destroy the Rebellion once and for all. Following the suggestion of
Prince Xizor, Palpatine allowed Rebel
spies, through the
Bothan Spynet, to learn of the Death Star's location and planted
disinformation which suggested the Death Star was not yet operational. The Rebels took the bait and planned to attack the station with all of their resources.
Meanwhile, Vader continued to push his quest to lure Luke Skywalker to the dark side. While Palpatine was concerned that Vader's contact with Luke had seemingly awakened something of a
conscience within him, he agreed to the idea. Luke, convinced that his father could be
redeemed, allowed himself to be captured on Endor and brought to the Death Star. There, Palpatine manipulated him into battling Vader so that he could inherit his father's place at the Emperor's side. Luke resisted at first, but was soon driven to attack Vader with full fury when the Dark Lord realized that his son had a sister he could corrupt instead. Although he nearly killed Vader, severing his right hand, Luke controlled his anger at the last minute; realizing that he was dangerously close to suffering his father's fate, he discarded his lightsaber and proudly turned to face the Emperor, stating: "I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
Seeing that Luke had become a lost cause, Palpatine attacked him with Force lightning. Vader's horror at seeing his son in pain was enough to break Palpatine's hold over him. Vader seized his master from behind and cast him into a reactor shaft, incurring fatal wounds in the process from Palpatine's lightning. The Emperor was incinerated upon collision, in an explosive blaze that engulfed the surrounding area. Redeemed, Anakin Skywalker died peacefully in his son's arms moments later. The Rebellion, meanwhile, overcame the Imperial Garrison and destroyed the battle station, effectively defeating the Empire.
Fall of the Republic and Galactic Empire periods
Palpatine appears very frequently in the Expanded Universe material which covers the prequel era. In the novel
Cloak of Deception, a prequel to
The Phantom Menace, he set up his bid for the Chancellorship by discrediting Chancellor Valorum, and had chosen to stay in politics after Naboo's accepted retiring age of 20, suggesting that he started politics as a child like Padmé Amidala did. In the comic
Star Wars Republic, it is hinted that he is behind the
abdication and murder of Naboo's
King Veruna, and the assassination of his predecessor, Valorum. In the various
Clone Wars stories, he took an increasingly active interest in Anakin Skywalker's development into a Jedi.
Palpatine plays a major role in
Shadows of the Empire, where Prince Xizor attempted to discredit Darth Vader through a plot to kill Luke Skywalker and replace Vader as the Emperor's second in command. Vader, who was obsessed with the idea of turning his son to the dark side rather than killing him, ultimately killed Xizor. Eventually, it is revealed that Palpatine knew of Xizor's treachery and implied that he would have disposed of him later if Vader had not.
[Shadows of the Empire, 1st printing paperback, 1996. Steve Perry, ISBN 0553574132]In the
computer game TIE Fighter, Palpatine was kidnapped by
Grand Admiral Zaarin in an attempted
coup d'état but was rescued by General
Maarek Stele, one of the "Emperor's Hand"
secret agents.
Dark Empire
 |
The resurrected Emperor Palpatine, as depicted in Star Wars: Dark Empire |
In the
Dark Empire series of comics, Palpatine returned shortly after the
Thrawn crisis, as "The Emperor Reborn" or "Palpatine the Undying." After his spirit was returned from the netherworld of the Force by the Dark Lord
ghosts of
Korriban, Palpatine took possession of the body of the
Emperor's Hand Jeng Droga on the planet Kaal. Droga fled to the Emperor's secret stronghold on the Deep Core planet of Byss,
Sate Pestage exorcised Palpatine's spirit and channeled it into a
clone of himself. (Palpatine claimed to have been cloning himself ever since his first "death," which he said was even before the
Battle of Endor; although Star Wars Database administrator Leland Chee has disavowed this claim.)
Resurrected, Palpatine planned to replace the Galactic Empire with a "Dark Empire," a
universe-spanning
magocracy ruled through the dark side of the Force alone, without the need for
superweapons and technological domination. Byss was modeled on this concept, serving as the Emperor's vision of a
utopian society; it was initially inspired by the planet
Thule, where the Prophets had set up an entire world solely to serve them and maintain their temples.
Palpatine attempted to take back control of the galaxy, and believed that he had converted Luke Skywalker to the dark side. Luke, however, was secretly working against him, and
sabotaged Palpatine's battle plans (
see Battle of Mon Calamari). He also managed to destroy most of Palpatine's cloning tanks, thus jeopardizing his
immortality. Yet Palpatine's last remaining clone defeated Luke in a lightsaber duel. In a final confrontation on his new flagship
Eclipse, Palpatine was defeated by Luke and his twin sister, Leia. The Skywalkers' use of Force Harmony cut Palpatine off from the Force Storm he had created, and it consumed both him and his ship.
During Palpatine's second return, the Empire was ruled by a cadre of
Dark Jedi under the guidance of
Operation Shadow Hand. Without Palpatine, however, loyalty proved elusive once again, and two Dark Side Adepts attempted to finish the job started by Master Skywalker and eliminate the remainder of Palpatine's clones. They were foiled by
Sedriss, Vader's successor as Military Executor, and Emperor Palpatine was reborn.
[Dark Empire II, trade paperback, 1st edition, 1995, Tom Veitch, ISBN 1569711194] Palpatine used
Umak Leth's
Galaxy Gun to coerce systems into accepting Imperial rule. With this strategy, he seemed on the verge of restoring the Galactic Empire to its former glory. Despite the impotence of the Rebel Alliance, internal affairs stalled Palpatine's progress. A traitorous
Imperial Sovereign Protector,
Carnor Jax, allied with the
Emperor's Hand Sarcev Quest and the Imperial Ruling Council,
bribed Palpatine's head cloning supervisor to tamper with all of Palpatine's stored
DNA samples.
[Crimson Empire, trade paperback, 1st printing, 1998. Mike Richardson et al, ISBN 1569713553] [Star Wars Gamer 5: "The Emperor's Pawns"]Palpatine's last cloned body deteriorated at an alarming rate due to the sabotage by his traitorous agents, and he began to fall victim to the ravaging dark side energies at his command. Aware of the
genetic corruption of his clone supply, he ventured to the ancient Sith burial world of Korriban to seek the wisdom of Dark Lords past. The Sith spirits informed Palpatine that the only way to survive would be to inhabit the body of the infant
Anakin Solo, the son of
Han Solo and Princess Leia, and Vader's grandchild.
[Empire's End, trade paperback, 1997. Tom Vietch, ISBN 1569713065]Taking his new flagship,
Eclipse II, with him to the baby's sanctuary on the Jedi stronghold planet
Onderon, Palpatine landed and slipped by security using his mastery of the Force. When he arrived at where the baby was being held, Luke and his fledgling Jedi Order confronted him, but Palpatine easily dispatched all but Luke. Unexpectedly, an enraged Han Solo shot Palpatine in the back while he was distracted. Palpatine's spirit made one last lunge for the baby, but was intercepted by an ailing
Empatojayos Brand. Brand used all of his remaining strength to keep Palpatine's spirit from escaping. When he died, he took Palpatine's essence with him. After so many years of conflict and bloodshed, Palpatine was finally and truly dead.
Family
The
Barbara Hambly novels first deal with Palpatine's family at any length, although the initial claims by
Roganda Ismaren in
Children of the Jedi that Palpatine fathered a son with her were later proven false.
In the
Jedi Prince series, an insane three-eyed
mutant named
Triclops was said to be Palpatine's true son, and the Jedi Prince
Ken his grandson. In the series, Triclops is impersonated by another mutant,
Trioculus, who intends to use Triclops' paternity as a stepping-stone to the Imperial throne.
Trioculus, Triclops, and Ken were all heavily involved in a plot masterminded by a group of
con artists posing as the shadowy
Prophets of the Dark Side to wrest Imperial authority away from
Imperial Intelligence Director
Ysanne Isard. Following the false Prophets' defeat, Triclops and Ken disappeared, though some speculate that Ken was one of the first to attend Luke Skywalker's
Jedi Academy on
Yavin 4.
[Mission from Mount Yoda, 1993. Paul Davids, Hollace Davids, ISBN 0553158902 ]There is some ambiguity regarding the true origins of Triclops and Ken, as all accounts of Palpatine fathering offspring have been discounted.
Though all information on Palpatine's family history was purged from the Naboo archives, some family members remained active in galactic politics. Besides Triclops and Ken, his known relatives included his grandniece Ederlaath Pallopides (mentioned in
The Dark Empire Sourcebook), and his third cousin, Voplau (mentioned in the
comic book Boba Fett #1/2: "Salvage"); Palpatine's relatives apparently prospered from their association with him, since they were occasionally spoken of as wealthy and powerful.
[Children of the Jedi, 1st edition paperback, 1995. Barbara Hambly. ISBN 0553572938] Several years after Palpatine's death at Endor, a peace initiative was secretly arranged by Imperial Admiral
Betl Oxtroe, to be negotiated between the New Republic and the Empire, whereby Pallopides would be crowned as a ceremonial Empress. A
constitutional monarchy would be created with the New Republic's Provisional Council replacing the Imperial Advisors, making them the effective power in the new government. The plan collapsed when Admiral Oxtroe was assassinated, possibly by
Noghri. The assassination was implied to have been conducted by agents of Palpatine working to pave the way for his return depicted in
Dark Empire.
[The Dark Empire Sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st edition, 1993. Horne, Michael, ISBN 0874311942]Dark Jedi
The Expanded Universe also revealed that Palpatine trained a number of Dark Jedi agents, many of which were held in reserve on Byss and played a role in Operation Shadow Hand after he died at Endor. Additionally, the Emperor had several
secret agents known as "Emperor's Hands," notable examples being Mara Jade and Shira Brie (who later became
Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith). Each agent was under the delusion that he or she performed a unique role as the only Emperor's Hand. There was also the
Inquisitorius, a small and secretive but powerful and resented branch of
Imperial Intelligence composed of Dark Jedi who assisted Darth Vader in hunting down surviving Jedi, and the Emperor's "
Secret Order of the Prophets of the Dark Side", a shadowy organization of dark side mages who foretold the future and quietly served throughout the galaxy as the Emperor's hands, eyes, voice, and reach. Several dark side adepts served in administrative positions in the Empire. One of them,
Sarcev Quest, would even serve on the Imperial Council, and one of the original 12
Grand Admirals,
Nial Declann, was trained in the dark side. Even the members of the
Emperor's Royal Guard were all trained in rudimentary Force skills, although the Sovereign Protectors were the most trusted.
More than other characters in the series, Palpatine is portrayed as a master of politicising, plotting and deception, aided by his incredible foresight and a deep understanding and strength in the Force.
As strong as Palpatine's subtler skills were, he was equally talented in the more physical aspects of the Force. He was a master of Force Lightning and a master of
Form IV (Ataru) and
Form VII (Juyo)
lightsaber combat. His mastery of both forms during any given duel made him a virtually impossible adversary to overcome; he even equaled Grand Master Yoda in swordsmanship. He was never seen publicly with a lightsaber during his reign; it was not until he had entered a new body, young and well-conditioned, that the Emperor would once again be seen wielding a lightsaber against a foe: Luke Skywalker, an opponent who proved himself to be as potent as Yoda at the height of his power and skill.
While it is unknown the amount of midi-chlorians Palpatine possessed, it was undoubtedly incredibly high, and around the same range as Yoda's own midi-chlorian count which was second only to Anakin Skywalker's. According to the
Star Wars Databank, Yoda and Palpatine were "the most powerful practitioners of the Force's light and dark sides."
[Yoda, The Movies, at the Star Wars Databank.]Although first mentioned in
A New Hope, Palpatine did not actually make an appearance until
The Empire Strikes Back, where he appeared as a
holographic image. Originally, this hooded image was played by an unnamed actress with superimposed
chimpanzee eyes, and was voiced by actor
Clive Revill. Palpatine was played by
Ian McDiarmid in all of the subsequent films, beginning with
Return of the Jedi. In the 2004
DVD release of
The Empire Strikes Back, newly shot footage of Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine replaced the original footage.
Lucas has cited historical figures such as
Adolf Hitler,
Richard Nixon,
Napoleon,
Julius Caesar Octavian and even
Abraham Lincoln as influences for his characterization of Palpatine. The name itself is a combination of
Palatine Hill (the
Roman Empire's seat of government), and Roman emperors
Cataline and
Constantine the Great. Comparisons between Palpatine and
George W. Bush were so popular following the release of
Revenge of the Sith that one film critic referred to the latter as "Darth Dubyous." Lucas has denied that Bush was a direct influence for the character.
Literary
In a
January 24,
2002 Star Wars Insider interview, McDiarmid compared Palpatine's character to that of
Shakespeare's
Iago, the villain in the play
Othello:
"Everything he does is an act of pure hypocrisy, and that's interesting to play. I suppose it's rather like playing Iago. All the characters in the play — including Othello until the end — think that 'Honest Iago' is a decent guy doing his job, and he's quite liked. But at the same time there's a tremendous evil subconscious in operation. There's a moment in one scene of the new film where tears almost appear in his eye. These are crocodile tears, but for all those in the movie, and perhaps watching the movie itself, they'll see he is apparently moved — and of course, he is. He can just do it. He can, as it were, turn it on. And I suppose for him, it's also a bit of a turnon; the pure exercise of power is what he's all about. That's the only thing he's interested in and the only thing that can satisfy him, which makes him completely fascinating to play, because it is an evil soul. He is more evil than the devil. At least Satan fell; he has a history, and it's one of revenge."As Senator of Naboo and Chancellor of the Republic, Palpatine appeared as an unassuming old man with elegant robes. During his duel with Mace Windu, he was hit with his own Force lightning, after which he was left deformed with a grayed, sagging face with burning yellow eyes. However, the true cause of Palpatine's change in appearance has been the subject of much debate among
Star Wars fans.
When
Revenge of the Sith was first released, many fans took this scene at face value, assuming the lightning simply melted and scarred Palpatine's body. Others theorized that Palpatine's changed appearance was not the result of physical injury, but was his true face revealed, previously hidden by an illusion or "mask" of one form or another. All of this speculation is prompted by the fact that in Episode VI Luke Skywalker's appearance is not affected by Palpatine's lightning at all.
Various official and semiofficial sources often seemed to contradict each other on which theory was correct. The official
Star Wars Databank article and Lucasfilm representative Pablo Hidalgo stated that Palpatine's change in appearance was directly a result of being scarred by Force lightning and nothing more. On the other hand, the novelization of
Revenge of the Sith and various quotes from McDiarmid have referred to Palpatine's face prior to his fight with Windu as being a mask (although "the mask" could be a
metaphor for Palpatine's benevolent public persona), and the
short story "Sithisis" in
Star Wars: Visionaries directly shows Palpatine using a Sith ritual to cast this illusion over himself.
The
Episode III Visual Dictionary claims that both theories are partially true, stating that some of Palpatine's deformities (presumably those that seem characteristic of concentrated burn wounds, such as melted skin and facial indentations) were caused by the lightning itself, while other supposed deformities (presumably those that couldn't be caused by this injury, such as Sith yellowed eyes, grayed skin, unnaturally excessive wrinkling, raw eye sockets, and elongated and blackened fingernails) were aspects of Palpatine's true appearance being revealed.
Palpatine inspired many references and
parodies in other movies, television shows, and comic books. They include:
Batman Beyond (TV series): One episode features a
cult leader claiming to be from another planet who seems to be an exact carbon copy of Palpatine; he wears black robes and a hood over a pale and skeletal face, and at one point shoots lightning from his hands at
Batman in exactly the same manner as Palpatine electrocutes Luke in
Return of the Jedi. At the end of the episode it is revealed that the cult leader was only able to shoot lightning due to a
cybernetic suit he was wearing underneath his cloak.
The Simpsons (TV series):
Montgomery Burns shares some characteristics similar to Palpatine: a wizened appearance, propensity for evil, and a desire for greater power. When something pleases him, he says "Excellent" in an evil tone similar to Palpatine's voice. In some episodes, the "
Imperial March" from
Star Wars can be heard playing when Montgomery Burns makes an appearance, and Stormtroopers can be seen working for him. In an episode parodying
Return of the Jedi,
Homer Simpson picks Mr. Burns up from behind and throws him off a ledge.
*He appears in the
Family Guy episode "
The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire", urging
Cleveland Brown to embrace the dark side and kill
Glen Quagmire. However, he is easily defeated by
Lois Griffin.
*In the "
Deacon Stan, Jesus Man" episode of
American Dad!, Stan Smith enlists the help of
Karl Rove, who is drawn to resemble Palpatine. Perhaps inspired by the episode,
Jon Stewart in an episode of
The Daily Show "accidentally" refers to Rove as Emperor Palpatine.
*In an episode of
Robot Chicken Palpatine appears in his office when he gets the bad news about the Death Star. His line "What the hell is an Aluminum Falcon?" has become a meme on its own.
*In an episode of
X-play, Palpatine is seen in a sketch looking for a job after the fall of the Empire.
*Several programs and websites, inlcuding
The Daily Show, have compared
Pope Benedict XVI to Palpatine.
*In The Passion of the Christ, Satan's male image somewhat resembles Emperor Palpatine.
In a recent interview, McDiarmid commented on this complex character:
"He has a black, irredeemable heart. There's nothing that can be said about him that's good. When we first saw Vader in the original trilogy we thought he was the heart of darkness, and nobody could be darker. But now we understand what happened to him. And one of the exciting things about seeing this movie is that you can follow Vader through Anakin's journey every step of the way even if you don't agree with the choices he's making. In part his decisions stem from his traumatic childhood, and his impatient lust for power. And it's that which my character takes and then uses against him."'' – Homing Beacon/STARWARS.com
Wookieepedia sums him up thus:
He was at first the beneficiary of a plot formed long before he had first drawn breath, an agent provocateur whose subtlety and manipulative nature allowed him to succeed where his progenitors had failed. In mirror image of his dual identities as both Palpatine and Sidious, he was a pleasant facade concealing a cold core. He had close friends, and yet had no friends at all. He was a man who claimed to be able to save the ailing Republic from its demons, and who was later laid bare as the most terrifying of all its demons. He was both a believer in the principles of the Sith, and a believer in no principle at all, save what he decided would benefit him and him alone. He was both a man of faith and a man of no faith, who strongly believed in the Force and yet viewed it as nothing more than a source of power for his taking. He was, in his way, both an idealist and a cynic." -"
Conclusions"
*
Palpatine.org - Palpatine: Architect of Fate
*
Holocron entry giving Palpatine's birth date *
Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Life and Times of Palpatine the Undying *
Essence of Darkness - The Palpatine/Sidious Shrine
