Palpatine

Template:SW character Palpatine (82 BBY – 4 ABY, spirit incapacitated 11 ABY), often referred to as the Emperor or Emperor Palpatine by characters and fans, is one of the main characters in the fictional Star Wars universe, and is the primary antagonist of the six films. Template:Spoiler Palpatine is also known as Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord of great cunning and power whose goal was to rule the entire galaxy. To this end, he gradually orchestrated the collapse of the Galactic Republic and transformed it into a dictatorship known as the Galactic Empire, with himself as its Emperor. Throughout his lifetime, his styles of address have been:

• His Grace Senator Palpatine of the Sovereign System of Naboo and Member of the Galactic Senate
• His Excellency Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic, Leader of the Galactic Senate.
• His Imperial Majesty Emperor Palpatine of the Galactic Empire, Leader of the Imperial Senate.
• Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith.

Biography

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, 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 . 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] He attended the very prestigious University of Cherilas on the planet Cherilas, though it is unknown what he studied. 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; whether Palpatine was involved is unknown.

Originally regarded as somewhat unambitious and unassuming by his peers , 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). Palpatine wrote extensively; his scholarly notes on power became popular texts among political and military science students, his theories even taught at leading universities throughout the galaxy.

Palpatine as Darth Sidious

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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 predated the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace by several decades. 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 murdered his master in his sleep, but not before he claimed he had learned Plagueis' power. . This opens the possibility that Sidious is much older than he appears - his intimate understanding of the politics of the Republic and the psychology of its major political figures (including the Jedi), combined with the sheer complexity and scope of the scheme that brought him to power, and the depth of his understanding of the Force; make it extremely unlikely that Palpatine's stated birthdate is accurate. It is speculated that he may have been centuries old. He had great patience and his maneuverings were as a dejarik grandmaster moved pieces on a board. A genius and self-proclaimed savior , he methodically planned his rise to power over several decades, and would go on to accomplish the ultimate goals of the Sith Order: the nigh-complete destruction of the Jedi, and the total domination of the galaxy.

Sidious began training an apprentice, Darth Maul, sometime before 52 BBY. Maul was taught aggression, anger and hatred toward the Jedi; Palpatine used Maul to assassinate early political enemies and expand his influence. 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.

Palpatine's chancellorship and the Liberation of Naboo

For more, see Palpatine's chancellorship and Liberation of Naboo

At Palpatine's behest, the Senate had 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, and used 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. In the original script for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine does actually say that he created Anakin, but this was deleted.

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.

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 that a new order was needed to turn the galaxy into an egalitarian paradise. In exchange for Dooku's service, Sidious 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.

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. 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.

Great Jedi Purge begins

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Palpatine manipulates Anakin Skywalker.

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.

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.

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Emperor Palpatine duels with Yoda in the Senate chamber.

During a long and intense battle with Sidious in the Senate Rotunda, Yoda realised he was unable to defeat the Dark Lord and the arriving stormtroopers 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 in childbirth 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 name, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, as "rule through the fear of force rather than force itself." 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.

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, the Emperor dissolved the Senate, thus erasing the last institutional remnants of the Galactic Republic, and formally gave their authority to the Moffs.

Galactic Civil War

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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

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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, 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.

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

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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 his last remaining clone bested him in a lightsaber duel. In a final confrontation on his new flagship Eclipse, Palpatine was defeated again 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.

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.

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.

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, Emperor Palpatine has disappeared from the galaxy.

Family

The Barbara Hambly novels first deal with Palpatine's family at any length, although the initial suggestions that Palpatine fathered a son with another of his Force-sensitive female agents, Roganda Ismaren, were later discounted as the stories were non-canon.

In the Jedi Prince series (a non-canon work), an insane three-eyed mutant named Triclops is revealed 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. There is some ambiguity regarding his true origins, 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.

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.

Abilities

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Palpatine unleashing Force lightning.

Palpatine was recognized most notably for his supreme mastery of politicising, plotting and humble appearance, his incredible foresight and a deep understanding and strength in the Force. This was demonstrated through his ability to lift large objects with the Force and to create extremely powerful Force lightning which even Master Yoda himself had difficulties resisting.

As strong as his subtler skills were, he was equally talented in the more physical aspects of the Force. Palpatine was 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 rivaled Yoda as the greatest swordsman in the galaxy. 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 as potent as Windu and Yoda.

While it is unknown the amount of midi-chlorians Palpatine possessed, it was undoubtedly incredibly high.

Portrayal

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.

Historic references

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 in Rome,Catine and Constantine the Great. McDiarmid has said he based his portrayal of the character on Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein. Comidian Joh\n Stewart wrote in his book America that George W. Bush is also reference for the prequel citing "IF you are not with me. You are my ememy!" line from Revenge of the Sith. Bush said "You are either with us or with the Terrorist!" 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."

Palpatine's name

His Sith name, "Darth Sidious," with its root name "Sidious" almost certainly comes from "insidious," a word which with its connotations of "treacherous, cunning, and seductive" aptly summarizes his career as a Republic politician, who, unsuspected, rose to the pinnacle of power and exploited it.

The name Palpatine originated in the novelization of Episode IV, in which the name is given as that of the former Senator who rose to power. It is possible that it comes from the word "palpable," a word which means "capable of being touched or felt" or "easily perceptible." It is the alter ego of Darth Sidious, whose true identity is only revealed to a few people. Palpatine is the one that is seen by and interacts with the public. The name "Emperor Palpatine" was commonly used in many Star Wars references after the release of the original trilogy.

Palpatine's full name, assuming he has any names other than "Palpatine" alone, has never been revealed. The usage "Emperor Palpatine" suggests that Palpatine is his forename, though the use of titles such as "Senator Palpatine" suggests it may be his family name. Of course, Palpatine might be a Name of State, as the name Amidala is, so it may mean that neither Palpatine's given nor family name is known.

Some Star Wars fan fiction writers have adopted the name "Rivus Palpatine," which is believed to be an anagram of "virus." However, the original version of Palpatine in Lucas' early scripts was named "Cos Dashit" and enough Star Wars fan fiction writers have adopted the name "Cos Palpatine" in their stories and web pages that it has become fanon.

The name Palpatine is believed by many to have come from the film Taxi Driver, in which there is a politician named Palantine. Lucas' film school friends Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese wrote and directed the film, respectively, and Lucas' ex-wife Marcia was the editor. This reference was lent some credibility by Episode III, in which Palpatine conceals a lightsaber in his sleeve in the same manner that Travis Bickle conceals his gun.

Debate over Palpatine's appearance

As Senator of Naboo and Chancellor of the Republic, Palpatine appeared as an unassuming old man with elegant robes. During the fight in which he and a confused Anakin Skywalker overcame 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.

In popular culture

Palpatine inspired many references and parodies in other movies, television shows, and comic books. They include:

• Dark Knight (TV series): The Master of Templars looks exactly like Palpatine.
• 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.

Commentaries

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 as a ruler

The Emperor's rule was unique in galactic history; while the centralization and utter dependence on Palpatine was not unprecedented (in its time, the empire of Xim the Despot was as powerful, and collapsed even more rapidly than did the Empire after Xim's death at the Third Battle of Vontor), the all-embracing reach, the heights of dark side power and pre-eminence of the Sith, and the military developments reached during Palpatine's era were. Equally unprecedented was the destruction of the Jedi Order, and the very reign of Palpatine himself was of a length far surpassing the normal human span.

His rule to most observers was brutal: Palpatine "judged the universe on his own terms, with a clear sense of right and wrong" and "looked to no other guide than himself"

Palpatine had little trouble ordering massacres, such as the incineration of Caamas, the systematic extermination of the Jedi, or killing millions of Coruscanti when the Super Star Destroyer Lusankya was buried in the surface of Coruscant to serve as an escape vehicle (an illuminating example of how Palpatine sought to outdo all previous Sith and Jedi; where the Sith Lord Naga Sadow was content to bury a Sith Battleship on the deserted surface of Yavin 4, Palpatine buried an entire kilometers-long Super Star Destroyer on the most inhabited planet in the galaxy). Neither did he lose any sleep over the massacres his various lieutenants might engage in. Indeed, he even condoned them with the endorsement of the Tarkin Doctrine as official policy.

Elaborate titles and hierarchies were a common feature of Palpatine's Empire. The emphasis on promotion served to spur competition, harden and strengthen the competitors, distract them from the system they were competing in and thus propping up its leader. Indeed, there are distinct resemblances between how the Emperor cultivated Force-sensitives and how Lord Kaan managed his Sith forces.

Unwilling to have any limits placed on his power, Palpatine eventually sought to control all other galaxies virtually forever. His clones tied into the first step of the plan. Palpatine planned to grow a number of clones of himself so he could inject his spirit into a fresh clone body when the one before it grew too old. Sometime after the Outbound Flight Project, Palpatine hastily grew a clone of his former Jedi advisor, the respected Jedi Master Jorus C'Baoth. The experiment failed, however, when the clone went insane and challenged his power, necessitating its destruction. Nevertheless, Palpatine learned that Force-potential could be passed to clone bodies, and filed the information away for future use.

During the Great Jedi Purge, Palpatine captured the wise Jedi Master Ashka Boda and ripped a number of Jedi secrets out of his mind, including how to transfer one's spirit to another body. Palpatine experimented with his novel procedure at his leisure during the Galactic Civil War, practicing on underlings that were too valuable to lose permanently. One notable example was Bevel Lemelisk, who was executed and revived several times for his failures with the Death Star and other projects.

Palpatine pursued another road towards immortality. He made contact with the Ssi-ruuk Imperium; Palpatine had learned of their unusual system of powering machinery — they literally ripped the spirit out of living beings and stored them in the machines. He died at Endor before he followed the possibilities this opened up

Dark Jedi

It is 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.

Palpatine as a writer

During his career in the Senate, Palpatine wrote a number of scholarly texts about the art of politics, war, and the dark side. He combined a number of his works into a planned series of comprehensive and definitive monographs, entitled the Dark Side Compendium. Of the hundreds of books, but three — The Book of Anger, The Weakness of Inferiors, and The Creation of Monsters — were ever completed. The Book of Anger is a manual on controlling the Force with emotions; Inferiors gives instruction on controlling the masses with the power and influence inherent in authority; and Monsters explains how Sith alchemy can be used to create fearsome beasts for the purpose of destroying one's enemies.

Like Niccoló Macchiavelli's The Prince, or Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Palpatine's writings take a detached, amoral perspective on the nature of political power, their theses being that power is an end unto itself, to be achieved by any means necessary.

External links

• Palpatine in the StarWars.com Databank
• Darth Sidious in the StarWars.com Databank
• Palpatine on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
• Holocron entry giving Palpatine's birth date
• Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Life and Times of Palpatine the Undying
• Palpatine.org - Palpatine: Architect of Fate
• Essence of Darkness - The Palpatine/Sidious Shrine