Emperor Palpatine

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Sheev Palpatine / Darth Sidious

File:Palpatine ROTS.png
Chancellor Palpatine reveals his true identity as Darth Sidious.
Portrayed by	Ian McDiarmid
First appearance	Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Last appearance	Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Affiliation	Galactic Republic, Galactic Empire, Sith, Final Order
Signature Artifacts	Palpatine's Lightsaber, Chancellor's Robes, Emperor's Throne, Sith Wayfinder, Sith Holocron, Death Star, Sith Robes, Walking Cane, Omni-harness Life Support System, The ''Eclipse''
External Links
Wikipedia	Link
IMDb	Link

Sheev Palpatine, publicly known as Chancellor Palpatine and secretly the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, is the main antagonist of the Skywalker saga. A master manipulator and brilliant strategist, he orchestrates the fall of the Galactic Republic and the destruction of the Jedi Order to establish his own tyrannical Galactic Empire. His artifacts reflect his dual nature: the unassuming facade of a public servant hiding the ultimate evil.

Character Overview

Operating from the shadows for decades, Darth Sidious engineers the Clone Wars to amass political power. As Chancellor Palpatine, he presents himself as a benevolent leader while secretly controlling both sides of the conflict. He seduces Anakin Skywalker to the dark side, transforming him into Darth Vader, and declares himself Emperor. He rules the galaxy for over two decades before being seemingly killed by Vader, only to return years later to make a final bid for galactic domination.

Film & Television Appearances

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

As Senator Palpatine of Naboo, he manipulates Queen Padmé Amidala into calling for a vote of no confidence against the current Chancellor, allowing him to be elected in his place. Secretly, as Darth Sidious, he directs the Trade Federation's invasion of his own home world to create the crisis he needs to rise to power.

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)

Ten years later, Chancellor Palpatine continues to consolidate his power. He orchestrates the Separatist crisis and manipulates the Senate into granting him emergency powers, allowing him to create a Grand Army of the Republic to fight the Clone Wars he secretly engineered.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)

As both Chancellor and Sidious, Palpatine plays a long game throughout the war. He deepens his mentorship of Anakin Skywalker, subtly corrupting him, while also manipulating events to prolong the war, weaken the Jedi, and increase his own authority.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

In the final days of the war, Palpatine reveals his Sith identity to Anakin and promises him the power to save Padmé from death. He survives an arrest attempt by four Jedi Masters, including Mace Windu, and uses the confrontation to declare the Jedi as traitors. He issues Order 66, leading to the near-extermination of the Jedi, and reorganizes the Republic into the first Galactic Empire with himself as Emperor.

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Emperor appears as a hologram, communicating with Darth Vader. He identifies Luke Skywalker as a new threat and commands Vader to either destroy him or turn him to the dark side. This is his first on-screen appearance.

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

Palpatine personally oversees the final stages of the second Death Star's construction. He attempts to seduce Luke Skywalker to the dark side by torturing him and forcing him to fight his father. When Luke refuses to turn, the Emperor attacks him with Force lightning, but is ultimately killed when a redeemed Anakin Skywalker throws him down a reactor shaft.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Having cheated death through dark science and cloning, Palpatine is revealed to have been manipulating events from the hidden Sith world of Exegol. He unveils the Final Order, a massive fleet of planet-killing Star Destroyers, and reveals that Rey is his granddaughter. He is finally and permanently destroyed when Rey deflects his own Force lightning back at him.

Signature Artifacts

Palpatine's Lightsaber

• Description: An elegant, deceptively simple lightsaber hilt with a polished electrum finish. The prop was designed to look more like a piece of fine art than a weapon, reflecting its owner's refined public persona. It produces a red blade.
• Relevance to Character: This artifact is the ultimate symbol of Palpatine's deception. He keeps it hidden within a sleeve of his Chancellor's robes, just as he keeps his Sith identity hidden from the galaxy. Its elegant exterior belies its deadly nature, perfectly mirroring Palpatine himself.
• Relevance to Plot: Palpatine reveals and uses this weapon in Revenge of the Sith during his duel with Mace Windu and later against Yoda. Its sudden appearance is a shocking moment that shatters his benevolent facade and reveals the true, violent power he has kept concealed.

Chancellor's Robes

• Description: A series of simple, high-quality robes in muted colors like grey and burgundy, worn during his time as Chancellor. They are unassuming and project an image of a humble public servant.
• Relevance to Character: These robes are Palpatine's ultimate disguise. They are the costume of a democratic leader, which he uses to mask his identity as a Sith Lord. The transition from these simple robes to the black, hooded cloaks he wears as Emperor signifies his complete takeover of the galaxy.
• Relevance to Plot: For two films, these robes help sell the lie of Palpatine's character. His unassuming appearance allows him to manipulate everyone around him, from Padmé to the entire Senate, without raising suspicion.

Sith Robes

• Description: The simple, black, hooded robes worn by Palpatine after revealing his Sith identity. Unlike the ornate robes of the Chancellor, these are stark and utilitarian.
• Relevance to Character: These robes represent Palpatine's true self. Once he has secured power, he sheds the costume of the politician and adopts the traditional attire of a Sith Lord. The hood conceals his disfigured face, creating a new, more terrifying mask of pure evil.
• Relevance to Plot: This is Palpatine's iconic look as the Emperor in the original trilogy. It is the costume he wears when he tempts Luke and meets his demise.

Emperor's Throne

• Description: A massive, imposing throne located in a high tower aboard the second Death Star. It is positioned before a large viewport, allowing the Emperor to look down upon the Battle of Endor. The prop was designed to be both a seat of power and a cage-like structure.
• Relevance to Character: The throne is the physical manifestation of Palpatine's absolute power and his mastery of the dark side. It is from this seat that he commands his fleet and attempts to orchestrate the final destruction of the Rebel Alliance and the seduction of Luke Skywalker.
• Relevance to Plot: The throne room is the setting for the entire climax of Return of the Jedi. It is the arena for the final emotional and physical conflict between Luke, Vader, and the Emperor. The throne's proximity to the reactor shaft ultimately becomes the instrument of the Emperor's demise.

Walking Cane

• Description: A simple black cane with a silver handle that Palpatine uses in Return of the Jedi.
• Relevance to Character: The cane is another tool of deception. It projects an image of physical frailty and old age, causing his opponents to underestimate him. This makes his explosive display of Force lightning all the more shocking and terrifying.
• Relevance to Plot: The cane is a simple prop that adds to his characterization as a seemingly feeble old man, masking the immense dark side power he wields.

Death Star

• Description: A moon-sized battle station equipped with a superlaser capable of destroying a planet.
• Relevance to Character: The Death Star is the ultimate expression of Palpatine's philosophy: rule through fear. It is the ultimate power in the universe, a technological terror designed to crush any dissent. Its creation is the culmination of his grand plan.
• Relevance to Plot: The Death Star is the central threat of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi. Its destruction is the primary goal of the Rebel Alliance in both films.

Sith Wayfinder

• Description: A pyramidal device that reveals a route to the hidden Sith world of Exegol. Palpatine possessed two: one he gave to Vader, and another he kept in the wreckage of the second Death Star.
• Relevance to Character: The Wayfinders represent Palpatine's foresight and his contingency planning. They are the keys to his secret throne world and his final fleet, a secret he kept for decades as his ultimate insurance policy.
• Relevance to Plot: The quest for the Wayfinders is the central driving force of The Rise of Skywalker, leading both Kylo Ren and Rey to his location on Exegol.

Omni-harness Life Support System

• Description: A massive mechanical apparatus that suspends Palpatine's cloned, decaying body and provides life support.
• Relevance to Character: This artifact shows the unnatural lengths to which Palpatine will go to cling to power. It is a grotesque parody of Vader's life support, showing that the dark side ultimately consumes and destroys its user, leaving them dependent on machinery.
• Relevance to Plot: The machine is what has kept Palpatine alive for years. Its destruction during his final confrontation with Rey is what leads to his permanent demise.

Sith Holocron

• Description: A pyramidal device that stores Sith knowledge and can only be opened by a user of the dark side.
• Relevance to Character: As the heir to the Sith legacy, Palpatine is the master of the knowledge contained within these artifacts. They represent the ancient evil and forbidden teachings that he embodies.
• Relevance to Plot: In Star Wars Rebels, Maul and Ezra Bridger unite a Sith and Jedi holocron, which grants them a vision pointing to Obi-Wan Kenobi, directly tying into Palpatine's past failures.

Senate Pod

• Description: A repulsorlift platform from which a senator addresses the Galactic Senate.
• Relevance to Character: Palpatine uses his Senate pod as a literal platform for his political maneuvering. It is a symbol of the democratic process that he expertly corrupts from within.
• Relevance to Plot: During his duel with Yoda in Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine uses the Force to hurl multiple Senate pods at the Jedi Master, turning the very symbols of democracy into weapons. This is a powerful visual metaphor for how he has twisted the Republic to his own dark purposes.

Behind the Scenes

Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid was cast as the Emperor in Return of the Jedi. Years later, he was brought back to play the much younger version of the character in the prequel trilogy, a rare instance of an actor playing the same character at vastly different ages out of chronological order. His performance is widely praised for its ability to portray both the charming politician and the cackling, malevolent Sith Lord.

Trivia

• In the original 1980 release of The Empire Strikes Back, the Emperor was portrayed physically by actress Marjorie Eaton wearing heavy makeup, with her voice dubbed by actor Clive Revill. Ian McDiarmid was digitally inserted into the scene for the 2004 DVD release to maintain continuity.

See Also

• Darth Vader
• Galactic Empire
• Sith