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
Signature Artifacts	Palpatine's Lightsaber, Chancellor's Robes, Emperor's Throne, Sith Wayfinder
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.

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.

Sith Wayfinder

• Description: A pyramidal device made of obsidian, inscribed with Sith text. It functions as a specialized holocron that, when paired with another, reveals a hyperspace route to the hidden Sith world of Exegol.
• Relevance to Character: The Wayfinder is a symbol of Palpatine's ancient, hidden power and his long-term planning. It is a key to the heart of the Sith, a secret he has kept for decades, representing the ultimate source of his power and his final contingency plan.
• Relevance to Plot: The two Wayfinders—one possessed by Vader, the other hidden by Palpatine—serve as the central MacGuffins for the first half of The Rise of Skywalker. The heroes' and Kylo Ren's quests to find these artifacts drive the narrative and lead them to the final confrontation on Exegol.

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