- NOTE: This is in chronological order consisting of the original films, as well as the Clone Wars and Rebels animated TV shows and are canon in both Legends and Canon continuities.
The story of Emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars franchise.
Early life[]
Darth Plagueis overseeing the training of his young apprentice.
NOTE: The following paragraph contains information exclusive to Legends, therefore making it non-canon to the current canon. Sheev Palpatine was born on Naboo and very early on, he showed himself to be a violent, spoiled, and misanthropic sociopath who used his rich family's connections to get him out of trouble, even when he indulged in reckless driving that hurt others and killed two people. Palpatine was expelled from one of the highest education institutions in Naboo and possibly the entire galaxy. Palpatine also despised his father Cosinga Palpatine, whom he viewed as a weakling and a coward. This resentment would come to a head when the younger Palpatine, now under the name Darth Sidious killed everyone he's ever known in his own family, including his parents, his two younger brothers and his two sisters, and in his later master's words "baptized himself in the dark side."
Darth Sidious smiles after killing his master.
In his thirties, he was the Senator of Naboo. As Darth Sidious, he subsequently became the apprentice to Darth Plagueis the Wise, a Sith Lord who was a master of arcane and unnatural knowledge. In true Sith tradition Palpatine betrayed and killed his Master after he "became unnecessary" due to teaching Sidious too much too quickly and achieving the ability to do so. It was during his apprenticeship to Plagueis that Darth Sidious took on his first apprentice Darth Maul, who he decided to turn him into the ultimate living weapon with one purpose, kill the Jedi. Sidious continued the Sith Order in absolute secrecy, right under the noses of the Republic and the Jedi.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace[]
| “ | Wipe them out. All of them! | „ |
| ~ Palpatine authorizing the Battle of Naboo. |
Palpatine as he appears in The Phantom Menace.
Glimpsed mostly as a cloaked holographic figure, Palpatine conspires with the Neimoidians to carry out his 1,000-year-old plan to wipe out the Jedi for good, by setting up a war against the Republic as the secret leader of the Trade Federation. The invasion of the planet Naboo is the first step to a vaster more ambitious plan Sidious has sent in motion, a plan secretly involving Republic Senator Palpatine. When Palpatine eventually leads the Republic, he becomes a leader on both sides, ensuring that neither side gains enough upper hand to win the war. This, in turn, causes countless deaths of fighters in the Galactic War, including Jedi. Using the Trade Federation to cause conflict with the planet Naboo, Sidious ordered a blockade around the planet. Hoping to resolve the conflict swiftly, Supreme Chancellor Valorum sends Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi to the Trade Federation Control Ship in order to negotiate, as requested by Padmé Amidala, the Queen of Naboo.
Senator Palpatine during the Naboo conflict.
After their arrival, the Neimoidians discover the ambassadors were Jedi and contact Palpatine. Appearing through hologram robed and face obscured by a hood, Sidious orders Nute Gunray to assassinate the ambassadors, interrupting their mission. When the Jedi escape, the Dark Lord has the viceroy end all communication down to the planet and then sends his Sith apprentice, Darth Maul, to kill Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, a conflict that eventually ends with Maul killing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan cutting Maul in half.
As part of Palpatine's plan to become the new Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, he gets in Queen Amidala's head by promising that he will "end the corruption," as her people were suffering while the Trade Federation's control on the Naboo system increased, and he paints Valorum as an ineffective leader. Delegates and other members of the Senate continued to argue, and even the Chancellor, failed to make any decisive action during a Senate meeting. Palpatine then used this opportunity to further manipulate and deceive Amidala by claiming that the Bureaucrats were the true rulers of the Republic and on the payroll of the Trade Federation. Amidala finally agrees with the senator to call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum's leadership, and elect a new, stronger Chancellor, to stop the tragedy, thereby falling for the secret Sith Lord's deception.. The crisis on Naboo prompts a strong sympathy vote for Palpatine in the election,
Following Darth Maul's supposed death and the Trade Federation's defeat, Palpatine successfully becomes the new Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. His future apprentice Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One that Jedi prophecy foretells will bring balance to the Force, is a child at the time and the decision is made that he would be trained to become a Jedi as Anakin was the one responsible for blowing up the Federation droid control ship that allowed Amidala to retake control of Naboo. At that point, he officially begins his schematics for upcoming warfare; even personally assuring the young Anakin that he will be watching his career with 'great interest'.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi[]
Following Qui-Gon’s funeral, Palpatine then meets with Count Dooku, who later accuses him of letting Maul killing Qui-Gon. Palpatine dismisses this as he orders Dooku to delete all evidence of Sifo-Dyas and the creation of the Clones in Kamino. Dooku laments all the crimes he committed, but Palpatine dismisses it as the price of freedom. Unbeknownst to both Palpatine and Dooku, Jedi master Yaddle eavesdrops on their conversation, whilst also trying to bring Dooku to the light. Palpatine reminds Dooku on how the Jedi follow the corrupt senate which failed the republic in the first place, something even Yaddle agrees with. He then orders Dooku to kill Yaddle, as a means to prove his loyalty to Sidious which ends in Dooku killing Yaddle, thus becoming his apprentice, Darth Tyranus.
Pre Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones[]
After Sidious gains Dooku as his apprentice, Dooku hires bounty hunter Jango Fett to be the template for the Clone army. Sidious and Dooku gain control of a Behavior Modification Biochip that Sifo-Dyas wanted instilled in each Clone a s safeguard against rogue Jedi's. However, the two Sith Lords retool the chip to contain a protocol called Order 66, that when activated, would compel the Clones in the army to view the Jedi as traitors to the Republic and subsequently execute them. To ensure their plans go unnoticed, Dooku, who posed as a Jedi to the Kaminoans, presented the chips to them and deceived them into believing Dyas's intention, while also ordering them to keep this as a secret.
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones[]
| “ | Count Dooku: I have good news for you, my Lord. The war has begun. Darth Sidious: Excellent. Everything is going as planned. |
„ |
| ~ Count Dooku and Darth Sidious. |
Palpatine is given emergency powers by the Senate.
A decade after becoming Chancellor, Palpatine is faced with the challenge of a Separatist Movement led by Dooku. Many in the galaxy fear that the conflict will escalate, starting a larger-scale war, and Palpatine is adamant that the crisis would be resolved by negotiations, but the Separatists don't agree. Palpatine, however, has planned Dooku's rebellion from the beginning. As Sidious already lured Dooku to the dark side by encouraging him to rally corporations and systems to breakaway from the Republic and become the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Palpatine, as the Chancellor holds meetings with Senators and the Jedi hoping to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Upon discovery of a secret droid army, it becomes apparent that the Separatists are on the verge of declaring war against the Republic. The Republic counter this by needing a military, and Palpatine requires the authority to activate a newly forged army of clones, that are discovered by Obi-Wan on the planet Kamino, an ocean-planet with a cloning facility holding thousands of trained human clones. Unaware to the rest, Palpatine had already secretly set in motion the clone army at least 10 prior, and this was part of his overall plot to destroy the Jedi. On Geonosis, Count Dooku tells a captured Obi-Wan Kenobi that the Republic is now under the control of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Kenobi claims the Jedi would be aware of that but Dooku states the dark side of the Force has clouded the Jedi's vision. Dooku says that hundreds of senators were now under the influence of a Sith Lord called Darth Sidious. Kenobi thinks he's lying, but counters that Nute Gunray was once in league with Sidious but then claims the viceroy was betrayed by the Sith Lord, which was actually a lie as Gunray is still working for Palpatine. Dooku asks Obi-Wan to join him and together they will destroy the Sith, but Kenobi refuses the offer.
Senators loyal to Palpatine motion that the Chancellor be given emergency powers to deal with the Separatist threat. In the Senate, Representative Jar Jar Binks nominates the motion that would allow Palpatine to use the Kamino clone troopers in open warfare. Feigning reluctance, Palpatine accepts the new mantle of power and promises to return his absolute authority back to the Senate after the emergency subsided. As the Senate cheers, the Chancellor announces the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Darth Sidious welcomes Lord Tyranus to Coruscant.
After the Battle of Geonosis, Dooku escapes to Coruscant landing in the LiMerge Building on the industrial side of the planet called The Works, meeting with Sidious and informing him that their long-awaited plot is finally in motion. Sidious is pleased with these turn of events, and later with the leaders of the Senate in a viewing stand, oversees the new Republic army marching towards war in quiet awe while others are disturbed by the recent events. What no one realizes is that the galaxy will undergo further upheaval and that a state of crisis will ensure Palpatine's authority for decades, while Palpatine additionally would be able to deceive both sides from the start of the war.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Film[]
| “ | Allow the Jedi their small victory, my friend, for the engines of this war turn in our favor. | „ |
| ~ Darth Sidious assures Tyranus that victory will be theirs. |
Darth Sidious tells Dooku that the war continues.
As the Clone Wars begin and rage across the galaxy, Sidious plots and masterminds many events and secretly gains more and more influence and power in the Senate. Later in the war, Palpatine arranges a plot to recruit Jabba The Hutt to join the Separatists by kidnapping his son Rotta and framing the Jedi as the culprits. Asajj Ventress, has brought Jabba's son to the monastery on Teth and reports to Dooku who is pleased. Sidious then enters the hologram transmission and states the Jedi would be at war with both the Sith and the Hutts.
The plan eventually fails with the rescue of Jabba's son by Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano exposing Count Dooku and Ziro the Hutt as the real culprits. As the Chancellor, Palpatine expresses his gratitude to the two Jedi for their help. At first, Dooku dreads having to contact his Master reporting another setback for the Separatists in their campaign to overthrow the Republic and seize Coruscant but the Sith Lord seems oddly unconcerned by the losses. He assures his apprentice that the tide of war still turns in their favor according with Sidious' master plan as Jabba allowed the Republic to use the Hutt Cartel hyperspace lanes.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Series[]
Asajj Ventress before Darth Sidious.
During the Clone Wars, Darth Sidious watches as Darth Tyranus engineers new battles and trains new dark siders such as Asajj Ventress. Dooku tests Ventress' skills in both lightsaber combat and dark side of the Force abilities, pleasing the Sith Lord who watched through a mobile hologram unit. Dooku introduces her to Sidious who applauds her efforts and personally gives her a task; to find Anakin Skywalker and eliminate him. As Ventress flies away, Dooku expresses confidence in her success, but the Dark Lord replies that her success or failure is irrelevant as she is only an instrument to test Skywalker, which will eventually lead to the downfall of the Jedi.
Darth Sidious tells Dooku to retrieve Gunray.
At another time, Nute Gunray is captured by Senator Amidala and taken into Republic custody to face trial on Coruscant for his war crimes. Palpatine praises the senator, but this angers the Dark Lord. Communicating with Darth Tyranus via hologram, Darth Sidious teolls him how dangerous this situation is as the weak-minded viceroy will likely slip vital information and orders him to be retrieved fast. Dooku tells his master that he will send his apprentice Ventress who Sidious sees as useless but allowes him to proceed. Ventress successfully rescues Gunray without him telling the Jedi about his existence.
Darth Sidious hires Bane for a mission.
Darth Sidious' next plan has a huge impact on the galaxy where he plots to steal a Jedi holocron that contains a list of the galaxy's Force-sensitive children that he plans to kidnap and turn into his loyal spies. The Sith Lord hires bounty hunter Cad Bane via hologram to steal a holocron from the Jedi Temple vaults with plans that he provides that allows Bane to successfully steal the holocron. He then requires Bane to retrieve a kyber memory crystal that will activate the information hidden in the holocron from a Jedi Master named Bolla Ropal in the Mid Rim. Cad Bane captures and tortures Ropal who eventually gives Bane the crystal and has Anakin open the holocron by threatening his Padawan Ahsoka who uses the Force to open it.
Darth Sidious tells Bane he needs test subjects.
Escaping from the Jedi, Cad Bane retreats to his hideout and contacts Sidious through holographic transmission and tells the Sith Lord of his success. Darth Sidious next assigns Bane to kidnap four children from the list and bring them to Mustafar but Cad Bane only manages to kidnap two children before he is captured by the Jedi. The Jedi later report to Chancellor Palpatine who discusses with Anakin if they found who is behind the plot. Anakin states that a far more powerful being other than Bane or Dooku is behind the event; not suspecting Palpatine at all who tells Skywalker to have patience.
Darth Sidious looks over the children.
On Mustafar, Darth Sidious observes the children through hologram using an astromech droid named RO-Z67 and tells the nanny droids of the children's natural talent and how he will harness that power for his own needs. Looking into the future, Sidious sees a vision of Force talented spies trained in the dark side that will appear in every corner of the galaxy doing his bidding. The nanny droid tell the Dark Lord that subjects rarely survive the procedure at a young age but Sidious says the risk is necessary and that, if the procedure fails, he will lose nothing. As the surgery is about to happen, an alert from a nanny droid tells the Sith Lord of an incoming shuttle that is approaching and it does not belong to the bounty hunter. This surprised Sidious as he did not foresee this and orders the droids to evacuate the children and destroy the facility to protect his identity and ends the transmission quickly but the Jedi rescue the children and thwart Sidious' plans.
Sidious listens to Dooku's report.
During the Republic occupation of the neutral world of Mandalore, the Death Watch hope to reclaim the planet from pacifists and join the Separatists cause once the planet was secured. Aboard a Separatist ship, Count Dooku contacts his Master that Death Watch is prepared to fight off the Republic forces when they arrive, and the splinter group will be viewed as saviors by the people. Darth Sidious expresses concern about possible interference by the Duchess Satine, but is assured by Dooku that a Death Watch assassin will take care of her, causing the Sith Lord to smirk.
Darth Sidious tells Tyranus to eliminate Ventress.
Later in the war, during the Battle of Sulist, Sidious feels Asajj Ventress growing stronger in the ways of the dark side of the Force. Through a hologram, Darth Sidious accuses Tyranus of wanting to overthrow him as Dark Lord which shocks his apprentice who states his loyalty belongs only to his Master. Sidious then demands proof and orders him to eliminate Ventress which the Count sadly obliges to. After assuming success in the death of his former disciple, Dooku contacts Sidious of his apparent success. Satisfied, Darth Sidious praises his apprentice for once again proving his loyalty. The two are unaware that Ventress survived.
Upon learning of Grievous' capture, Sidious commands Dooku to lure Anakin into a trap to take him hostage for a prisoner exchange.
In a second attempt to invade Naboo, the Separatists launch an assault to conquer the planet. The Gungan Army fight against the droid army and Captain Tarpals battles General Grevous and subdues him at the cost of his life. From a secret lair hidden inside an ancient Naboo structure, Count Dooku receives orders from Darth Sidious. The Sith Lord states that Grievous is an integral part of his plan for the Clone Wars and tells his apprentice to lure Anakin into a trap, capture him and arrange a prisoner exchange. Sidious assures Tyranus that Senator Amidala will agree to the terms.
Sidious lectures of slaves and Sith Empires.
Darth Sidious later has his apprentice kidnap an entire colony of people from the planet Kiros and sell them into slavery that would rebuild his Sith Empire. Aligning with the Zygerrians to resurrect the slave empire, the captured people are brought to the prison planet Kadavo to await processing. En route to Zygerria aboard his solar sailor, Count Dooku communicates with his Master who lectures him about how long Sith Empires have been built upon the backs of slaves and tells his apprentice that, to carry on this tradition, millions of slaves will be required. Darth Sidious orders Dooku to gain the Zygerrian Queen Miraj Scintel's cooperation or to end her rule.
Sidious forms a plan with Dooku.
During the Banking Clan crisis, the banks have become bankrupt and Palpatine sends Padmé to Scipio to deal with the matters. As the Dark Lord, Sidious hires bounty hunter Embo to originally assassinate the Banking Clan representative Rush Clovis but he manages to escape the planet with the aid of Padmé and Anakin. Embo contacts Sidious and is pleased to hear of the success and assures the bounty hunter that he will deal with them himself. Later, the Muun Nix Card contacts Darth Sidious and reports that Clovis has managed to escape with the evidence of the bank records and Sidious states that Nix would be protected in the scandal. The Sith Lord later contacts Dooku on Serenno and devises a plan that would place Clovis in command of the Banking Clan as a puppet leader but first Tyranus has to entrap the senator.
Darth Sidious gains more power.
After placing Clovis in office and framing him by aligning Scipio with the Separatists and massacring the Republic forces, the Senate calls for an emergency session and the Chancellor launched a mercy mission. As Dooku is leaving the planet, Sidious contacts him with an update and tells him that Republic forces are on their way. Tyranus informs his Master that the deception is complete so the Dark Lord states that, because of the treachery, control of the banks will be placed in the hands of the Supreme Chancellor as Sidious cackles with delight.
Sidious learns of Maul's survival.
In an unexpected turn of events, the long forgotten Sith Lord Darth Maul is discovered to be alive by the Jedi which reports back to the Chancellor startling Palpatine at this revelation. After the briefing, the Chancellor tells the Jedi to ignore the Sith brothers and their focus should be on finding Dooku and bring the Clone Wars to an end then dismisses the Jedi from his office. As the Jedi leave, Palpatine sits in his chair and smirks as he has plans for the rogue Sith in the future.
Palpatines senses a disturbance in the Force.
Later, in the Chancellor's Office, Palpatine mediates and senses the increasing power of the Nightbrothers on the planet Mandalore. Mas Amedda enters and is told to prepare the Chancellor's shuttle which Palpatine takes to Mandalore in order to confront the brothers in his secret persona Darth Sidious, having realized that, as Maul is growing more powerful, he has to alter his plans for Maul before Maul and his brother can grow strong enough to be a threat. Upon arriving, a robed and hooded Sidious Force chokes two Shadow Collective members and rides a speeder to the royal palace where he confronts the brothers in the throne room. Sidious enters the throne room easily, choking two guards to death and exchanges a few words with his former apprentice and looks at his brother, Savage Opress. Darth Sidious declares Maul a rival and Force pushes Maul and his brother into the wall windows cackling.
Maul and Opress fighting Sidious.
After releasing the brothers from his telekinetic grip, Maul and Savage ignit their lightsabers while Sidious summons two from the sleeves of his robe to duel them. Despite the brothers putting up a well-matched struggle, as the battle moves from the throne room to the balcony, Savage pushes him off while Sidious Force pulls Maul and Savage to the ground below. After another fierce exchange of blows, Sidious eventually gains the upper hand and Force pushes Maul to a wall; briefly knocking him out while Sidious duels Savage alone and, after toying with Savage to flaunt his superior skills, in mere seconds impales the Nightbrother in the chest, killing him.
As Maul rushes to his dying brother, the Nightsisters' magic leaves his body and Sidious cackles, telling Maul the Rule of Two and leaps to the plaza below to continue their duel. Maul charges at Sidious with both his saber and the darksaber but, although he puts up a much more ferocious fight than Opress, Sidious eventually disarms Maul and brutally batters him against the wall and ground. Broken and exhausted, Maul begs for mercy and the Dark Lord replies there is no mercy and launches a barrage of Force lightning on his former apprentice. Darth Sidious cackles with glee as he tells the defeated Nightbrother that his plans don't involve killing him, but has other uses for him.
Darth Sidious learns of a renegade clone.
Near the end of the war, Darth Sidious faces some unexpected events. During a battle of the Ringo Vinda system, a clone seems to have a mental breakdown and shoots and kills a Jedi Knight for no apparent reason. Admiral Trench sees the event and reports the betrayal to Count Dooku, who contacts his master to report the incident. Sidious worries that it would expose evidence of the Sith Lord's secret programming and orders Tyranus to seize the clone for immediate examination.
Sidious cackles as Protocol 66 remains unknown to the Jedi.
As the Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine learns the clone trooper Tup died, and another clone named Fives successfully removed his chip and may have discovered the conspiracy. The Chancellor than suggests the clone be brought to Coruscant for medical attention which the Jedi reluctantly agree to. Arriving at the medical station, the Jedi Shaak Ti, Kaminoan doctor Nala Se and the Chancellor meet with the clone and ask if he could speak with Fives in private.
Palpatine then informs Fives of his involvement in the conspiracy, then frames Fives for an assassination attempt and issues a manhunt for the clone. Fives is eventually killed and dies without spilling a word of the conspiracy. Later in his office, Palpatine tells the Jedi that his personal doctors discovered a virus that Tup and Fives had inside of them from Ringo Vinda as the source of their mental breakdowns which the Jedi believe. Darth Sidious later makes contact with his apprentice that Protocol 66 has been undiscovered and the Jedi will soon learn of it as Sidious cackles.
Darth Sidious Force chokes Tyranus.
Some time later, the Jedi discover a shipwreck on the planet Oba Diah, belonging to the Jedi Master who was killed long ago, Sifo-Dyas. Darth Sidious later learns the Jedi are looking into the investigation of Dyas and worries they would uncover secrets not meant to be discovered. Sidious appears to his apprentice as a large hologram and demands to know why the Jedi are sniffing around the loose end that is Sifo-Dyas. The Dark Lord demand that Tyranus and the Separatists clean up the affairs lest their plans be threatened. Sidious makes sure his apprentice understand what it means if he fails by Force choking him through the hologram then ends the transmission.
Lord Sidious telling Dooku he senses an opportunity.
During the conflict, Darth Sidious looks into the Force and sees Master Yoda was on Moraband, the ancient homeworld of the Sith, and summons his apprentice back to Coruscant. Inside the LiMerge Building on the industrial side of the planet, Tyranus meets with his Master who plots to strike a devastating blow on the Jedi Order. In a ceremonial chamber with statues lining the room, Darth Sidious informs his apprentice of Yoda's location and that they will be exploiting Dooku's Force-bond with Yoda, which the two had established as Master and apprentice, to find out why Yoda ventured to Moraband and to break his will. Over a sacrificial altar basin, Sidious produces a knife cutting Dooku's hand, allowing a single drop of blood to fall into the altar filled with water. Sidious then recites an ancient Sith incantation in Balc as the Sith Lords together then jolt the basin with Force lightning, and once Dooku focuses on his bond with Yoda, Sidious harnesses the power, creating a dark illusion for Yoda on Moraband that will lead the Jedi into a trap. Sidious then states he would appear as someone familiar as he dips his face into the sacrificial altar.
Darth Sidious duels Master Yoda on the catwalk.
In the Moraband execution chamber, Sidious appears to Yoda as Sifo-Dyas in disguise and tempts the Jedi with the knowledge of the Sith Lord's identity but Yoda refuses and Sifo-Dyas transforms into a cackling Sidious and surrounds him with chains of energy. Forced into a deeper illusion, Yoda awakens to find Anakin along with a squad of 501st clones in the hold of a Republic Gunship flying towards the LiMerge Building in an ongoing pursuit of both Dooku and Sidious in the Works.
The gunship lands in the deserted tower hangar where they confront the Sith Lords. Captain Rex spots the Sith huddled over the altar basin when Dooku ignites his lightsaber and electrifies the approaching clones with lightning. Anakin engages Dooku while Yoda confronts the hooded Dark Lord, who escapes while Anakin kills Dooku by severing his head. Darth Sidious ignites his lightsaber and Yoda his and both engage in fierce whirling duel. Anakin attempts to enter the duel but is blasted unconscious by Sidious' lightning. He then blasts Yoda who blocks the lightning with the Force causing a disruption of energy, sending both Jedi back.
Darth Sidious snarls as his illusion fails.
Sidious then taunts Yoda, stating that, if he lets Anakin die, it thwarts his plans of eliminating the Jedi Order. The Jedi Master is then presented with a choice: either learn the identity of the Sith Lord once and for all or save Skywalker who Sidious had thrown off a catwalk. Yoda chooses the latter and sacrifices himself; throwing his lightsaber at Sidious and both plummet to the ground below while Sidious cackles. When Yoda attempts to remove his hood, he finds the robes to be empty, falling into the depths of Coruscant with the vision of Sidious as the dark illusion falls apart. After the illusion ceases, Darth Sidious emerges from the glowing sacrificial altar snarling as the illusion had failed to break the Jedi Master's spirit and the Dark Lord tells Tyranus they will need more time to defeat Yoda and destroy the Jedi Order.
Darth Sidious announces the final operation.
Towards the end of the Clone Wars, Darth Sidious watches through hologram a sparring session between Dooku and Grievous. Tyranus lectures Grievous on the importance of mastering his lightsaber skills and to ensure victory not be reckless. Appearing before them on a mechno-chair, Sidious praises Dooku's wise counsel and asks Grievous for the report from the front. The general tells the Sith Lord that the Jedi forces are stretched thin across the Outer Rim worlds which Sidious seems pleased with. Darth Sidious then tells both that the time to strike is now and to launch their final operation and asks Grievous if everything is ready for his "special mission" and Grievous affirms the Dark Lord that everything is in place and the unsuspecting Jedi know not what awaited.
Shaak Ti charged at Grievous, but she was too exhausted from her engagement with the MagnaGuards and the general was aware of this.
Striking a devastating attack on the Republic capital, General Grievous enters with the Droid Army and launches a full scale invasion of the planet. Grievous' mission is to capture the Supreme Chancellor who is protected by a squad of clone troopers and Jedi protectors. Throughout the whole pursuit, Palpatine seems calm and at times sarcastic. After disposing of the clones, Grievous chases the Jedi and Chancellor all through the city-planet until finally disarming the Jedi. Grievous captures Palpatine and seems annoyed at his charismatic nature. The Chancellor later boards a ship that takes him to the Separatist flagship The Invisible Hand and is transported to the tall spire tower of the ship and placed on a throne with shackles on the arm rests.
Darth Sidious orders Rex to kill Ashoka Tano.
Sidious contacts the clone troopers on various planets, commanding them to execute Order 66, which means eliminating their Jedi commanders as they are now seen as traitors to the Republic. Lord Sidious at the same time uses Order 66 to order Clone Commander CT-7567 to eliminate the former Jedi Ahsoka Tano shortly after they captured Maul on Mandalore.
Episode Appearances[]
| Appearances on The Show |
|---|
Season One[]
Season Two[]
Season Three[]
Season Four[]
Season Five[]
Season Six[]
Season Seven[]
Legacy[]
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Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith[]
Palpatine tells Anakin to leave his master behind.
Palpatine is first seen shackled and bound to a throne in the General's quarters of Grievous' flagship, Invisible Hand, when Obi-Wan and Anakin arrive to rescue him just before Count Dooku intervenes. In the ensuing lightsaber battle, Kenobi and Skywalker team against Dooku while Palpatine watches. The Sith Lord subdues Obi-Wan but is brutally defeated by Anakin, who cuts off both his hands and holds Dooku at lightsaber point. Impressed, Palpatine, who had staged his kidnapping in order to lure Anakin to the dark side and take Dooku's place as his apprentice, betrays Dooku by ordering Anakin to kill him. A shocked and horrified Dooku looks pleadingly at his master, only to be met with a more sinister smile from Palpatine. Anakin initially hesitates but after more urging from Palpatine, Anakin beheads and kills the helpless Count. Anakin later regrets killing Dooku as it is not the Jedi way, but Palpatine is quick to console him. Although Grievous escapes into space, the Jedi successfully return Palpatine to Coruscant.
Darth Sidious contacts Grievous on Utapau.
After getting rescued, Palpatine, as Sidious, makes contact with General Grievous who is hiding on the Outer Rim world of Utapau and orders the droid general to relocate the Separatist Council to the planet Mustafar. Grievous obliges and Sidious informs him the conclusion of the war drew near. Grievous questions Count Dooku's loss as it would mean the end of the Confederacy but the Sith Lord assures the general that the loss is necessary as he will soon have a new apprentice one far younger and more powerful than Tyranus. Later, Palpatine begins to form a powerful friendship with Anakin by telling him important information and appointing him as his Representative on the Jedi Council. The Jedi have grown wary of the Chancellor and his decrees that redirect power away from the Senate and Constitution and into his Office. Reluctantly they agree to the appointment but only in the hopes of turning Anakin into their spy on the Chancellor, causing much turmoil in the young Jedi.
Palpatine tells Anakin about Darth Plagueis.
The Chancellor later take in a performance at the Galaxies Opera House with Anakin as his guest. Palpatine speaks about the war's progress and of Anakin's appointment to the Council. Anakin states his trust in the Jedi has been shaken due to his assignment which Palpatine can tell what it was. Palpatine then begins to tell the tale of Darth Plagueis the Wise, where the Sith Lord used the dark side of the Force to stop his loved ones from dying. Anakin is plagued with visions of his wife Padme dying at the time and takes an interest in the legend. Anakin asks the Chancellor if learning the power is possible, to which Palpatine replies "Not from a Jedi."
Palpatine reveals himself as the Sith Lord.
Anakin later visits the Chancellor in his office delivering more Jedi news about the war and Palpatine doubts the Jedi's trust in Anakin. Knowing the time is right, Palpatine drops his guise, admitting that he possesses knowledge of the dark side and thus revealing his true identity to him. Anakin realizes the Chancellor is the sinister Sith Lord the Jedi have been hunting since the start of the war and draws his lightsaber. Palpatine says he is the path to the power that can save his wife from dying. Stunned by the revelation, Anakin responds by reporting his treachery to the Jedi but Anakin is deeply conflicted realizing that he cannot lose the Sith Lord as he thinks he needs to learn the dark side power to "save" his wife Padmé.
Sidious duels Windu in his office.
Mace Windu orders Anakin to remain behind in the Temple while he arranges a group of Jedi Masters to arrest the Chancellor for his crimes. In the inner recesses of the Chancellor's Office, the Jedi confront the Chancellor announcing his arrest. Sidious scoffs at the news that the Senate will determine his fate, and with a roar of "I AM the Senate!", ignites a red-bladed lightsaber from the sleeve of his robe, Sidious springs into action and murders the three Jedi Masters before engaging Windu in an intense lightsaber duel. The two duel, transforming the office of politics into an arena of combat. The duel seemingly ends when Windu delivers a kick to Palpatine, leading to him losing his lightsaber, falling and being cornered by Windu. Anakin, tormented by the fear of loss, travels to the Chancellor's office and witnesses Mace Windu cornering Sidious with his lightsaber blade extended at his heart.
Sidious unmasked by Force lightning.
Windu claims the threat of the Sith will never return and that he has lost. Sidious, however, unleashes a torrent of dark Force lightning at the Jedi Master, but Windu is able to deflect it back at the Sith Lord with his lightsaber blade. The evil energies twist Sidious' face as they flow through him, revealing his true yellow almost slug like face; his eyes burn yellow, his voice grows ragged and his teeth turn yellow and rotten. Sidious slumps in the corner seemingly too weak to continue his lightning assault. Fearing the Sith Lord is too powerful and too well-connected, Windu decided he can't be taken alive. Before Windu can take justice into his own hands, though, a desperate Anakin, who needs Palpatine alive to save Padme, springs into action and betrays Windu by severing Windu's weapon hand with his lightsaber. Defenseless, Windu is then bombarded by Sidious' dark side lightning that torture and blast the Jedi out the broken window to his death.
Sidious tells Vader to eliminate the Jedi and Confederacy.
Due to his part in Windu's murder, a horrified Anakin Skywalker has taken his first irreversible step to the dark side, causing Sidious to grin. Skywalker kneels before Darth Sidious, thereby betraying the Jedi, and the Sith Lord bestows upon him the title of "Darth Vader", Lord of the Sith. Concealing his true face, Sidious returns to his simple Sith robes where he first tasks his new apprentice to raze the Jedi Temple before the treacherous Jedi can strike back at them. Vader marches to the temple with a column of loyal clone troopers, gutting the sacred edifice from within.
Darth Sidious executes Order 66.
Meanwhile, Sidious, knowing the time has come, takes care of the Jedi scattered across the galaxy waging the Clone Wars. Using his authority as the Supreme Chancellor, Sidious executes Order 66. As he broadcasts this order to the clone commanders on the various different battlefronts, this activates their inhibitor chips, which then compels the overwhelm majority of the Clones in the army to view the Jedi as traitors to the Republic and subsequently execute them. The now formerly loyal soldiers betray and kill their Jedi generals in cold blood. Only a handful of a handful of Jedi survive, including Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Sidious speaks to the Separatist leaders.
The next day, Darth Sidious later speaks to the Separatist Council members via hologram, with Gunray remarking confidently that their plan had gone just as Sidious promised. Although Gunray and the other leaders do not know what is planned for them, the Dark Lord promises that his new apprentice will soon arrive to take care of them, claiming that he has come to make peace, but he actually is to be sent instead to eliminate the council who have gathered on Mustafar. The council is unaware that they have been deceived and betrayed by Sidious.
Darth Sidious declares the Republic an Empire.
As his apprentice cuts down the Separatist leaders, Sidious, as Palpatine calls for a special session of the Galactic Senate to deliver an emergency address. With his true face hidden in the shadows of his hood, Palpatine claims to have survived a Jedi assassination attempt and denounces the conspiracy of the Jedi rebellion and assures the Republic that his resolve has not faltered. He delivers the good news that victory in the Clone Wars has at last been achieved. By the end of his rousing speech, supports by the thunderous applause of patriots and politicians, Palpatine declares his new order as the First Galactic Empire with himself as Emperor.
The Emperor visits the Jedi Temple after the massacre
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda eventually catch up with the betrayal and deceit, realizing that Anakin, now Vader, and his troops have slain everyone in the Jedi Temple and that Palpatine is the Dark Lord of the Sith. Viewing a security hologram, Obi-Wan sees the carnage inside the Temple, with Anakin killing everyone and Sidious travels there where he finds Vader who kneels before the Sith Lord in obedience. Sidious praises his new apprentice and tells Lord Vader to go and bring peace to the Empire. Vader leaves the planet to see to his second task which is dealing with the Separatists. After the slaughter, Vader reports his mission's completion to Sidious who tells his apprentice to send a shutdown signal to the Confederate navy and army, deactivating the droid armies and effectively ending the Clone Wars.
Darth Sidious taunts Master Yoda.
While Obi Wan Kenobi confronts Vader on Mustafar, Yoda tracks down the Emperor in his office beneath the Senate Chamber, and the two begin an intense battle. Sidious first blasts Yoda with Force lightning, sending the Jedi Master across the room and knocking him unconscious. The Emperor taunts Yoda stating the Jedi are all but lost but Yoda Force pushes and later stops Sidious from escaping with both users brandishing their lightsabers. As both combatants of light and dark duel, Sidious claims that Vader will become more powerful than either of them. Yoda remarks that his faith in Vader and the dark side is misplaced as the fight moves from the holding office into the grand Senate Chamber.
Sidious and Yoda duel in the Senate.
Sidious is nearly overpowered by Yoda in their lightsaber duel and only manages to even the field by finally beginning to use the Force to combat Yoda. The Emperor relishes the chance to to destroy the legendary Jedi by using the dark side of the Force to hurl Senate pods at Yoda. However, Sidious fails to kill Yoda with his telekinetic assault and is forced to close range fight Yoda once again but is able to rip the Grandmaster's lightsaber from his hand with a blast of Sith lightning, forcing Yoda to absorb the attack using the Force.
Darth Sidious fires Force lightning at Yoda.
Although Sidious comes quite close to overcoming Yoda with the lightning attack, Yoda manages to turn the tables on Sidious by returning the lightning causing a blast so powerful that it pushed the two masters apart. Sidious fortunately is not clearly blasted off the Senate pod as Yoda is and manages to hang on the pod briefly before losing his grip and is flung all the way to the bottom of the Senate Building. Following the battle, Sidious stands with Mas Amedda on a Senatorial pod as they search for the Jedi Master. However, the clone troops cannot find any trace of a body. Deciding not to personally pursue Yoda, Sidious demands that his shuttle be dispatched immediately and leaves for Mustafar, where his apprentice is battling his former master Obi-Wan, as he has sensed that Vader is in danger.
The Emperor finds Darth Vader on Mustafar.
When Darth Sidious arrives, he finds Vader's wounded and almost limbless charred body lying next to a river of lava. The Emperor orders his soldiers to prepare a medical capsule for his apprentice. As they leave to obey his instructions, Sidious crouches beside his fallen apprentice, determined to find a way to keep him alive. Transporting in his Imperial Shuttle, Vader is taken to the large city-planet of Coruscant so that he can be repaired.
Sidious watches Vader's rage unfold.
Inside a medical center, Sidious oversees the operation of Vader reconstructed as a cyborg with medical droids treating his injuries, and he is encased in the black armor and mask that will preserve his ruined body. Upon completion of the surgery, Sidious approaches his apprentice asking if he could be heard, and Anakin confirms this before asking what had become of Padmé and if she is safe. Sidious tells Vader he accidentally killed Padmé in his anger, causing a heartbroken Anakin to use the Force to destroy the droids and facility and scream in despair. The Emperor appears gleeful upon having finally broken Anakin Skywalker's spirit and converted him into the dark side.
The Emperor and Vader watch the Death Star being built.
Unknown to both Sidious and Vader, Padmé died giving birth to twins who she named Luke and Leia, and that Obi-Wan and Yoda separated the twins for safety; Luke is left into the care of the Lars family on Tatooine while Leia is left in the care of the Organa family on Alderaan. With the Galactic Empire now in control and the Jedi Order and Confederacy destroyed, Vader joins the Emperor on the bridge of a Venator-class Star Destroyer with Grand Moff Tarkin as the two Dark Lords oversee the construction of the superweapon moon-sized battle station; the Death Star above Geonosis.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch[]
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Sidious issues Order 66 to Commander Grey, ordering the Clone Captain and troopers to execute their Jedi General and Commander.
On the last day of the Clone Wars, Palpatine issues Order 66 to all of the clones on Kaller, leading them to turn on their Jedi general Depa Billaba and her padawan, Caleb Dume. The members of Clone Force 99 (except the squad's sniper Crosshair, who betrays them) are immune to the order due to their genetic mutations, leading them to save Caleb after Billaba is killed. Upon returning to Kamino, the Bad Batch learn that General Grievous has been killed on Utapau, therefore ending the war. They witness a broadcast of Palpatine's speech to the senate, where he transforms the Republic into the Empire and declares martial law. The regular clones, who are now under the influence of the inhibitor chips, all become fanatically loyal to Palpatine and cheer for him, much to the Bad Batch's confusion.
Following the Clone Wars' end and the implementation of Order 66, the Emperor decided it was time to phase out the cost-prohibitive Clone army in favor of a conscripted army of loyal followers. Toward this end, he used Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart as a figurehead to push the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill that would formalize this transition. This proved challenging as the bill was blocked by pro-Clone senators such as Riyo Chuchi and Bail Organa. Additionally, Rampart's involvement in the secret orbital bombardment of the Kaminoan cloning facilities could prove a liability if it became public knowledge. Mas Amedda informed Rampart that the Emperor would hold him personally responsible if the bill did not pass. Before the Senate could make a final vote on the bill, it came to light that Rampart had not only stolen funds from the Senate Defense Committee but was personally responsible for bombing Kamino as evidence by his Venator's hologram logs. It was at this time that the Emperor decided to make a rare appearance in the Senate. He commended Senator Chuchi for exposing Rampart's treachery and by allowing the rogue admiral to be arrested, covered up his own involvement in the bombing in Kamino. To further push the Defense Recruitment Bill in spite of Rampart's arrest, the Emperor reminded the Senate that Rampart did not act alone but was enabled by the clones under his command. He argued that a strong military was still necessary for protecting Imperial worlds from similar attacks in times of peace. By proclaiming his belief that conscripted Stormtroopers would usher in a new era of security, the Emperor manipulated the Senate into passing the Defense Recruitment Bill.
In 18 BBY, the Emperor travels to the clandestine Mount Tantiss facility on Weyland to meet with Dr. Royce Hemlock of the Advanced Science Division. After touring the facility and discussing various "grand designs", Hemlock acknowledges the Emperor's desire to see his progress on Project Necromancer. They enter a highly secured room where Hemlock shows the Emperor one of the project's clone specimens. Satisfied with the doctor's work, the Emperor states how the project is vital for the Empire's future and promises Hemlock that he will receive whatever resources are needed to ensure its completion. He stresses to Hemlock the importance of keeping Mount Tantiss' location secure and assures him that he will achieve the rank of scientific minister in time before departing.
| Appearances on The Show |
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Season One[]
Season Two[]
Season Three[]
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Star Wars Rebels[]
Darth Vader kneels before the Emperor's hologram.
| “ | Be patient, my old friend. For now, dispatch another Inquisitor to hunt them down. | „ |
| ~ The Emperor orders Darth Vader to pursue the Rebellion. |
Throughout his reign, the Emperor expands his dictator's reach across the galaxy by bringing more star systems under Imperial control. Informed of a rebel cell on the planet Lothal, Sidious has The Grand Inquisitor deal with the growing resurgent. The rebels manage to destroy a portion of the Imperial Fleet and kill the Grand Inquisitor in the process led by the renegade Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger so the Emperor sends Vader to handle the growing rebel threat. After the Siege of Lothalm the Emperor is contacted by Darth Vader after he strikes a critical blow on the rebel cell, and informs his Master that the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, lived and is helping the rebels. This pleases Sidious as he sees this an opportunity to locate more surviving Jedi. Vader states to his Master that he would rather search for Obi-Wan but is told to have patience and orders his apprentice to dispatch another Inquisitor to hunt down the rebels, Tano, and other undiscovered Jedi.
When Kanan and Ezra visit the Lothal Jedi Temple seeking answers, the Inquisitors Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister track them and discover the temple. While the Jedi escapes, Imperial forces arrive and secure the Temple. The Inquisitors inform Darth Vader, who come to visit the site in person, of their power growing and Vader assures them it will be their undoing. Following the discovery, the Emperor directs Veris Hydan to lead the excavation of the Temple and decipher its mysteries.
The Emperor in hologram appearing to Minister Hydan.
After learning Kanan Jarrus has perished, the Emperor contacts Minister Hydan at the temple excavation site. Appearing as a large hologram, the Emperor listens as Hydan informs him that they made some miraculous discoveries and have uncovered the Painting of the Mortis gods which he believes to be the key to unlocking the gateway. The Emperor tells Hydan of a great disturbance in the Force and speaks of how Kanan's death has altered the fate of Lothal though how he does not know. The Minister suggests full access to the temple would give them more clarity of it so the Emperor urges Hydan to hasten his efforts of seizing the power within believing the gateway to be a conduit between the living and the dead. The Emperor then commands Minister Hydan to proceed before ending his holographic connection.
Darth Sidious appears in the World Between Worlds.
Unknown to Hydan, Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren manage to unlock the portal by moving the painted hand of the Daughter opening the gateway and Ezra jumps through to enter the World Between Worlds. Inside the mystical dimension, Ezra comes across a convor that leads him to a portal where it shows him Ahsoka duelling Darth Vader inside the Malachor Sith Temple years ago. As the Sith Lord is about to finish her off, Ezra reaches through the portal and pulls Ahsoka to safety, saving her life. After waking up, Ahsoka recognizes the convor calling her Morai and thanks Ezra who speaks of Kanan and the Cosmic Force.
The Emperor performing Sith Alchemy on the portal.
The Emperor learns that Ezra has entered the World Between Worlds, goes to the altar located at the Sith Shrine underneath the Imperial Palace, formerly Jedi Temple, and uses Sith Alchemy to open a portal to the realm peering inside to see where Ezra and Ahsoka are. Ezra believes he can save his master and goes to the portal the Emperor created where he is shown an illusion of Kanan's last moments of him saving the Ghost Crew. Ahsoka convinces Ezra to let go and honour his master's sacrifice because pulling him out of the moment would cause the deaths of the ones he saved. While walking away from the nexus, Darth Sidious appears inside the portal while unable to physically enter the realm cackling evilly as he finds both Ezra and Ahsoka. Both see Sidious looking at them through the portal where they had seen Kanan's last stand.
The Emperor trying to capture Ezra with his sorcery.
The Emperor recites an incantation of dark side magic, casting forth blue flames from his altar towards the pair, but Ahsoka blocks it with the Force. However, the process proves too much and injures her as a result of using too much energy to repel the attack. Ezra helps her and the flames dissipates, but the Emperor cackles as he unleashes another wave of dark side blue flames as Ezra and Ahsoka run while the fire pursue them. The flames catch Ezra, the energy wrapping around his leg and pull him while Sidious tries to get through the portal and the Emperor gloats. Ahsoka, however, hacks at the blue flame lasso with one of her lightsabers, causing the Emperor to howl in rage. Ahsoka tells Ezra to keep running and he makes her promise to find him when she returns and agrees. Ahsoka and Morai escape back to their portal on Malachor. Ezra runs towards the Lothal Gateway as the Emperor is closing in on him with his fire magic and escapes the realm, enraging the Sith Lord.
After escaping the realm, Ezra reunites with the crew and manages to seal the portal by using the painted hand of the Son and locks the Gateway to the World Between Worlds. Sealing the Gateway causes the Lothal Jedi Temple to collapse upon itself and the temple begins to sink into the ground in a blinding flash of light. With the Temple lost, the Emperor is denied access to the mystical realm and the ability to control the universe.
Darth Sidious as a benevolent hologram with Ezra Bridger.
Shortly after, the rebels attack the Empire to liberate Lothal. Grand Admiral Thrawn orders Ezra to surrender but refuses. Thrawn then begins a bombardment of the city, but Ezra gives in and surrenders so he is taken to Thrawn's flagship, The Chimaera. The Grand Admiral then brings Ezra into a special chamber containing a portion of the Lothal Jedi Temple, which the Emperor had ordered to be placed there. Being off-world, the Emperor appears to Ezra as a projected hologram in his benevolent fake form. The Emperor dismisses Thrawn and spoke to Ezra, explaining that he has had the remains of the Temple brought aboard the ship for him.
The Emperor's hologram reveals his true form.
Attempting to unlock the portal to the mystical realm again, Darth Sidious tries to tempt Ezra with an opportunity of reuniting with his deceased parents. The Emperor takes Ezra inside the Temple entrance and shows him a portal to an alternate reality where his parents are still alive. Despite his desire to reunite with his family, Ezra sees through the Sith Lord's manipulation and realizes that doing so would mean he never joined the Rebellion and used the Force to tear down the structure.
The Emperor orders his Royal Guards to execute Ezra.
The Emperor is infuriated, causing his hologram projection to shift rapidly between his non-corrupted appearance and his true form. As Ezra leaps from the wreckage, Sidious emerges from the temple ruins, his hologram still changing until it lands in his scarred form. The young Jedi tells Darth Sidious he has a family and doesn't need anything from him. The Emperor calls his decision unfortunate and, with his plans ruined, orders three of his Imperial Royal Guards to execute Ezra before shutting off the holographic transmission.
Episode Appearances[]
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Season One[]
Season Two[]
Season Three[]
Season Four[]
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Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope[]
| “ | The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I have just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away. | „ |
| ~ Governor Tarkin. |
Palpatine does not appear in the flim, but he is mentioned by Governor Wilhuff Tarkin, who explains to the Death Star staff that the Emperor has dissolved the Imperial Senate (due to their secret support for the Rebel Alliance) and has given direct control to all regional governors of the systems controlled by the Empire to keep their populations in line.
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back[]
| “ | The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi. | „ |
| ~ The Emperor to Darth Vader. |
The Emperor appears in hologram.
Palpatine appears in a hologram projection while communicating with Lord Vader when the Emperor feels a great disturbance in the Force as Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin, Jedi powers developed and knows the boy has destroyed his space station and foresees that Luke can destroy him. Vader insists that Luke is just a boy and his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, can no longer help him as he is gone. The Emperor senses the Force was strong with the boy and tells Vader to prevent Luke from becoming a Jedi, as he can become a serious threat. When Vader suggests turning him to the dark side of the Force, the Emperor agrees and orders Vader to capture Luke and bring the young Jedi before him. Lord Vader responds that Luke will either join the dark side or be destroyed.
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi[]
| “ | Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your friends, up there on the sanctuary moon, are walking into a trap, as is your Rebel fleet. It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them. Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive. | „ |
| ~ The Emperor to Luke Skywalker. |
The Emperor arrives on the second Death Star.
The Emperor arrives aboard the second Death Star to oversee the final stages of the war between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. He has a short talk with Darth Vader about the whereabouts of Luke and their plan to make him leave his Jedi path to join the dark side. The Emperor then orders Darth Vader to the command ship and capture Luke Skywalker and bring him before him. A band of rebels led by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia manage to land on the forest moon of Endor and Vader senses his son's presence, reporting the find to the Emperor who finds it strange that he is unable to sense it. The Emperor then tells his apprentice to go to Endor and await his son's arrival, stating he has foreseen Luke's surrender and to again bring him before him.
The Emperor seated on his throne aboard the second Death Star.
Aboard the second Death Star, Luke meets the Emperor face to face and dismissed his Imperial Guards and removed his cuffs. The Emperor attempts to make Luke succumb to the dark side and join him as his new apprentice alongside his father, but Luke turns down the offer several times and keeps resisting the attempts of both the Emperor and his father of corrupting him. Not giving up, Palpatine reveals the information the rebels received were due to his own plan to make them fall into a trap. He explains to Luke that an entire legion of his best troops is waiting for them. Afterwards, the Emperor gives Luke a view of the Rebel fleets hardly battling the Empire fleets but in trouble against the second Death Star which, under the Emperor's command, is revealed to be fully operational.
The Emperor then manipulates Luke by telling him of the Alliance and his friends' impending dooms; taunting the young Jedi by stating his fate is to be his apprentice as his father's was and Luke tries to resist but gave in to his anger. When Luke has no choice than killing the Emperor, he uses the Force to take his lightsaber back from the Emperor and Darth Vader blocks the strike and both engage in a duel as the Emperor cackles with delight. Luke duels Vader, trying to end the Emperor's reign of terror for good.
The Emperor fires lightning at Luke.
During the duel, Luke at first manages to restrain himself until Vader probes his mind and learns that Leia is his own daughter. With this knowledge, Vader speculates that he can corrupt her instead, but the threat enrages the young Jedi and drives him to attack Vader in a frenzy, leading to him cutting off his father's mechanical hand. The Emperor then betrays Vader in a similar way he betrayed Dooku by encouraging Luke to kill Vader and become his new apprentice. Luke, however, controls his anger after realizing that he was dangerously close to the dark side. He refuses by discarding his lightsaber and stating to the emperor that he will never turn to the dark side, and that he is a Jedi, like his father before him.
The Emperor taunts Luke Skywalker.
Enraged by this, the Emperor responds by attacking Luke with Force Lightning, causing him to suffer the Emperor's wrath. As Palpatine attacks Luke and taunts him, he does not realize that the shield generator protecting the second Death Star has been destroyed by the strike team with help from the Ewoks, allowing Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles to prepare to attack the defenseless second Death Star. The Emperor proceeds to torment Luke, bringing the Jedi to his knees and tearing his body with more lightning.
The Emperor's "death" as he is thrown into the reactor core by a redeemed Darth Vader.
However, Darth Vader cannot stand to see his own son suffer in so much pain and severs his ties with the dark side of the Force, reclaiming his identity as Anakin Skywalker. He then grabs the Emperor from behind, lifting him up in the air his arms raised and lightning firing everywhere, sending the screaming Emperor plummeting to his death down the bottom of the main reactor shaft, causing the latter to explode in a burst of dark side energy that "kills" him and avenging Padmé's death in the process. Unfortunately, the wild lightning coming from the Emperor's hands damages Vader's life support and Anakin dies shortly after, fulfilling the prophecy of old bringing balance to the Force, albeit only for a short time.
Star Wars Battlefront II[]
| “ | Operation Cinder is to begin at once. Resistance... rebellion... defiance... these are concepts that cannot be allowed to persist. You are but one of many tools by which these ideas shall be burned away. | „ |
| ~ Palpatine posthumously ordering Admiral Garrick Versio to instigate Operation Cinder. |
Palpatine giving out his final orders posthumously to certain individuals.
Not long after the destruction of the second Death Star and the supposed death of Emperor Palpatine, the news gets out and special droids, known as Sentinels, have been handed out to select and elite members of the Imperial Military. These droids broadcast orders that Palpatine pre-recorded and would have given out after his death via the droids and the orders are to initiate Operation Cinder, which is for the complete destruction of the Imperial system and its eventual reconstruction from scratch. To achieve this, major worlds both loyal to the Empire and the Empire - such as Naboo and Vardos - are to be targeted by weather-altering satellites, which will inflict major natural disasters on the worlds and reduce them to ruin. The operation is essentially a scorched earth policy where not only would the Rebellion be denied access to Imperial resources and technology, but it would also show that the Empire is still in control of the galaxy even without Palpatine.
Without Palpatine's leadership and the deaths of almost all high-ranking officers and generals of the Imperial Military, the Galactic Empire as a whole begins to fragment and break apart with Imperial generals and military leaders vying for power over the potential successor to Palpatine with Gallius Rax being the closest to achieving such a goal after declaring himself Counselor to the Empire, making him the de-facto leader of what remains of the Empire at large. Infighting has persisted however and Imperial remnants are formed and Imperial governors begin taking desperate measures to secure their territory. Operation Cinder is still carried out and the result is the near-destruction of the entire Empire as a whole, but it serves a purpose as those chosen for the operation are also tasked with traveling out into the Unknown Region.
Intermediate Time[]
Unknown to anyone however, Palpatine's spirit remained and was able to transfer to a twisted clone body by manipulating the midi-chlorians. However, the clone body is left physically impaired because it cannot handle Palpatine's spirit, so he takes refuge in the ancient Sith world of Exegol, where he has to be moved and sustained by machinery before carrying out the orders of Operation Cinder. During this time, he creates Supreme Leader Snoke who assembles the Imperial survivors that fled into the Unknown Regions and they go on to establish the First Order with the full intention of restoring the Empire and preserving Palpatine's legacy. He also fathers a strandcast named Dathan, whom he considers as his "son" but Dathan is considered a failure, due to his lack of Force sensitivity. Despite this, the Emperor allows Dathan to escape from Exegol as he wants his bloodline to live on through natural means. His son later marries a woman named Miramir, who gives birth to Rey, eleven years after the Battle of Endor.
Dathan, Palpatine's "son", who is in fact his strandcast.
Unlike Palpatine, Dathan refuses to bear the idea of continuing his father's Sith legacy, so he and his wife hide themselves and their daughter away from sight by living as 'nobodies'. However, the Sith Lord is able to track down his son and daughter-in-law and has them murdered by an assassin named Ochi of Bestoon, who later dies of starvation in the planet Pasaana. Nevertheless, Rey's parents managed to hide away Rey by abandoning her on Jakku before they died. During his supposed absence, Palpatine is helped by a group of Sith cultists called the Sith Eternal, who are tasked in creating a massive fleet of Xyston-class Star Destroyers, the Final Order, that are much more effective than the Death Stars and Starkiller Base in destroying planets.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens[]
The Emperor does not appear, but his voice is heard when his granddaughter, Rey, touches the Skywalker lightsaber, experiencing a vision with scenes of the past and future before becoming aware of her own Force powers. It is also told that Snoke has corrupted Han and Leia's son Ben Solo to the dark side of the Force, christening him as Kylo Ren, similarly to how Sidious christened Anakin as Darth Vader.
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi[]
Just like the last film, Palpatine does not appear but he is briefly mentioned by Luke as he explains to Rey about the fall of the Jedi Order and the rise of the Galactic Empire. Eventually, Kylo betrays Snoke by killing him and taking over the First Order in hopes of creating a legacy far more different than that of the Jedi and the Sith.
Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker[]
A revived Emperor Palpatine revealing himself to Kylo Ren.
One year after Snoke's death, Palpatine broadcasts a message to the entire galaxy of his return. Upon hearing of this, Kylo finds a wayfinder on Mustafar detailing the location to Exegol, so he heads over there, hoping to finish off the Sith Lord in securing his power of the First Order. However, Palpatine reveals that he was the one responsible for the creation of Snoke and the First Order, besides also revealing that he whispered in Ben's mind throughout his life. Therefore, Palpatine is the one who manipulated Ben Solo to fall to the dark side and become Kylo Ren. After revealing the might of the Final Order, Palpatine offers Kylo a chance to prove himself by tracking down Rey to kill her, ending the Jedi. Kylo seemingly accepts the task, though, in secret, he plans to use this as an opportunity in having Rey join him to take down the Emperor.
Palpatine tells Kylo to kill Rey.
Kylo is able to track down Rey, and he explains to her about her lineage and what happened to her parents; he is even surprised to see that Rey has actually inherited Palpatine's power and can use Force lightning when she accidentally destroyed a First Order transport ship with it. However, her continued survival causes the Sith Lord to suspect treachery from Ren and as such contacts him through the Force, threatening to turn the Sith fleet against the Supreme Leader unless he kills Rey. Despite this revelation, Rey refuses to join Kylo in overthrowing the Emperor and engages in a fight against Kylo in the remnants of the second Death Star in Endor. However, Rey backs away in horror after injuring Kylo when he senses Leia's death. Realizing Kylo let his guard down upon sensing his mother's demise, a remorseful Rey heals Kylo before escaping to Ahch-To, feeling that she is becoming ruthless as her grandfather and believes herself to be too dangerous.
Palpatine communicating via hologram with Allegiant General Pryde, ordering him to destroy a planet with a Sith Star Destroyer.
Ashamed of her lineage, Rey resolves to follow Luke's footsteps by remaining on Ahch-To in self-exile, only to change her mind when she is convinced by Luke's Force spirit to defy her lineage by tracking down and facing her grandfather in order to face her destiny. Around the same time, Kylo (on the advice of a vision of his deceased father Han) severs his ties with the First Order and the dark side of the Force, reclaiming his identity as Ben Solo, runs to save Rey and help her defeat the Emperor and the Sith Eternal for good. Ben Solo's return to the light causes Palpatine to usurp the First Order from him, as Allegiant General Pryde pledges himself to the Sith Lord after killing General Hux. The Emperor gains the full control of the First Order and orders the destruction of the planet Kijimi through a Sith Star Destroyer (commandeered by Pryde) as a show of force.
Using Ben's wayfinder and Luke's T-65B X-wing, Rey manages to find Exegol before sending out the information to the Resistance. Upon confronting the Sith Lord at his throne with all the Sith Eternal cultists waiting for her arrival, Palpatine reveals to Rey that he actually intends to be killed by Rey so that his spirit will be transferred into her, and that she will become the new Empress of the new Sith Empire, and secure full power over the galaxy. To ensure of this, Palpatine reveals that he tricked Rey into bringing the entire Resistance to a trap on Exegol so that the Sith Eternal forces can wipe them all out.
Palpatine unleashing his Force lightning against the entire Resistance armada in an attempt to stop them from destroying the Sith fleet.
At first, Rey is tempted to strike down Palpatine in desperation to save her friends but, upon sensing that Ben has renounced his ties from the dark side and came by to help her, Rey realizes that there is hope and hands over the Skywalker's lightsaber to Ben, using their Force dyad to take down the Knights of Ren and the Sovereign Protectors. Even better, the Resistance manage to bring a powerful armada (led by Lando himself) from other systems to take down the Sith fleet. Not surprised by all of this in the slightest, Palpatine attacks Ben and Rey to kill them. However, he senses the power of their Force dyad and restrains both of them, draining their Force energy, weakening them, and restoring his imperfect clone body in the process.
Rey, hearing the voices of all the past Jedi, lends her the strength to carry on against her grandfather and stop him from attacking the Resistance fleet.
Casting Ben into a bottomless pit out of spite against the Skywalker family for causing his previous death, the Sith Lord uses his powers to unleash a series of Force lightning into Exegol's atmosphere, putting the entire Resistance fleet in chaotic peril, including the ships of Poe Dameron and Nien Nunb. Although Palpatine is about to accomplish his ultimate goal for power and revenge as he cackles evilly in triumph, all the past Jedi (such as Luke, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Yoda, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus, Adi Gallia, Aayla Secura, and Luminara Unduli) give their strength to Rey, allowing her to make one final stand and distract the Emperor long enough to focus his wrath on her.
Rey defending herself from her grandfather's Force lightning with the lightsabers of her masters, causing the lightning to deflect back and disintegrate the Sith Lord.
Sensing Rey's newfound strength given by the past Jedi, Palpatine decides to finish off his granddaughter as an example to secure his power over the galaxy. To that end, he unleashed his full power of Force lightning on Rey, though she was able to fend this off with her lightsaber. With all of his rage, Palpatine angrily declared that Rey is no match for him as he represents all of the Sith. Though Rey agrees with this, she declares that she represents all of the Jedi before using her powers to grab the other lightsaber, using both lightsabers to deflect the Force lightning back on her evil grandfather.
Palpatine's well-deserved death as he is vaporized by his own Force lightning.
Realizing too late that his powers have turned against him thanks to Rey's newfound strength, Palpatine screams in agony as the Force lightning vaporizes his flesh before his body disintegrates and explodes, finally killing the ruthless Sith Lord and ending his reign of terror on the whole galaxy once and for all. Palpatine's demise also results in a massive explosion that kills all of the Sith Eternal cultists, bringing the threat of the Phantom Menace and the Sith to an end once and for all. The Will of the Force, combined with the power of all the Jedi, wipes Palpatine's spirit from existence permanently, ensuring he will never return. With Palpatine's death, Rey's parents, all of the past Jedi and those who were killed during the war are finally avenged at last. This also allows the Resistance and its allies to finally turn the tide of the war, destroying most of the Sith fleet and putting an end to their planetary invasions.
Legacy[]
With Palpatine and his Sith cultists finally dead, the Resistance was able to take down the remaining Sith forces, thus putting an end to the Final Order. Palpatine's death led to Rey succumbing to her injuries inflicted during the battle. However, Ben sacrificed himself by pouring his own life Force into her body, reviving her and vanishing into the Force as a consequence, making him the last of the Skywalker family to die. Thus, Palpatine was apparently successful in destroying the Skywalker family bloodline as he desired. Nevertheless, as the entire galaxy celebrates over their victory against the Emperor and the Sith Eternal, Rey happily repudiates the Palpatine name by renaming herself as "Rey Skywalker" in honor of the sacrifices of Ben and his family, leaving her grandfather's goals for conquest and power in vain. Palpatine's death also allowed Rey planning to rebuild the Jedi Order under the new Skywalker surname.