Lord Sidious
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.
Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. In this film and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, he is an aged, pale-faced figure who wears dark robes.
In the prequel trilogy, Palpatine is a middle-aged politician of the Republic who rises to power through deception and treachery. As the Senator of NabooSupreme Chancellor, he outwardly behaves like a well-intentioned and loyal public servant, yet underneath his affable public persona lurks his true identity: Darth Sidious, a Dark Lord of the Sith. As both Palpatine and Sidious, he sets into motion a series of events—including the Clone Wars—which ultimately destroys the Jedi Knights and the Republic, allowing him to usher in the Galactic Empire, a brutal authoritarian regime. and later the
Since the initial theatrical run of Return of the Jedi, Palpatine has become a symbol of evil and sinister deception in popular culture.
Appearances
Original trilogy
In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, several characters mention that The Emperor is the ruler of the Empire, but he is neither named nor seen in the film.
In Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Emperor Palpatine appears for the first time as the Sith master of Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones). The Emperor contacts Vader via holographic communication to tell him of a "great disturbance in the Force," and warns him that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is becoming a threat. Vader convinces the Emperor that Luke would be an asset if he could be turned to the dark side of the Force.
In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Palpatine arrives on the second Death Star to oversee the last stages of its construction. When Darth Vader delivers his son, Luke Skywalker, to Palpatine, the Emperor—intent on replacing Vader with a younger, more powerful apprentice—tempts the young Jedi to the dark side by appealing to his fear for his friends. This leads to a lightsaber duel in which Luke defeats and nearly kills Vader. Luke ultimately refuses to turn to the dark side, however, and an enraged Palpatine attacks him with Force lightning. Moved by the sight of his son's suffering, Vader turns on his master and redeems himself by throwing the evil Emperor into the Death Star's reactor shaft, killing him.
Prequel trilogy
In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, set 32 years before A New Hope, Palpatine is introduced as the senior Galactic Senator from the planet Naboo. The corrupt Trade Federation blockades and invades Naboo under the influence of Palpatine's Sith alter ego, Darth Sidious. Queen Padmé AmidalaNatalie Portman) flees to the planet Coruscant to receive counsel from the senator. After a plea for help from the senate results in bureaucratic delays, Palpatine persuades her to make a motion to have Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum (Terence Stamp) removed from office. Palpatine, as Sidious, sends his apprentice Darth Maul (Ray Park/Peter Serafinowicz) to Naboo to oversee the invasion and find the queen. The invasion, however, is thwarted by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor); in the ensuing lightsaber duel, both Maul and Jinn are killed. Palpatine returns to Naboo, having been elected the new Supreme Chancellor. He tells nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), newly accepted as Obi-Wan's Jedi apprentice, that "we will watch your career with great interest".
In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, set 10 years later, the galaxy is on the verge of civil war, as a growing Separatist movement of planets seeks to secede from the Republic to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They are led by Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), a former Jedi and Darth Sidious' new apprentice. Dooku hires a bounty hunter named Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison) to assassinate Padmé, leading to a wild goose chase for Obi-Wan to kill Fett and find Dooku. Palpatine tells Anakin (Hayden Christensen) to bring Padmé to her home planet of Naboo and guard her; the two soon fall in love. After Obi-Wan discovers that the Separatists are building a secret battle droid army, Palpatine uses the situation to have himself granted emergency powers. Palpatine feigns reluctance to accept this authority, promising to return it to the Senate once the crisis has ended. His first act is to create an army of cloned human warriors to counter the Separatist threat. The clones had recently been discovered by Obi-Wan as having been secretly ordered by deceased Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas many years earlier. When Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padmé, and the other Jedi go to the planet Geonosis, they engage in an epic battle that serves as the opening salvo of the Clone Wars, but Dooku and the Separatists escape.
In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, set three years later, Palpatine is captured by Separatist leader General Grievous (Matthew Wood) as part of Darth Sidious' elaborate plan. Palpatine is rescued by Anakin and Obi-Wan, but not before the Jedi confront Count Dooku. A short duel ensues, in which Dooku knocks Obi-Wan unconscious, and goes after Anakin; the younger Jedi eventually overpowers Dooku, and then kills him in cold blood at Palpatine's urging. Palpatine then escapes with his Jedi rescuers and returns to Coruscant.
By this point, Palpatine has become a virtual dictator, able to take any action in the Senate. The Jedi Council is troubled by Palpatine's power and fears he will not relinquish it when the Clone Wars end—suspicions which only grow when the Senate grants Palpatine a vote on the Jedi Council. He appoints Anakin as his representative on the Jedi Council, but they refuse to grant Anakin the rank of Jedi Master. The Council then orders Anakin to spy on Palpatine, but he instead reveals the Jedi's plan to him. Palpatine tells Anakin the story of Darth Plagueis the Wise, a powerful Sith Lord who was able to manipulate life and death, but was killed by his apprentice. Eventually, Palpatine reveals his secret identity to Anakin, and tempts him with promises of the power to prevent death. Palpatine knows that Anakin has been having visions of Padmé, who is now pregnant with Anakin's child, dying in childbirth, and offers to teach him Plagueis' secrets to save her life.
Confused and torn over his loyalty to both Palpatine and the Jedi, Anakin informs Jedi Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) that Palpatine is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Windu and three other Jedi Masters go to arrest Palpatine, but the Chancellor surprises them with a lightsaber and quickly dispatches all but Windu. In the ensuing duel, Windu disarms his opponent. Palpatine unleashes Force lightning at Windu, who deflects it back with his lightsaber at Palpatine, deforming Palpatine's face into the wizened, yellow-eyed visage seen in the original films. Anakin appears and intercedes on Palpatine's behalf, after Windu makes the mistake of proclaiming that he intends to summarily execute Palpatine, rather than taking him into custody to stand trial for his crimes. Anakin cuts off Windu's hand, allowing Palpatine to shoot Windu with another blast of lightning, hurtling him through the window to his death. Palpatine then accepts Anakin as his new apprentice, Darth Vader.
Palpatine then sets the destruction of the Jedi in motion: He sends Vader to destroy the Jedi Temple with a battalion of troops, and instructs all of the clone troopers to kill their Jedi generals under a secret command known as Order 66. He then sends Vader to Mustafar to assassinate the Separatist leaders. He announces to the Senate that the Jedi were planning to overthrow the Republic, and that the Republic will be reorganized into the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor for life. Jedi Master Yoda (Frank Oz) survives the attempt on his life and confronts Palpatine in his Senate office. A lightsaber duel erupts between them which ends in stalemate when Yoda flees into exile. Sensing his apprentice is in danger, Palpatine travels to Mustafar, where he finds Vader maimed and burned almost to the point of death following a duel with Obi-Wan. Palpatine returns to Coruscant with Vader and provides him with the black armor suit first seen in the original trilogy. When Vader regains consciousness, Palpatine tells him that Padmé died in the heat of Vader's anger, breaking what remains of his apprentice's spirit. Palpatine is last seen watching the first Death Star under construction, with Vader and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin (Wayne Pygram) at his side.