Entertainment | Film & Cinema
Palpatine
Palpatine, the last Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, represents the cleverness with which many politicians manipulate war and peace.
- By Orus Villacorta, Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:00 May 1, 2007
- In the eyes of the public, Palpatine was a respected politician. From Naboo (his native planet) Palpatine became senator after assassinating the existing senator, taking the position.
- Image Credit: Nino Jose Heredia/Gulf News
Palpatine, the last Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and the first Emperor of the Galactic Empire, represents the cleverness with which many politicians manipulate war and peace.
Click here to download Palpatine artwork (pdf)
Palpatine first met the mysterious Dark Lord Darth Plagueis approximately eighty years before the battle of Yavin. It was this encounter, and the training which followed, that turned him into his alter ego, Darth Sidious.
His master's desire was to avoid the death, which he attempted to do by experimenting with the Dark side. But Sidious suspected that the real intention of his master was not to experiment with the creation of life through The Force, but to obtain a new apprentice.
So he killed Plagueis while he slept and claimed the title of Sith Master for himself.
In the eyes of the public, Palpatine was a respected politician. From Naboo (his native planet) Palpatine became senator after assassinating the existing senator, taking the position. Later he used the Trade Federation to organise a crisis in Naboo. His plan was to use Queen Padmé Amidala (of Naboo) to expel Chancellor Valorum from the chancellery and thus to accede this new rank. The plan was a complete success.
His political successes were many. Palpatine became friends with the young Anakin Skywalker, acting as his mentor and informer.
As Anakin grew up, Palpatine tried to distance him from Obi-Wan Kenobi by diminishing Anakin's confidence in his friend and master. Finally, in Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith, he was able to destroy the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin.
Before these events, Palpatine's disciples had been Count Dooku and Darth Maul. Once Anakin Skywalker had turned into Darth Vader, his control over the galaxy was absolute. Nevertheless a rebellion would begin 19 years later, around Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker.
Palpatine (by now operating openly as a Sith and as the Emperor of the Galaxy) also tried to seduce Luke into joining the Dark side of the Force. When Luke refused the proposal Sidious decided to kill him. Seeing this, Darth Vader saved the life of his son by killing Palpatine, throwing him into the abyss at the heart of the second Dark Star.
PALPATINE:
Homeworld: Naboo
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Height: 1.73 metres
Weapon: Dark Side Lightning
Vehicle: Imperial Shuttle
Affiliation: Galactic Senate, Galactic Republic, Empire, Sith
Associations: Jedi Order, Sith, Confederacy of Independent System, Naboo Royal House, Trade Federation
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