Look to the Stars and to Your Emperor You Will See Me Again

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[This story contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker]

Many Star Wars fans came out of The Ascension of Skywalker baffled about Palpatine's render, complaining that his master programme was illogical, inconsistent and maybe even a little convoluted. Luckily,The Hollywood Reporter contributors (and Star Wars experts) Andrew James Myers and Dan Gvozden are here to attempt to answer all the questions you have nigh what exactly J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm have been planning for years. This deep dive into Palpatine'south Final Guild promises to articulate everything upwardly nearly how the Emperor's whole plan really makes total sense if you lot think really hard virtually it.

Let's start from the kickoff: how did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker? Didn't he die in Render of the Jedi?

Well, you know, Sheev Palpatine e'er had a Plan B in the case that whole Galactic Empire matter didn't work out. It turns out he ran a Sith cult on the hidden world of Exegol in the Unknown regions. His loyalists there, chosen the Sith Eternal, were ready and waiting to transfer his spirit into a reconstructed body in the case of his expiry. This contingency plan was triggered at the end of Return of the Jedi, when Vader betrayed Palpatine and threw him into a pit aboard the Second Death Star.

Wasn't the Second Expiry Star already a Plan B? In case the starting time Death Star was destroyed.

Fine, this is Plan C.

Where did Palpatine get his powers to cheat decease?

The Rise of Skywalker directly references a key line of dialogue from the prequel trilogy when Palpatine tells Kylo Ren, "the Dark Side of the Strength is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." According to Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith, his master Darth Plagueis "had such a noesis of the Dark Side, he could even go on the ones he cared about from dying." Palpatine learned everything his master knew, including this technique to crook death, and and then killed him in his sleep.

If Plagueis had the power over death, why did Plagueis non apply information technology to come back to life?

Ah-ha, see, that was the one limitation of his power: "Ironic. He could salve others from death, simply not himself."

And so past that logic the technique Palpatine learned from Plagueis was how to salve others from death, not himself. And so that doesn't explain at all how he came back.

Well he must have figured it out at some point then.

And then nosotros really have no clue how Palpatine came back, do we?

He probably merely doesn't similar talking about it.

Has Palpatine been the one pulling the strings in the groundwork of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi?

Of course. He'southward been the phantom menace all along.

How did the big bad from the concluding two films, Supreme Leader Snoke, fit into Palpatine'due south plans?

Palpatine'south Sith Eternal genetically engineered Snoke as an empty vessel that he could command similar a puppet. Palpatine was actually the ane leading the Starting time Guild, controlling every give-and-take and action of Snoke.

Why did Palpatine hibernate behind the persona of Snoke instead of ruling the Kickoff Order?

For prophylactic, in case somebody tried to betray him over again. Palpatine revealing himself as the true leader was the fill-in program, in instance Snoke was killed.

So we're on Plan D now?

Yes.

So Palpatine's Plan D is that he's going to personally re-assume the throne of Emperor of the entire galaxy, correct?

No that's plan F. Don't jump ahead like that.

And so what is Plan D?

Rey Palpatine will join the Sith and be installed as Empress of the galaxy. There she volition dominion over the Final Order and its Sith fleet of Star Destroyers, each one equipped with a Expiry Star laser.

Simply that doesn't piece of work out, right?

Cease jumping ahead!

So, Program D begins with Palpatine dissemination to the galaxy that he'southward dorsum. Why announce that to everyone?

He wanted to draw Kylo Ren to him.

Couldn't he have only spoken to Kylo Ren directly, every bit he did in the persona of Snoke?

Well, yeah. But this is the same guy who threw floating senate pods at Yoda as he was destroying the Republic. Subtlety isn't his thing.

How did Palpatine procure a Sith fleet of thousands of Xyston-grade Star Destroyers, each equipped with a Death Star laser?

He built it over the past several decades, utilizing the work of all his Sith Eternal cultists on Exegol.

But wouldn't someone have noticed a fleet of that size, with that much firepower?

Not on a planet as remote as Exegol. Too, even if they constitute their way to Exegol, there's no style they'd find it subconscious under the ice.

Then, why even provide clues, in the form of wayfinders, for people to discover? Wouldn't that put the fleet at risk of beingness found?

Not if the wayfinders were nigh impossible to detect.

And so, why have wayfinders at all?

Well, and so that the Sith could travel through the dangerous and disruptive Unknown Regions of space if they e'er needed to find Exegol. They are like that map to Luke Skywalker from The Force Awakens.

How did Palpatine ensure that only Sith would find the wayfinders?

Well, he had the Sith Eternal hibernate them in places of import to the Sith but unsafe to everyone else, like Mustafar and inside the ruins of the Second Expiry Star's throne room. And then he had them make escape-room-type clues where y'all would take to interpret an illegal linguistic communication inscribed on a special protractor dagger with a silhouette puzzle.

And then why unveil the Sith fleet at present and not during the Battle of Starkiller Base of operations, just a year before, when the Resistance attacked the Commencement Order's largest superweapon?

He idea they'd be fine. The Sith fleet was his backup Program D.

And so why unveil the Sith armada now and not during the Battle of Crait, just a year earlier, when the Resistance could have been wiped out in i shot?

Again, he idea they'd be fine. The Sith fleet was his backup Program D.

Why non but make the Sith fleet Plan C?

Why go in with an axe when you can operate with a needle?

Palpatine is a homo of refined tastes, like Mon Calamari opera. He knows just the right amount of giant space lasers necessary to create sportly drama. Besides, a few losses here and in that location is only the right affair to harden Kylo Ren.

Even nonetheless, it seems kind of similar overkill for a backup plan. Were thousands of Star Destroyers with Expiry Star superlasers really necessary?

Yes. It's not like all the thousands of Star Destroyers had Starkiller Base superweapons on them.

So, dorsum to Palpatine himself, why does he want to pass the torch to a new ruler? Wouldn't that mean he dies?

Palpatine is weak and barely kept live through massive machinery and the corrosive magic of the Dark Side. He knows death is coming for him and has no way to prolong it any further.

Couldn't he just do what he did before and recreate a new cloned body of himself using the unexplained resurrection powers that brought him back in the first place?

Apparently not.

Has Palpatine accustomed that he is going to die and so?

Sort of, but he believes his spirit can live on by possessing the new Empress, in the same way that every other previous Sith currently possesses his torso.

Wait, what? How does that piece of work?

It's part of the Rule of Two. Every Sith Apprentice kills their main, so absorbs their principal's spirit. Recursive possessions have accumulated over thousands of generations such that Palpatine is at present literally "all the Sith."

That seems similar a large bargain. Why hasn't anyone ever mentioned Palpatine being "all the Sith" before?

Nobody e'er asked.

So Palpatine'due south Plan D is that he will be one of thousands of Sith spirits cramming into the body of Rey? That sounds less like a galactic dictator and more than like a low-level bureaucrat.

Like it or not, that's his plan. Immortality has its downsides.

How exactly does Palpatine intend to turn Rey into the Empress?

Though a long-established Sith ritual. If she kills him in acrimony, he will be able to enter her body and have control. It'due south a well-established Sith rule — everybody on Exegol knows almost information technology!

Why accept nosotros never been introduced to this important ritual until the very end of the nine-film saga?

That whole "strike me downwards" routine is actually what Palpatine was doing in Render of the Jedi, when he taunted Luke Skywalker to impale him in hatred. He wanted this to happen then that he could possess Luke's body.

But when Luke tried to strike Palpatine, Darth Vader immediately stepped in to protect the Emperor. If the Emperor actually planned this equally a Sith possession ritual, wouldn't he have primed Vader alee of time to let Luke become through with information technology?

Hmm.

Seems like a big missed opportunity for this chief planner…

You know what? I recall. He didn't want Vader to get whatsoever ideas and go through with the ritual himself. Right?

Too much competition. That'southward why he had to get it right the next time, with no interlopers (well, other than thousands of Sith Eternal cultists).

If at first y'all don't succeed, make more backup plans.

Then, he'due south going to try the same ritual sacrifice thing once again with Rey now?

Yup.

How long had Palpatine been planning to bring Rey to Exegol?

He had been searching for her ever since she was a little girl. He picked up the trail over again when Kylo told Snoke/Palpatine about Rey in The Forcefulness Awakens.

He wanted to possess the body of a little girl?

Obviously. That didn't piece of work out though, and so now he's going to possess her as a 20-year-erstwhile woman.

Is that why he (every bit Snoke) continued Kylo and Rey through the Strength in The Last Jedi?

Actually, no. He did that so that he could lure Rey into coming before him and Kylo. He knew that he could stoke Kylo'southward anxieties about the Night Side and trigger in Rey the thought that she could redeem him, just equally Luke did for his father.

Wait, if Palpatine'southward whole plan relied on Rey coming to Exegol, then why did Palpatine repeatedly tell Kylo Ren to kill her throughout Rise of Skywalker?

He knew Kylo'due south intent. He was really expecting Kylo to betray him and not impale her, as a way to lure her to Exegol.

So so dorsum in The Concluding Jedi, why did Palpatine/Snoke specifically gild Kylo Ren to execute Rey? Did he really desire to kill Rey and then?

Well, no.

How does that make whatsoever sense? Snoke gave Kylo a direct order to kill her, because she had "the spirit of a true Jedi," and she was the most powerful obstacle to the Night Side'south victory.

He was playing mind games. He knew that Kylo wouldn't go through with it. Snoke fifty-fifty says "I see his mind, I see his every intent."

Just the whole signal is that Snoke can't see Kylo's intent. Right before that, Snoke says "I cannot be betrayed, I cannot exist beaten." And and so Kylo surprises him and kills him.

He was backbiting bluffing bluffing. Palpatine really knew Snoke was going to dice.

But why was he bluffing?

To brand Kylo think he was betraying Snoke, which was all role of his master plan.

Why did he need Kylo to think he was betraying Snoke?

This is an easy 1. And then that Kylo would be primed to think he tin betray Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker! And that would set in motion the events to bring Rey to Exegol.

And then Kylo doesn't beguile Palpatine?

He does betray Palpatine, only that'southward exactly what Palpatine wanted!

Why doesn't Palpatine just ask for what he wants, instead of request for the opposite and getting fake-betrayed?

You simply don't capeesh principal plans.

Simply he could have just said "Hey Kylo, take Rey to Exegol for this special Sith Ritual thing."

Only what if Kylo had betrayed him and not done that?

Touche.

See! Sometimes reverse psychology is the simply way to become the job done.

But look, Kylo went to Exegol to kill Palpatine. Why not just let Kylo kill you lot and be washed with information technology?

Huh.

He'southward been preparation this guy for two whole movies equally the heir apparent to the Empire. He tells him he'll exist the next Emperor. He fifty-fifty got him to do what Luke couldn't and impale his ain father. What better vessel for his soul?

Rey is better.

Why?

Crusade she's a Palpatine.

Why not his ain developed son?

He had him killed.

Why?

Because he wouldn't bring Rey to him.

And so Palpatine's son betrayed him.

Exactly.

Wouldn't he have expected to be betrayed past his son, if Palpatine is so good at predicting that?

Maybe he did and this is his backup programme.

So this whole trilogy, e'er since Snoke/Palpatine discovered his granddaughter was awakened to the Strength in The Force Awakens, he'due south been trying to bring Rey back to him to possess her body? Even though nobody mentions anything about this until Rey gets to Exegol?

Exactly! At present you're getting it.

That plan blows up pretty fast, doesn't it? Rey pretends similar she's going to impale him and and then she doesn't.

Yeah. She teams upwardly with Kylo. That's why he goes to Program E.

What'south Plan E?

Kill Rey and Ben Skywalker with force lightning.

That's it? Wasn't Rey his best shot at immortality? Couldn't he, like, stick Rey in a torture chamber until she turns to the Dark Side?

Nobody's got time for that. It's only similar on the Second Decease Star in Render of the Jedi. In one case Palpatine realizes Luke's non gonna turn to the Night Side, it's time to take out the trash.

How long does the plan to kill Rey and Ben last?

About four seconds. When he hits them with force lightning, instead of frying them, he's hit with a jolt of healing energy that mends his decaying hands. Onto Program F.

And then what'southward Program F?

Palpatine comes up with this i on the spot. He realizes that Rey and Ben's supernatural connectedness has made them a Force Dyad, a wellspring of the Living Force that he can slurp up to completely restore his trunk to full health. Now he doesn't take to bother with making Rey the adjacent Empress — he tin can dominion the galaxy over again himself as the one true Emperor!

Sounds like he's had a lot of random options at his disposal the whole time!

The Strength works in mysterious ways. If he had known there was a Strength Dyad, this probably would have been Plan D and not Programme F.

Wait, it's starting to make sense! The Final Jedi reveal that Palpatine/Snoke is the 1 who joined Ben and Rey's minds to create the Forcefulness Dyad in the first place! Then was this his plan all along to heal himself?

Nope. But a lucky side outcome. Palpatine doesn't realize this is possible until he tries killing them.

Well as we all know, Plan F fails. Why?

Afterwards Palpatine sucks the life force out of them, he doesn't demand Rey and Ben anymore. So he tosses Ben in the pit, and and so starts forcefulness-lightning-ing Rey to death. Palpatine couldn't accept known that would backfire and then spectacularly. Turns out two lightsabers and the weight of all the Jedi beats all the Sith.

But what about when Mace Windu did the exact same thing to him in Revenge of the Sith?

Whoops. Fool me in one case…

So Palpatine died over again and — spoiler alert — we saw his trunk disintegrate. Couldn't there be a Plan Grand where his soul is zapped into some other body somewhere else with another backup fleet waiting?

No one would believe a scheme that convoluted.

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Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/star-wars-palpatines-final-order-rise-skywalker-explained-1264714/

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