Star Wars is taking a break from the movies for the time being, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing happening in the franchise worth talking about. Audiences are likely well-aware of all the projects happening on Disney+, but a lesser talked-about effort is Disney’s slow re-introduction of aspects of the former Star Wars canon into its current canon. This includes Grand Admiral Thrawn being reintroduced on Star Wars Rebels, and more recently, there have been revelations about a key moment from Emperor Palpatine’s past.
Star Wars recently re-introduced a key Legends moment from canon in Sheev Palpatine’s story by depicting his early rise to power in the Senate. This includes a pivotal reference to his relationship with his master Darth Plagueis, in which Palpatine “struck him down.” What does it all mean, and why does it seem like Star Wars could be prepping to tell this story on the big screen?
How Star Wars Re-Introduced Palpatine’s Rise To Power
Before it was de-canonized by Disney, a bulk of what we knew about Darth Plagueis and Sheev Palpatine came from the 2012 novel by James Luceno called Darth Plagueis. Plagueis remained canon because he’s explicitly mentioned in Revenge of the Sith by Palpatine, but fans were left to wonder what aspects of Palpatine and Plagueis’ relationship changed in the new canon. Now there’s a new book titled Secrets of the Sith by Marc Sumerak, which re-introduced at least some of the history is canon once more and added a key bit of information. Check out this excerpt from the novel (via ScreenRant), which lays it all out from Palpatine’s perspective.
After centuries in the shadows, the Sith were poised to emerge once more. As a dark apprentice, I sensed that the Galactic Republic was in disarray. Its delegates held no interest in the common good. They would be easy targets for my influence. Serving as a senator, I manipulated their greed in my favor. With each new act of legislation, I rose through their ranks. Total control of the galaxy's governing body drew ever closer. But ascension in the Senate would not be enough. My master, Darth Plagueis, had served his purpose. I struck him down, claiming his place as the one true master of the Sith.
The excerpt re-confirmed that Sheev Palpatine’s political spot was a long-constructed Sith plot to gain power in the galaxy, but added a key bit of information. The novel revealed that Palpatine amassed a good deal of power in the Senate and then made his big move to strike down his master Darth Plagueis.
Keep in mind, Sheev Palpatine still was just a senator on Naboo at the start of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. This new information doesn’t exactly confirm Palpatine killed Plagueis shortly before the events of The Phantom Menace, but it makes sense that it could’ve happened in the years leading up to it if Palpatine felt he’d reached a spot where his master wasn’t useful anymore.
Why Star Wars May Be Interested In Telling This Story On The Big Screen
Details on when Palpatine killed Darth Plagueis is handy information for fans in general, but is it possible Star Wars wants to adapt this story for the big screen? I think it’s a possibility, especially given Plagueis is one of the biggest characters in Star Wars lore who we haven’t seen in live-action. If Star Wars is looking for a way to get its most-dedicated fans amped about another movie again, a live-action Darth Plagueis story is the way to go.
It’s also fair to say that there’s a particular affinity the average Star Wars moviegoer has for the Prequel Trilogy. After all, many millennials grew up seeing that era in theaters and supplemented their knowledge of it with the popular animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. A downside of that series, though, is that it’s largely exhausted the number of stories worthy of being told. There aren’t a ton of avenues for Star Wars to revisit the Prequel Trilogy, but now one is conveniently being teased in a new book?
Plus, let’s just talk about how Sheev Palpatine taking on his master isn’t exactly an adventure that needs eight 1-hour episodes to be told. We know the beginning, middle and end of this story in broad strokes, but seeing it would be a whole new experience. This is a bit of Star Wars lore that is just begging to have its story told on the big screen, and if I’m thinking that, I have to believe that someone at Lucasfilm is already deep into figuring out how to make it happen.
Why A Darth Plagueis And Palpatine Story Would Be Good For Star Wars
Star Wars will do a lot of things on screen over the next decade or so. With that being said, out of all the perspectives we’re getting in the near future, we’re not getting a story that tackles things from the perspective of someone truly ingrained in the Dark Side. It’s not necessarily a side of Star Wars that needs to be told, but it is one of interest the franchise hasn’t shown a lot of.
Sure, we got to witness Anakin Skywalker’s fall from grace, but ultimately there’s some duality in his character. With Palpatine, there’s not a shred of redemption in the things he does, and he’s not exactly a sympathetic character. It’s not exactly a glowing recommendation for a lead character, but given the story could be centered around him killing someone arguably as evil as he is, I think it can be justified.
Also, this is such a huge moment in Star Wars history. Without Emperor Palpatine killing Darth Plagueis, there may be no Clone Wars plot, no destruction of the Jedi and no shirtless Kylo Ren decades later. This is the true birth of the Skywalker Saga, and a story I believe is obligated to be set in canon and given a spotlight via a feature film. I’m not sure if it’ll actually happen, but I’d be one of the first in line to see it if it actually did.
We have no idea if Star Wars will make a Darth Plagueis and Palpatine movie, but we do know a Rogue Squadron movie in development. Keep with CinemaBlend for more updates on that, as well as news in general on the franchise going forward.
