"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This line from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates fans' mixed feelings about Emperor Palpatine's return. Despite his dramatic demise at the end of Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's reappearance in The Rise of Skywalker was met with significant backlash from the Star Wars community. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, has a different perspective on the controversy.
In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith, which has seen a remarkable box office performance, McDiarmid addressed the criticism. He dismissed the backlash, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on the character's foresight, saying, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to be put it together in some form." McDiarmid also enjoyed the creative aspects of his return, such as being transported around the studio in what he humorously called an "astral wheelchair" and the development of a new, more grotesque makeup look.
Regarding the specific backlash to Palpatine's return, McDiarmid remarked, "Well, there’s always something, isn’t there? I don’t read that stuff and I’m not online. So it’ll only reach me if someone mentions it. I thought there might be a bit of a fuss about bringing him back. But as I said, mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable. This man who was horribly maimed thought maybe one day it might happen to him, and we’ve got to have a plan B. I loved the whole idea that he should come back and be even more powerful than he was before. Though this time, he had to be utterly destroyed. So I think he’s dead."
The Rise of Skywalker provides a vague explanation for Palpatine's return, hinting at ancient Sith magic. When Kylo Ren encounters Palpatine early in the film, he appears as a reanimated version of himself, suggesting that he did not survive his fall in Return of the Jedi but was brought back through dark side abilities. Palpatine himself references this in his monologue to Kylo Ren, echoing his words from Revenge of the Sith: "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural."
Despite the explanation, many fans remain unconvinced and would prefer to overlook Palpatine's return. The future of the Star Wars franchise will be interesting to watch, especially with Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker set to appear in "several" upcoming films. Ridley is confirmed to return in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.
Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show
View 23 Images
