The Star Wars Prequel trilogy is currently celebrating 25 years since its release, and we’re getting retrospectives from everyone including Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson.
Though Darth Vader is at the center of the story, the shadow of the Emperor looms, even as far as the Sequel Trilogy, and Empire has asked Ian McDiarmid about the character and how he’s affected the entire franchise after all this time.
With so many people against Palpatine returning in the ST, McDiarmid shares the process on how he was brought back and why he thought it also worked. He explains:
“A lot of people said it was ridiculous… Of course, he was dead at the end of Return Of The Jedi! And frankly, I think George thought he’d killed me too. But J.J. thought it would be a good idea – I wasn’t going to argue with him. I felt that Palpatine always had a plan B – probably a plan C, D, E, and F as well. And he was an expert in cloning, so…”
With Palpatine also coming back for the ST, McDiarmid says that it kind of solidifies his character as one of the most vile figures in cinema. He continues, “That is total evil, and that’s strangely satisfying as an arc. I do feel fortunate to have been able to do it – and other villains of cinema now have to compete with that.”
There is also the fact that Palpatine is now the biological grandfather of the ST protagonist Rey, and a lot of fans immediately cringed at the thought that the Emperor would actually reproduce.“Please don’t pursue that line too vigorously,” says McDiarmid, “But yes, he does [have sex]. It’s a horrible idea to think of Palpatine having sex in any shape or form. But then, of course, perhaps he didn’t. Maybe it’s all to do with midi-chlorians – and don’t ask me what those are!
For your own piece of mind, the canon explains that Rey’s father was actually a failed Palpatine clone who ran away with his wife. It’s not explained in the movie, but for the sake of tying up loose ends, the EU pretty much explains it.
It’s not the most satisfying answer, but it’s… definitely an answer.
For now, fans wait for the next Star Wars movie with Rey which is expected to come out in 2025.
