"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This line from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates the divisive reaction to Emperor Palpatine's return. Despite his supposed death in Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's revival through cloning drew significant backlash from fans. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, had a different perspective on the controversy.
In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith which has seen impressive box office numbers, McDiarmid addressed the criticism head-on. He dismissed the backlash, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on his 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 character's return, including the use of an "astral wheelchair" and the opportunity to sport an even more grotesque makeup look. He noted that co-star Daisy Ridley was more concerned about the wheelchair than the plot itself. Regarding the backlash, McDiarmid remained unfazed, commenting, "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."
He further justified Palpatine's return by emphasizing the character's resilience and planning: "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 somewhat vague explanation of Palpatine's return, hinting at ancient Sith magic. When Kylo Ren encounters him, Palpatine appears as a reanimated version of himself, reinforcing the notion that he had a contingency plan in place. In his monologue to Kylo Ren, Palpatine references his famous line 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 McDiarmid's defense, many fans remain unconvinced and would prefer to overlook Palpatine's return. The future of the Star Wars franchise remains uncertain in this regard, but upcoming projects continue to move forward. Daisy Ridley's character, Rey Skywalker, is set to return in multiple films, including a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This film will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, indicating that the Star Wars saga is far from over.
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