Galactic Emperor / Legends Galactic Emperor , sometimes referred to simply as Emperor , or Grand Emperor , was the title of the Head of State of the Galactic Empire and , later , the Fel and Sith Empires . The position and title was first formed , alongside the Galactic Empire itself , in 19 BBY during Palpatine ' s Declaration of a New Order immediately after the end of the Clone Wars . The female holder of this position , at least post - Palpatine , is generally referred to as Empress . The office was often referred to abstractly as the Imperial Executive or the Imperial throne . Powers and functions . Governance . The Galactic Emperor ' s power and authority were mainly derived from those of the Supreme Chancellor and the additional rights , responsibilities , and powers bestowed upon that office by the Senate during the Separatist Crisis and Clone Wars . It also derived power ( at least nominally ) from the Senate itself . The Emperor was the ultimate head of the Imperial Ruling Council , and was , at least nominally or symbolically , advised by the Imperial Senate . Officially , the Galactic Emperor does not directly interfere with local politics . During the reign of Palpatine , the Emperor was effectively an absolute monarch . The Emperor was the Head of State , Head of Government , and the Commander - in - Chief of the Galactic Empire , and had absolute authority over the Imperial Military , the bureaucracy , and the entire Empire and sectors itself . The Emperor had sole power to appoint , dismiss , approve , and supervise the regional governors . The Emperor organized and declared the budget , economy , taxes , and trade , ordered the Imperial Senate into session , dismissed it from meeting at will , declared its agenda , and proposed , rejected , and initiated all Senatorial bills . The Emperor also controlled , supervised , and disbanded the Courts and had the final judicial say . As such , the Emperor ' s mere word was enough for the Imperial hierarchy to enact his will . Those members of the Imperial government that saw particular favor with the Galactic Emperor often saw themselves elevated to positions of significant galactic power . Largely due to Palpatine ' s usage of these promotions , those within his inner circle formed a society composed of twisted sycophants and back - stabbers . In addition , he also issued via the Imperial Senate Intergalactic Passport s to allow their bearers access to various planets controlled by the Empire , as well as the six primary galaxies . As Emperor , Palpatine retained the emergency powers that had been voted to him during the Clone Wars , allowing him to rule under what amounted to martial law . He could execute , imprison , exile , banish , or confiscate anyone or anything solely on his authority . The Emperor could also issue executive orders , and proclamations with the legal force of law in the Empire , even more powerful than those issued by the Senate . The Emperor supervised , directed , appointed , and dismissed all officials in the government , and created , disbanded , supervised , and directed all governmental administrations , agencies , commissions , and boards . He could also confiscate all assets from defeated worlds at his order , something most especially seen in the first year of the Galactic Empire ' s formation . He can also redirect funds from various departments for weapons development , even when such actions are illegal . In addition to processing judgment to criminals via the Judiciary system , the Emperor , should the charge be serious enough , such as high treason , can also personally deliver the sentenced punishment to the criminal in question . The Emperor can also preside over the Shaldania Parade from the Palatial Balcony , as well as observe and direct the public executions of " Enemies of the Empire " during Carnival Week and New Year Fete Week , the latter of which the Emperor also has the authority to force in the execution proceedings during the festivities . Regarding marriages to the Galactic Emperor , the legal details of a potential Emperor ' s wedding were specifically included in Imperial law , and in fact specified that the bride would forfeit her rights and become the groom ' s property — although that particular law may have been a Church of the Dark Side fabrication . Military . In addition to his virtually totalitarian actions within the governance within the Empire , he also had near - total control within the Imperial Military . The Emperor is the one who gives orders to at the very least the Imperial Army , which are transmitted from Army Command down via a hierarchy . The development of superweapons under the Emperor ' s reign often necessitated that he visit the site development to personally inspect the development , evidenced by Palpatine ' s visitation of both Death Stars . As such , while the first Death Star was run by a triumvirate composed of Battle Station Command , Naval Command , and Army Command , the Emperor superceded their authority when he made direct visits to the battle station , and also supplied inputs to the development of the station , including adding in a contingency plan to make either the tower throne room or one of the lesser sections assume command if the Overbridge was irreparably damaged . He also can give inputs to the designs of various weaponry , as evidenced by his personally suggesting that the superdreadnought " Eye of Palpatine " specifically resemble an asteroid complete with impact craters , insisting it was necessary camouflage for baffling scanners . In addition , the Emperor alongside Imperial High Command were the ones who gave explicit authorization of using the Death Star ' s superlaser , even against targeted worlds , with any unauthorized usage of the superlaser being forbidden , and the Emperor is also the one to provide current codes for firing the superlaser . He can also place various weapons and vehicles into lockdown should there be a grave security risk with them , as evidenced by his suspending the Missile Boat ' s deployment due to then - current events . He can also oversee the development of new weapons and training new personnel besides superweapons should they be deemed important enough , such as his personally observing the development of the Cuis clone s , as well as his observance of the final test to become members of his royal guard . The Emperor could also personally lead the military forces into direct warfare should the battle or even military operation be important enough to require his presence , even operating his own personal fleet of starships for the occasion . The Emperor can also redirect virtually the entire Imperial Navy ( and possibly the entire Imperial Military ) back to Coruscant when giving a speech to his military and citizens , having done so once in 3 ABY . The Emperor can also attend and present starfighter squadrons , such as the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing , should they be exceptionally renowned and skilled during ceremonies . The Emperor can even , should the actions of one of his soldiers be extraordinary enough , personally award medals , including the coveted Emperor ' s Will , to the recipient at his palace . The Emperor also has the power to promote Grand Admirals and Grand Moffs . Likewise , the Emperor can also redirect segments of the military , such as the 501st Legion , to other sectors , whether it be for a conflict or to sell people into the slave market . In addition , if the Emperor demands to make contact with one of his officers , even in the middle of a military operation , the officer is obliged to temporarily disengage from his current assignment , even physically relocate if they were currently in a difficult environment to ensure a clear transmission . This was made especially apparent in the aftermath of the Battle of Hoth , where Vader , who at the time was having Death Squadron hunt down the " Millennium Falcon " in the Hoth asteroid field , ordered for the " Executor " to move out of the asteroid field after learning that Palpatine had demanded for Vader to contact him . He can also order purges within his own military , especially if some officers were showing signs of anti - Imperial sentiments . Whenever the Emperor arrived on a military installation , he was frequently met with an air parade of Imperial starfighter wings , especially TIE fighters , and also had thousands of massed troops , including Stormtroopers , and technicians standing at attention . The Emperor ' s Royal Guard often preceded out before the Emperor . In addition , his shuttle is often escorted by some squadrons of TIE fighters , including the Emperor ' s Sword and Emperor ' s Shield squadrons . Although Emperor Palpatine acted as the Commander - in - Chief of the Imperial Military , he rarely left his palace on Coruscant , which resulted in relatively few Imperial personnel ever actually seeing their leader . Succession . Palpatine was the first and only official Emperor of the first Galactic Empire — most of the Imperial leaders who followed were not recognized by all Imperials or never made use of the title of Emperor . One , Sate Pestage , seems to have legitimately held the title in the interim between Palpatine ' s death at Endor and his expected return . Pestage was possibly killed before Palpatine did return , leaving the throne apparently unoccupied . In addition , the supposed son of Emperor Palpatine , Trioculus , had been coronated , although it was left disputed as to whether it was valid . Emperor Palpatine ' s official heir would normally be Darth Vader , as he was Palpatine ' s third Sith apprentice . There were indications that he never intended for this to happen — he wanted Vader ' s secret apprentice Starkiller , and later Vader ' s son , Luke Skywalker , to take Vader ' s place at Palpatine ' s side by killing Vader . Palpatine had also prepared clone bodies of himself to take his place after his death , reducing the likelihood of needing an heir even further . In addition , he also stated prior to his final death to various Sith spirits that he intended to rule the Galaxy for all eternity , making it completely unlikely that he ever intended to have a line of succession . Despite this , however , Palpatine nonetheless arranged for the Dark Empire to be run on autopilot in the event that he ended up killed before he could utilize soul transference . In the Declaration of a New Order , Palpatine ' s speech had indicated that the Imperial Senate would elect the Galactic Emperor , but no one in the Imperial High Command had any desire to restore a body that would probably dissolve the Empire , so many Imperial commanders became rogue warlords after the Battle of Endor . There were also attempts to have successions via lineage , which either involved blood lineage from remote relatives ( such as Ederlathh Pallopides , the great - niece of Palpatine ) , or from people rumored to have been sired by Palpatine himself ( such as Irek Ismaren ) . Most of the latter instances were done to act as power - brokers . After the final death of Palpatine in 11 ABY , Xandel Carivus proclaimed himself the Emperor , but was soon killed by Kir Kanos . Under the Imperial Remnant , the role of Imperial Head of State was assumed by Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet . It was unclear what led to the appointment of Jagged Fel as Emperor , but the title became a hereditary one , passed on among members of the Fel dynasty such as Roan Fel , though the Emperor shared power with a Council of Moffs rather than holding absolute authority . In addition , the Emperor was also constantly at the mercy of the Imperial Knight s , where the Emperor will be summarily executed if the Emperor started showing signs of adopting Dark Side behavior and was unwilling to go back from the Dark Side . This policy was implemented in order to ensure they not have a repeat of Palpatine ' s actions during his rule of the first Galactic Empire . When the One Sith took over , Darth Krayt abolished the hereditary system and claimed the title of Galactic Emperor for his version of the Empire . Roan Fel still claimed the title from his Empire - in - exile during the Second Imperial Civil War , and upon the conclusion of the war the deaths of both Krayt and Roan Fel resulted in Princess Marasiah Fel rising to become Empress of a now reunited Empire . Style of office . Under the rule of Palpatine , the Galactic Emperor was formally referred to as " His Imperial Majesty , Emperor Palpatine " ( as well as simply " His Imperial Majesty " ) or " His Excellency , Emperor Palpatine . " Both " Your Majesty , " and " Your Highness " were accepted forms of oral address . Governor Wilek Nereus was known to refer to the Emperor as his " Most Excellent Imperial Master Palpatine " in his messages . While Nereus used the third person in direct address as a mark of courtesy , Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin did not . At any rate , Palpatine was usually referred to as just " the Emperor " in the context of non - official , everyday conversations , even between military officers . The official title of " The Galactic Emperor " was also enclosed in the official statements included in issued Intergalactic Passports . At least one other official title was " Grand Emperor . " Certain individuals had their own , non - official way to address their Imperial sovereign . Being outside of the Imperial hierarchy , Darth Vader used to call the Emperor " my master , " when meeting with the Emperor in person , a sign of their master – disciple relation in the dark arts of the Force . Vader would also use the pronoun " thy " instead of the more common " your , " when asking what the Emperor ' s bidding was . Prince Xizor , a Falleen noble and the leader of the Black Sun criminal organization , addressed Palpatine as " my Emperor . " Yoda , an enemy of the Empire , when encountering Palpatine in his senate rotunda chamber , sarcastically referred to Palpatine as simply " Emperor . " Luke Skywalker , a member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and fledgling Jedi Knight , when rejecting Palpatine ' s request for him to induct himself into the Sith as his apprentice shortly after Luke defeated Vader , referred to Palpatine as " Your Highness , " with Galen Marek at one point referring to Palpatine by that title under similar circumstances during their duel . Finally , those who knew that Palpatine was a Dark Lord of the Sith usually called him " my Lord , " as did Jeng Droga , one of the Emperor ' s Hand s . The Sith spirits on Onderon , when addressing Palpatine when he entered the Tomb of Darth Vader , also referred to him as the " Emperor of numberless worlds . " By the time of Operation Shadow Hand , Palpatine was also given the title of " His Immortal Majesty , " in reference to his revival from his death at Endor via transfer essence . Although not an official title of office , Palpatine after his revival also adopted the title of Omnipotent Battle Leader , which he used to sway several feuding warlords into joining him before officially unveiling his revival . During the time of the Fel Empire , the reigning Emperor ( or Empress ) is often addressed as " His Imperial Majesty , " or in the case of the Empress , " Her Imperial Majesty , " with it also being used for any ships belonging to the Empire . Behind the scenes . The title of Galactic Emperor was first mentioned — although without the ' Galactic ' adjective — in the of " " , ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster and published in 1976 . The full title was first used with the Intergalactic Passport backstage pass for filming of . In the JC Penny catalogue description for the " Darth Vader Star Destroyer " playset , the portrait of the Grand Vizier was misidentified as " Grand Emperor " . Kyle Katarn becomes the new Emperor in the alternative non - canon option of " " , succeeding Jerec . Similarly , Anakin Skywalker , under the influence of the Son , became both the founder and Emperor of the Galactic Empire upon defeating both Yoda and Sidious when the latter two teamed up in the Infinities comic " Clone Wars : Infinities : What if the Father never rescued Anakin from the Dark Side ? " in " " . The Dark Side ending of the " Revenge of the Sith " video game has Vader effectively assuming command of the Empire after Sidious , having already become Emperor , gave him his new lightsaber and using it to skewer his master before the latter could react . There is some confusion as to whether Ysanne Isard actually claimed the title Empress or not . While " " referred to her as Empress , other works such as " " contradict this ( indeed , she claims it would be premature to name an Emperor while the New Republic still exists ) , and it is possible that this reference was figurative . In the , Obi - Wan mentions that there have been multiple emperors , with only the later ones becoming corrupt and with the original Emperor having been assassinated earlier . This was inspired by the first draft of the film , where there had never been a Republic , only an originally - benign Empire which fell to evil . There was originally going to be a plot point involving the successor to the title of Galactic Emperor in the game " The New Emperor " . However , this plot development was cut when the game itself ended up cancelled . Similarly , concept art for what was going to be " Star Wars : Battlefront IV " revealed that one what - if concept involved Darth Vader becoming the Galactic Emperor , with his possessing at least two variants of his armor .