Darth Sidious

Darth Sidious, also known as Palpatine and The Emperor, was a very powerful male human sith lord active during the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War. He was the top leader of the Empire, the Republic and the Separatists, earning his way there via manipulation. He was the master of the legendary sith lord Darth Vader, previously known as Anakin Skywalker.

## History

### Pre-32 BBY

Somewhere in Sidious life, he would be taught about the force and the dark side by his mentor, and he most likely killed his mentor after getting his own apprentice when he was ready to do so, to continue the rule of only two sith at one time. This apprentice was Darth Maul, and Sidious together with Maul now planned to reveal themselves to the jedi after a thousand years in hiding to get revenge on them. Sidious would also join the Republic in which the jedi was part of (under a less menacing appearance and under the name Palpatine) and started to make his way to the top of the system to get enough control over the Republic to turn the jedi into Republic enemies when the time was ready. Soon he had gotten himself a position as senator in the Republic, which was one of the highest positions, next to chancellor that was the most powerful position to be in.

### 32 BBY

In 32 BBY the Trade Federation started to act against the Galactic Republic, which the jedi was part of, which was the birth of the separatist movement. Sidious took this as an opportunity to secretly start cooperating with the Federation and to soon take control of both sides of the coming war. The Federation was led by Nute Gunray, and together Sidious and the Federation planned to make their first move against the Republic, which was to occupy the planet Naboo with the help of the Federations own battle droid army. The Federation began with sending out a blocade over Naboo which the Republic soon found out about. Sidious would have contact with the Federation via hologram from Coruscant, the home of the Republic.

The Republic sent two jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, to the blocade to see what was going on, and Sidious ordered the Federation to exterminate the incoming threat, which the Federation failed to do, resulting in the jedi fleeing to Naboo to warn the inhabitants of the danger. Although the Federation began the invasion of the planet, and the jedi didn't make it to the capital in time before it was occupied by Battle Droids. Although the jedi managed to rescue the queen of the capital and start their journey to Coruscant and warn the Republic about the matter, with Sidious sending Maul after them. Maul later came back to his master on Coruscant, informing his master that he wasn't able to kill the jedi. Although the two sith remained confident, being sure that they will soon have revenge either way. Maul had battled Qui-Gon on the planet Tatooine, which meant that the sith had finally revealed themselves.

Soon on Coruscant, the Republic senate (who consisted of the chancellor and alot of senators, including Palpatine) was discussing the problem of the invasion of Naboo and didn't see the current chancellor, who was a man named Valorum, as fit to rule the Republic anymore. The senate voted to get a new chancellor, and Sidious manipulated the senate to take him as their new leader, which was later done. From then on Sidious would be the chancellor of the Republic, now being in control of both sides.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan later returned to Naboo with more preparation, and planned to go against the Trade Federation with force. This later resulted in the battle of Naboo, and Sidious had sent Maul there to join the Federation and attack the jedi once more. Soon the jedi and the inhabitants of Naboo managed to win the battle, arresting Nute Gunray and ending the crisis. Sidious soon also found out that Maul had been killed on Naboo by Obi-Wan, trying to keep as calm as possible about the situation.

Later the funeral of Qui-Gon, who was killed by Sidious apprentice before being killed himself by Obi-Wan, was held on Naboo and Sidious was present there. A party was also later held on Naboo to celebrate the win over the separatists. Sidious was also introduced to Obi-Wans new apprentice Anakin Skywalker, and Sidious was looking forward to see Anakins evolution to become a jedi, secretly sensing how strong in the force Anakin seemed to be. The jedi was now sure of that the sith had returned, but wanted to know if it was the master or the apprentice that had been killed, being aware of the rule of two sith at one time.

### 22 BBY

10 years after the invasion of Naboo, Sidious was still chancellor of the Republic as well as the quiet leader of the Separatists. He had managed to get himself a new apprentice named Count Dooku, and Dooku was actually an old jedi before coming in contact with Sidious. Sidious had dubbed Dooku into Darth Tyranus, and Dooku had helped Sidious in starting the development of a secret clone army that the Republic would come to use, which Dooku and Sidious planned to later turn against the jedi and exterminate them with, once enough trust had been built among the jedi and the clones. Dooku was also one of the highest leaders in the Separatists, doing the most work for his master, and several systems had left the Republic to join the Separatist movement instead.

Later Dooku had tried to assassinate former queen of Naboo but now senator Padmé Amidala via a bounty hunter named Jango Fett (who was actually the original template of the clone army) and Padmé was sent to Coruscant to meet up with Sidious and discuss her protection. Sidious had a meeting with the jedi council in his office when Padmé and her new guardians Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived, and it was decided that Padmé would stay on Coruscant under the protection of the two jedi. Soon another assassin attempt was made, and Obi-Wan managed to collect some information about it all, which led him to the home-planet of Jango Fett named Kamino where he discovered the clone army, with Sidious work going as planned.

Later another senate-meeting was held, giving Sidious emergency powers over the Republic.

Obi-Wan later informed the jedi council about the clone army, and Yoda went to Kamino to pick the army up and fight their first battle against the Separatists on the planet Geonosis, which was the biggest battle against them so far which led to many casualties on both sides, including the death of Jango Fett who was there together with Count Dooku that managed to escape the scene. Dooku later joined up with his Sidious on Coruscant and told Sidious that everything is going as planned. Although Dooku didn't know that Sidious already had his eyes on Anakin Skywalker, planning to replace Dooku with him as an apprentice when the time is right. Sidious later stood on a balcony in the sunset together with his men and watched as the clone army was marching into ships to be spread out over the galaxy. The battle on Geonosis was the start of the Clone Wars which would shake the galaxy for years to come.

### 19 BBY

3 years after the battle on Geonosis, the Clone Wars was still going on around the galaxy, and soon Sidious himself was kidnapped by the Separatists, to Sidious unworry as he knew that he was secretly associated with them, with atleast Dooku knowing about his two identities. He was taken to separatist leader General Grievous flagship above Coruscant where a big battle broke out between several Republic Star Destroyers and Separatist Flagships. There he was taken to a big room onboard the Generals ship where he was tied to a chair.

Soon Anakin and Obi-Wan entered the room to rescue Sidious onboard the ship, but to the jedis surprise Dooku soon came into the room as well, accompanied by two Super Battle Droids. Sidious told the jedi that they wouldn't have a chance against the sith lord, but Obi-Wan optimistically responded that sith lords are a speciality of theirs. A lightsaber fight broke out between Dooku and the two jedi resulting in the destruction of Dooku's two droids and Obi-Wan being thrown unconscious by Dooku's force, and Sidious was secretly routing for Anakin to win the fight. Later, Anakin was able to cut Dooku's hands off, leaving Dooku on his knees with Anakin's and his own lightsaber around Dookus neck. Sidious was pleased by Anakin's triumph and ordered Anakin to kill Dooku, with Dooku looking in chock at his master. Anakin told Sidious that he shouldn't kill Dooku as it is not the jedi way, but Sidious insisted, resulting in Anakin killing Dooku by cutting his head off with the lightsabers, ending Sidious second apprentice. Anakin later untied Sidious from the chair and prepared to leave the place, with Sidious telling Anakin to leave Obi-Wan as there is no time for him. Anakin carried his master with them anyway, and as they were trying to escape they were captured by several battle droids onboard the ship, and were taken to General Grievous himself in the ships cockpit. During the meeting with Grievous the jedi managed to free themselves from the capture, and killed the pilot droids in the room resulting in Grievous escaping the scene and leaving the battle in his ship. The flagship was later so damaged that it was starting to go down on Coruscant, and the jedi managed to take control of the ship and land rather safely, succeeding in bringing Sidious back safe.

On Coruscant Sidious returned to his office and was soon visited by Anakin that started to follow Sidious around quite alot, and Sidious treated Anakin like a grand-son to gain his respect. As the two later sat down and relaxed Sidious asked Anakin if the jedi council had sent Anakin to spy on him, which was indeed the truth. He later told Anakin about how sith and jedi aren't so different, and that the sith are just more powerful. He even told Anakin about an old sith legend named Darth Plagueis that used the force to save and create life before Plagueis apprentice eventually killed Plagueis in his sleep. Sidious used these stories to seduce Anakin to the dark side, secretly knowing via the force that Anakin was worried about nightmares of his wife dying in childbirth. This wife was senator Padmé Amidala herself, who had a secret relationship with Anakin and had even married him years earlier. Later Sidious and Anakin discussed further about the force, with Anakin asking Sidious how he knows so much about the force. Sidious explained that he had a mentor that had taught him everything about the force, even the nature of the dark side, and that's when Anakin knew that Sidious is secretly the sith master that the jedi had been looking for since the invasion of Naboo. Anakin employed his lightsaber to threaten Sidious, and Sidious encouraged Anakin to tell the other jedi about the truth. Anakin later left Sidious to inform the jedi council, with Sidious only making progress. Later Sidious was also informed that General Grievous had been killed on the planet Utapau.

After Anakin had informed the jedi council that whom they had known as chancellor Palpatine is actually a sith lord, Sidious was confronted by jedi masters Mace Windu, Seasee Tiin, Kit Fisto and Agen Kolar, telling Sidious that he is under arrest. Sidious told the jedi that what they're doing is treason, and then unexpectedly employed his previously hidden gold-handled, red-bladed lightsaber. He then force-jumped up from his chair and landed on the ground to quickly kill two of the jedi by stabbing down Agen Kolar followed by Seasee Tiin. A lightsaber fight began between Sidious, Mace Windu and Kit Fisto which soon followed in Sidious cutting down Kit Fisto to his death as well, leaving Mace Windu alone with the powerful sith master. They fought for a while until they came in to Sidious office to later go closer to the big window behind Sidious desk there. The two broke the window resulting in Windu unarming Sidious by making Sidious loosing his lightsaber which flew out the window. Sidious could most likely sense Anakin coming closer at this point to return to Sidious, and crawled to the side of the window to show defeat, knowing that this would give Anakin sympathy for him. Anakin then entered the office to stop Windu from finishing Sidious, but Windu told Anakin that he's going to end this once and for all. This angered Sidious yet again, resulting in him casting force-lightning at Windu who, with his lightsaber, deflected the lightning back at Sidious. This turned Sidious face pale, wrinkly and menacing as well as turning his eyes yellow-colored, revealing Sidious true sith-form. Sidious told Anakin that he's too weak and begged Anakin to help him from Windu, further seducing Anakin to turn against the jedi. Sidious then stopped the lightning and laid in pain, with Windu preparing to kill Sidious. Anakin tried to talk Windu out of it, telling Windu that it's not the jedi way. Windu still raised his lightsaber, and just as he was about to strike Sidious, Anakin employed his own lightsaber and cut Windus hand off, resulting in Windu screaming in pain. Sidious smiled and cast more lightning at Windu that this time was electrified without his lightsaber, and then harshly threw Windu out of the window with the lightning, killing the jedi master.

After the death of Windu, Sidious raised himself while Anakin sat himself down in grief of what he had done. Sidious told Anakin that he had fulfilled his destiny, and made Anakin his new apprentice, dubbing Anakin into Darth Vader, with Vader hoping that Sidious would help him save Padmés life. Sidious told Vader that only one had yet discovered how to save lives by using the force, but that they by working together surely can discover the secret. Sidious then told Vader that the jedi now are enemies of the Republic, and told Vader to take a legion of clone troopers to raid the jedi temple, and then go to Mustafar to eliminate the remaining separatist leaders. Vader did what his master commanded, and Sidious later sent out order 66 to all clone troopers in the galaxy, which finally meant that every clone trooper would turn against their jedi generals. The jedi purge had begun.

Soon Sidious would have another council-meeting where he turned the Republic into the Empire, ending democracy and bringing himself to a permanent rule as Emperor Palpatine. Later, after Vader had raided the jedi temple and killed all remaining separatists, which ended the Clone Wars, Sidious was present in his new office, together with two Royal Guards and Vice Chair Mas Amedda, in black sith-robes that he would continue to wear from then on. Unexpectedly jedi master Yoda entered the room after having survived Order 66, dropping the Royal Guards to the floor with the force. Mas Amedda left the room, leaving Sidious alone with Yoda, and Sidious electrified Yoda to the floor. Yoda then stood up again and force pushed Sidious over his desk, and after Sidious had gotten himself up again he explained to Yoda that Darth Vader will become more powerful than either of them. This soon resulted in a lightsaber fight between the two, with Sidious using his other lightsaber, and they fought through Sidious office to the senate-meeting room where Sidious violently started force-throwing senate-chairs at Yoda who managed to avoid them. They came closer to eachother and started to force-attack eachother at the same time, resulting in both of them flying off in two directions. Sidious laughed and stood up again, while Yoda escaped the scene hurt, knowing that he had failed to kill his enemy. Afterwards Sidious sent a team of shock-troopers to find Yoda, suspecting that the jedi master might be hiding somewhere inside the building, but he was nowhere to be found. Sidious also soon grew uneasy about Darth Vader, sensing that his apprentice is in danger. Therefore he soon took a ship to Vader's location on Mustafar to check his safety.

On Mustafar Sidious found an alive Vader next to a lava-pool. He had been severely burnt and lost his arm and legs after a fight with a now absent Obi-Wan who had survived Order 66 as well. Sidious ordered his troopers to carry Vader back to the ship, to soon give him treatment. Several medical droids started to work on a suit that Vader would have to carry for the rest of his life to stay alive after his damages, and after the mask of the suit had been put on the first generated breaths from the suit could be heard. Sidious asked Vader if he's alright, with Vader asking his master where Padmé is. Sidious told Vader that she's dead, and that he himself had killed her in his anger. The room started to shake after Sidious had said this, and the medical droids were destroyed by the force that Vader was using at that moment. Vader then released himself from the medical board and screamed out in sorrow, with Sidious only smiling.

After some time Vader and Sidious were onboard one of the first Imperial Destroyers, overlooking the construction of the Death Star, that in time would become the Empires superweapon capable of destroying whole planets. Grand Moff Tarkin, who would become the future leader of the Death Star, was also present on the Destroyer. The sith had now finally gotten their long-sought revenge.

### 0 BBY

19 years after Sidious created the Empire he at last dissolved the senate, that was now called the Imperial Senate, eliminating another one of the last remnants of the old Republic. He was now at full control. Not long after this however, the Death Star was destroyed by a team of rebels formed to bring democracy back to the galaxy. The particular one who destroyed the Death Star was someone that Darth Vader could sense was strong in the force, alerting his master about the matter. Sidious lost countless of allies in the destruction of the superweapon, including Grand Moff Tarkin.

### 3 ABY

Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, Sidious had come to the conclusion that the one who destroyed the Death Star in no doubt was the offspring of Anakin Skywalker, managing to be born before the mother finally died. Sidious told Vader this via a hologram message, and Sidious requested the destruction of the son. Although, Vader proposed to turn the son to the Dark Side to join the Sith, which was a thought that pleased the Emperor, thinking that Vaders son might be a great asset to the Empire. Vader told his master that he will find the son and take him to Sidious to begin the transformation.

### 4 ABY

Four years after the destruction of the Death Star, the construction of a new Death Star had begun. Sidious decided to go there himself to overlook the operation, and so he brought several of his Royal Guards with him to later arrive at the station, being met by Darth Vader and a big hump of the Imperial Army onboard it. Sidious, who now used a cane to walk, walked to his throne room inside the station, setting himself upon his throne with all his guards at the entrance. Not long after, the station was attacked by a rebel force that were out to destroy this Death Star just like the first one.

Later, the elevator doors to Sidious throne room opened, and Vader stepped in with his now captured son, Luke Skywalker. Sidious had expected this for a year now, and now Luke's transformation to the dark side could begin. Sidious soon told his guards to leave the room, leaving the three alone inside.

Sidious later tried to make Luke act out on his anger, telling Luke that he can take his lightsaber next to Sidious, and strike the seemingly unarmed Sidious down with it. He also told Luke, who was watching the rebels fight outside, that his friends have no chance of winning, and also revealed to Luke that the rebels are actually going into a trap made out of an invisible shield around the station. After a while of taunting Luke, Sidious finally got what he wanted, and Luke force-grabbed his lightsaber to kill Sidious, but was stopped by Vader just in time, and Sidious laughed in amusement. This is how a lightsaber fight began between father and son, while Sidious watched them. Soon Luke was able to cut Vaders robot-hand off by using his now woken anger, with Vader falling down on the floor and lifting his arm to beg for mercy. Sidious was proud of Luke and started walking towards him, wanting Luke to kill the wounded Vader to take Vaders place at Sidious side. Although, after thinking about it a little, Luke threw away his lightsaber and sharply told Sidious that he's a jedi, and that he will never join the dark side. Sidious came to the conclusion that it's pointless to continue the operation, and unexpectedly started to attack Luke with his force-lightning while Vader raised himself from the floor again to stand next to his master. Luke was now on the floor, screaming and begging his father to help him as he was being electrified. Sidious paused his torturing, telling Luke that now is when you die. So he attacked Luke again with an even harder stroke of lightning, and before Sidious knew it Vader betrayed his master and proceeded to unexpectedly grab Sidious and lift him. The lightning now flew everywhere, electrifying both Sidious and Vader. Although, Vader was able to walk towards a reactor where he threw Sidious down, and Sidious screamed in terror as he fell to his death.

## Legacy

After Sidious death, Vader also died from the injuries caused by saving his son, and this marked the end of the Sith, meaning that Sidious was one of the two last sith to ever exist in the galaxy.

From the ashes of the soon defeated Empire a new order would later be formed, naming itself the First Order, being ruled by another dark side user known as Supreme Leader Snoke, while the rebels would proceed to form the New Republic.

## Personality

Sidious was a mad, lying, psychopathic and an extremely evil figure, and often manipulated others to his own gain. He was also a bit overconfident, and did tend to turn dangerously angry when things weren't going his way.

## Notes

* Sidious might have been the most powerful figure in the whole galaxy, being very affective in both the force, lightsaber combat and manipulating, which gave him the rule of the galaxy.
* Sidious seemed to not accept death in any way, and always tried to have his apprentices killed before they themselves could get their own apprentice, whom his apprentice later would join to overthrow him, as was the sith tradition.
* Sidious is often considered an incarnation of pure evil.

## Appearances in chronological order

* *Episode I - The Phantom Menace*
* *Episode II - Attack of the Clones*
* *Episode III - Revenge of the Sith*
* *Episode VI - Return of the Jedi*

### Indirect appearances

* *Rogue One* (Mentioned)
* *Episode IV - A New Hope* (Mentioned)
* *Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back* (As hologram)