Sheev Palpatine Spoke to my Darkness

Sheev Palpatine was the pure essence of evil. While Darth Vader was the coolest of villains, Palpatine held the galaxy in the palm of his hand, literally.

He held me there as well.

“Oh no, young Jedi. You will find that it is you who are mistaken – about a great many things.”

It was his battle with Luke Skywalker on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi that first won me over. The battle of wits and control with Luke intrigued me. And, suddenly without a chance for me to gather my senses, he was thrown to his death. Those few moments are my favorite of the sixth chapter in the saga.

I enjoyed the story of his rise during the prequel trilogy. I remember my reaction when he appeared on screen as the senator of Naboo. I did a double take. No really, I did. The feelings I had as a young nine year old watching Jedi, returned.

I felt the adrenaline swell each time I listened to him speak to Anakin. His arrogance spawned feelings of enjoyment in me. I don’t subscribe to any evil or darkness. Well ok, maybe. I relished in this hidden story of a man’s rise to anarchy.

We all have a dark side. It’s a part of our nature. And while I found myself enamored with Darth Vader, Palpatine’s character spoke to my dark side. It may be just a story, but good, strong story telling has a way of enveloping different traits in our minds. I would even say a good story can manipulate our emotions. The story of Palpatine did just that.

He could foresee the future and manipulate events to suit his needs and desires. His wisdom stood unchallenged. He enveloped the Sith in their entirety, embodied with power, while craving more. Never satisfied, he was in control with a calm security. His only blinding quality, arrogance, was also his greatest ally. No one dared challenge his rule.

If you’ve read the recent Marvel: Darth Vader comic series, Palpatine’s mind and plan were in a constant state of evolution. I’m not sure Anakin was his final prodigy. With the way he allowed Count Dooku to be dispensed with, shrugged off the death of Darth Maul, it seemed he viewed anyone in his study merely a pawn in his game for galactic domination. In the comics his focus seemed that of finding a more suitable replacement for Vader, especially after the failure on the first Death Star.

“Power! Unlimited power!”

Cunning, manipulative, and calculative, Palpatine grasped the ultimate power and usurped his will and power on the galaxy. He had no allies, no friends. Fear was a tool, and he used it to accomplish his goals and manipulate those around him.

While I believe his mission clearly included the rise of the Sith to power, that alone was not his driving force. Palpatine shared with no one, only what he deemed necessary at the moment. Share the very minimum of details, just enough to entice. He was like a cobra, lulling his prey into trust and a false sense of security, and then going in for the quick kill. He poisoned innocent minds and nudged the curious and hungry.

Although my favorite story and character of the Star Wars saga was Anakin, the rise of the dark lord of the Sith to Emperor was my favorite alternate story.

I have found occasion to muddle with ideas of what made Palpatine lord of the darkness. I love the additions of the anthology films to the saga. If I had a choice for one, it would be the life of a young power hungry boy from Naboo. I would pay to see the Sheev Palpatine Anthology film.

Sheev Palpatine, in a subtle way, spoke to my darkness. For a time, the shroud of the dark side hung over me.

Follow Alan on Twitter @Jedizaugg & @IdiotsArrayPod

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