Ian McDiarmid, who played the infamous character Darth Sidious (also known as Emperor Palpatine), has justified his reappearance in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”. Despite being seemingly killed in 1983’s “Return of the Jedi”, he managed to return to the series.
In the ninth movie, Director J.J. Abrams opted for a confrontation between Rey (Daisy Ridley) and her granddaughter, which sparked debate among fans. This decision was met with criticism, particularly since the initial text scroll in The Rise of Skywalker stated that the galaxy had received a warning of retaliation from the ominous voice of the deceased Emperor Palpatine.
Star Wars Legend Addresses Controversial Return of Emperor Palpatine
Addressing someone, McDiarmid confessed that he hadn’t anticipated coming back to the Star Wars universe following his departure in the Return of the Jedi.
I believed he was dead,” he confessed. “When I received a call to discuss the prequels and learn more about Sidious and others, I thought, ‘I’ve hit the jackpot again,’ but I thought this was definitely the end. However, JJ Abrams contacted me saying, ‘He’s returning.’ That was a pleasure to be part of as well. Then discovering that my granddaughter was after me, portrayed by Daisy Ridley, was another fulfilling twist — especially so because it was her.
The majority of the criticism concerning Palpatine’s return in “The Rise of Skywalker” revolves around the minimal details provided on how the Emperor managed to survive. Yet, according to McDiarmid, the villain’s revival wasn’t something unexpected.
“I mean, I thought he was killed.”
McDiarmid noted that it appeared quite plausible Palpatine had an alternate plan in place. Despite being extremely injured, he believed Palpatine could regroup and manifest himself somehow. When he discovered he had a kind of spiritual wheelchair, that made it even more exciting. He was escorted around the studio by four individuals; he can’t disclose how enjoyable that experience was. Daisy was mostly concerned about this aspect rather than anything else. Naturally, we needed to design another makeup appearance, which turned out to be even more hideous than the initial one.
Emperor Palpatine Partnered With Kylo Ren in The Rise of Skywalker
J. J. Abrams’ 2019 Movie Featured The Revelation That Rey Was Emperor Palpatine’s Granddaughter
| The Rise of Skywalker Cast | |
|---|---|
| Actor | Role |
| John Boyega | Finn |
| Daisy Ridley | Rey |
| Oscar Isaac | Poe Dameron |
| Carrie Fisher | Leia Organa |
| Mark Hamill | Luke Skywalker |
| Ian McDiarmid | Emperor Palpatine |
Fans of Star Wars continue to be deeply split on the inclusion of certain elements in The Rise of Skywalker, six years following its premiere; however, McDiarmid notes that such a divided response was not unexpected.
He stated, “Indeed, there’s usually something happening, isn’t there? I don’t delve into such matters or spend time online.” As a result, any news will only reach me if someone chooses to share it with me. I anticipated some commotion regarding his return. However, as I mentioned earlier, my and Palpatine’s line of reasoning was quite sound. This man who suffered severe injuries feared the same might happen to him one day, and we must always have a contingency plan.
In his continued speech, the actor expressed his enthusiasm for the concept that the character would return and become stronger than ever. However, this new phase required him to be completely annihilated. Therefore, it seems likely that the character is no longer alive.
Ian McDiarmid Made His Acting Debut in 1972
- The Scottish actor first worked on stage in a production of Hamlet in 1972, before joining the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company two years later.
- McDiarmid landed his star-making role as Palpatine after director George Lucas saw him in a minor role in the 1981 fantasy film Dragonslayer.
- Outside of Star Wars, McDiarmid had notable roles in Sleepy Hollow, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Lost City of Z.
Initially, McDiarmid made a name for himself in theater, but his career-defining moment was landing the role of The Emperor in Return of the Jedi, which marked his debut on the big screen. Subsequently, he reprised this role multiple times across various live-action Star Wars sequels, animated spin-offs, and other Star Wars media set within the universe.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is streaming now on Disney+.
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2025-04-27 17:37