Star Wars Reveals the Real Reason Palpatine Needed Rey (& That He Was Weaker Than Ever in the Sequels)

It’s now confirmed that Palpatine was at his weakest during the prequel Star Wars films, which is why he needed Rey. While he returned in The Rise of Skywalker, it was obvious he wasn’t as powerful as before. He was stuck on the Sith planet Exegol, relying on a life-support system, and desperately wanted Rey to finish him off. His plan was to transfer his essence into her body if she killed him, using the power of the dark side.

As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I always felt something was off with Palpatine’s return in The Rise of Skywalker. It was clear his death in Return of the Jedi had really taken a toll. While the Sith Eternal somehow brought him back on Exegol, it wasn’t the same Palpatine. He felt…weakened. Stuck out in the Unknown Regions, he had to rely on others, like Snoke, to do his bidding. It seemed he was desperately hoping some new, incredibly powerful weapon would be enough to turn things around. It really made me wonder: what exactly had diminished him so much?

A Sith Lord’s Apprentice Is The Key To His Power

Recent Star Wars lore has uncovered a surprising truth about the source of a Sith Lord’s strength: their apprentice. The core of the Sith’s Rule of Two relies on the apprentice’s ambition and resentment towards their master, which actually powers the Sith Lord. This explains why Sith Lords risk training an apprentice, knowing they will eventually be betrayed. This discovery is revealed in Adam Christopher’s novel, “Master of Evil,” where Darth Vader uncovers this secret during a dark side anomaly.

The dark side holds a genuine power, but it’s meant to be kept hidden. Its knowledge isn’t meant for sharing; it’s something to be collected and used solely for oneself. This is the natural order of things. A master gains strength by drawing on the anger and fear of their student, taking that negative energy and using it to increase their own power and control over the dark side. Ultimately, it’s the student who empowers the master, not the other way around.

Palpatine was drawn to Anakin Skywalker as an apprentice because of Anakin’s extraordinary potential in the Force. The stronger Anakin became as Darth Vader, and the more he desired Palpatine’s power, the more powerful Palpatine himself would be. However, Darth Vader’s eventual rebellion wasn’t fueled by rage, but by love – a triumph of good over evil. Vader’s betrayal in Return of the Jedi was a monumental victory, breaking the Sith’s long-held Rule of Two. Even after being brought back to life, Palpatine couldn’t regain his former strength.

Palpatine Never Dared Train Another Apprentice

Reviewing the sequel trilogy, it’s apparent Palpatine never tried to find another formal apprentice. He skillfully pushed Ben Solo towards the dark side, but avoided actually training him as a Sith Lord. When he contacted Rey, his aim was to control her, not to mentor her. We’ve usually believed Palpatine did this out of fear of being betrayed again, essentially abandoning the traditional Sith practice of having only two apprentices. However, the recent story “Master of Evil” suggests a different explanation, changing how we understand his motives.

As a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve always thought about what happened when Vader killed Palpatine. It struck me that he might have actually broken the entire system the Sith had been using for a thousand years – the Rule of Two. Darth Bane’s legacy, with its focus on master-apprentice pairings, could have ended right then and there, severing the dark side connection that gave them power. That would explain why Palpatine seemed so weak in The Rise of Skywalker – we were seeing him truly vulnerable, cut off from the energy he always got from having an apprentice.

Palpatine was always looking for ways to become more powerful. When the traditional Sith method of having only two masters failed him, he turned to a dangerous technique called essence transfer – a way to move his spirit into another person’s body. His former master, Darth Plagueis, discovered this ability, but the movie The Rise of Skywalker suggests it only works if the person who defeats a Sith is filled with hatred at the moment of their death. This explains why Palpatine couldn’t take over Darth Vader or Luke when he was dying in Return of the Jedi, and why he needed Rey to kill him while she was angry.

Palpatine Only Became a Threat Because of the Force Dyad

Palpatine eventually returned as a dangerous enemy, but he relied on the strength of others to do so. He sensed the immense power in Rey and Kylo Ren’s connection through the Force, and used it to empower himself – a dark reflection of the typical relationship between a Sith Lord and their apprentice. While apprentices usually give power to their master, Palpatine found a source that was even more potent.

The idea that Palpatine is a ‘Master of Evil’ presents him as a being who gains strength by absorbing the power of others. This is a clever way to explain both his immense power after Anakin Skywalker turned to the dark side, and his weakened state in The Rise of Skywalker. It also highlights how crucial Anakin’s redemption was – it fundamentally altered the Force. Because of this victory, Palpatine needed Rey to try and regain his power, making her the only one who could defeat him once more.

“Master of Evil” is on sale now, and can be bought on Amazon.

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2025-11-12 20:13

A Sith Lord’s Apprentice Is The Key To His Power

Palpatine Never Dared Train Another Apprentice

Palpatine Only Became a Threat Because of the Force Dyad

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