6 interesting facts we learn about Palpatine in Darth Plagueis
Think you’ve heard the story about Darth Plagueis the Wise? Maybe you have, but have you heard these 6 facts about Darth Sidious?
We all know about The Emperor’s power and cruelty, but little of his backstory is ever revealed in the original trilogy. Part of the allure to the Star Wars novels is the chance to find out more about our beloved main characters from the movies. Despite the fact that the James Luceno novel, Darth Plagueis, is not canon anymore, there’s still a lot of interesting facts about Palpatine that are worth knowing about.
Palpatine raced competitively with land-speeders
Turns out that Anakin isn’t the only one who showed an ability to race at high speeds. During his adolescent years Palpatine was a land-speeder racer, and a good one at that. Seems that force-sensitive individuals can apply their powers to more than just Jedi or Sith ambitions.
2. Palpatine killed his parents
Perhaps this is not the most shocking fact about The Emperor considering how evil he turns out to be. But what is notable is that Palpatine did not intent to commit these murders. Within the novel it is explained that Palpatine lost control of his emotions and power and killed his father after a bitter argument. Palpatine’s rage continued to drive him to murder his mother.
3. Palpatine begun Sith training at just 17
Darth Plagueis meets Palpatine early on into his adulthood, and quickly manages to get Palpatine to join him. Notably, his training took 10 years. 10 years of suffering, pain and violence. Though Palpatine had a good relationship with Plagueis (until Palpatine killed him of course), his Master always made sure that Palpatine was pushed to his limits.
4. Darth Maul was given to Palpatine as a baby
When Darth Sidious was on Dathomir a Nightsister detected his force sensitivity and wanted him to take her son, Maul. At first the Nightsister believed that Palpatine was a Jedi and would take Maul to the Jedi Council, but when discovering that was not the case she was still insistent on Palpatine taking Maul. Sidious detected the force power of the young Maul and took him from his mother.
5. Palpatine played a big role in Dooku leaving the Jedi Order
When Dooku is introduced it is noted that he is an audible detractor of some of the Jedi Council’s orders and the ways of the Republic. Palpatine believes that Dooku could play a pivotal role in the Grand Plan (to overthrow the Republic) and quickly convinces Plagueis of this.
6. Palpatine saw Anakin’s potential early on
After the murder of Plagueis, the novel ties in with the ending of The Phantom Menace. Disappointed at the death of Darth Maul, Sidious has taken on Dooku as an apprentice. But when he first hears of Anakin’s skill in pod-racing Palpatine is keen to meet the child. Believing that Anakin is the ‘Chosen One’, Sidious acknowledges to himself that though Dooku may be his current apprentice, he knows Anakin will one day be his true apprentice.