What you expect to see Palpatine's possible development in EP9?

[PoorStudent]

He's probably just really old and sick and spends his time watching tv, eating dinner at 4 and going to bed a 7, but then Rey and her friends bother him and kill a senior citizen for no good reason.

It's probably going to be some b.s. about he was behind everything the whole time(kind of like how they tried to shoe horn blomfield in the last bond movie) and they try to make him be the ultimate bad guy of all the star wars and then rey and kylo defeat him and the end. They don't have the talent or ability to create new characters that are interesting so they resurrect old ones to try and make the new feel validated by comparison. Which Abrams did with Star Trek into Darkness.

[Punisher007]

It's like they went "oh crap, we killed off our big bad, and most people aren't buying Kylo as big bad material, AND we turned Hux into a joke as well. So now what so we do? Oh lets just bring back Sheev, that'll work."

[SuperiorIronman]

Curiously, a lot of Disney's Star Wars material has the Emperor use holograms in quite a few ways, which is in kind of keeping a bit with the character; in both trilogies, that's how he's introduced and largely how he communicates as Sidious. So that might help with the red herring theory.

The droids used to carry out the contingency plans in the immediate post-ROTJ stuff (Aftermath, Shattered Empire, Battlefront II) use the Emperor's holographic face to carry out his plans. As noted by CBR, one of the Knights of Ren-with a lightsaber-has a similar faceplate.

Second is in Rebels and some Imperial propaganda stuff seen in various media, which shows the Emperor pretty much the same way he appeared in AOTC and the first half of ROTS even though he doesn't look like that anymore. Apparently in Disney canon most, including the Imperial navy, are unaware that his face is messed up and he wears a cloak most of the time. I think there's one EU (Lost stars?) from the POV of one of the officers when the Emperor arrives on the Death Star, who is shocked that this guy who looked like a regular old man on "TV" is really not in the flesh.

It's also worth mentioning that Palpatine outright admits his disfigurement in ROTS to the senate. So while it's a bit awkward everyone is so shocked to see what he actually looks like, it does make some bit of sense given a great deal of Imperials would be young enough to not know that. Palpatine also made it a habit to work through his apprentices and his military forces rather than be directly involved most of the time. Assuming Snoke was a stand-in, it most certainly wouldn't be out of character for that to be the case.

[MASTER-OF-SUPRISE]

It's like they went "oh crap, we killed off our big bad, and most people aren't buying Kylo as big bad material, AND we turned Hux into a joke as well. So now what so we do? Oh lets just bring back Sheev, that'll work."

I still think he is a red herring but if he is back I agree. It just reeks of desperation. The only sequel villain with any credibility left is Kylo Ren. Of course I would also say he gains that credibility by a thin margin.

[ChrisIII]

Kind of curious how Richard E. Grant's character and the Knights of Ren also fit into things. I'm guessing Grant's sort of filling in the void left by Phasma.

[Gurz]

Kind of curious how Richard E. Grant's character and the Knights of Ren also fit into things. I'm guessing Grant's sort of filling in the void left by Phasma.

May be they fight against Preatorian ''Knights'' you can always make them also knights. It can be something like Jedi vs Sith... Preatorian Knights just hate Knights of Ren or something, so they fight all the time.... lol I would love see them fight.

I want Palpa to take Kylo as appreantece, but he seems to pull Rey to the dark side from the trailer. Well, i'm always open for more Siths even if it craps on the prophacy... because Star Wars desperatly need good villains right now... And Kylo is not that good, but with his helmet's help, and abit of sith appreantece push, he can go at places, i guess.

[ChrisIII]

^Snoke's guards had the same title.

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Elite_Praetorian_Guard

There's also the Sith Troopers, although the merchandise so far seems to hint that they're simply an elite First Order unit with the title, not necessarily connected with Palpatine or the old Imperial fleet.

[MASTER-OF-SUPRISE]

Kind of curious how Richard E. Grant's character and the Knights of Ren also fit into things. I'm guessing Grant's sort of filling in the void left by Phasma.

Honestly I'm not even sure that void is worth filling at this point. Bringing her back just to get killed off again would be a bad joke. At this point Nute Gunray is more threatening then Phasma.

[MichaelC]

Ian McDiarmid is one of those actors who could read a phonebook and make it compelling. It's not surprising that they would want him to save a franchise that is dying in part due to a lack of compelling leads. But the guy is old as heck. It's kind of sad that Hollywood is so lacking in genuinely talented young actors that they need to wheel geriatrics out in a a wheelchair just to get a riveting performance. It's like they are determined to get models in every role, and then are shocked when their pretty blocks of wood can't carry a movie.

[ChrisIII]

Ian McDiarmid is one of those actors who could read a phonebook and make it compelling. It's not surprising that they would want him to save a franchise that is dying in part due to a lack of compelling leads. But the guy is old as heck. It's kind of sad that Hollywood is so lacking in genuinely talented young actors that they need to wheel geriatrics out in a a wheelchair just to get a riveting performance. It's like they are determined to get models in every role, and then are shocked when their pretty blocks of wood can't carry a movie.

I think this was one of the concerns that some had with the new trilogy when it was first announced-that it would be something like KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, RAMBO or ROCKY BALBOA, focusing almost entirely on the aging heroes instead of them passing the torch (This was teased a bit with Mutt in the Indy film, but ultimately didn't seem to go anywhere, and who knows what's going on with INDY V).

Granted, that approach can work if it's done right. The first couple of STAR TREK films still did pretty well with an aging cast, in part because it took that into account (Indy, not so much), and stuff like the EXPENDABLES is dumb fun, although in part they mix the older actors with somewhat younger ones.


There's still a rumor that perhaps Palpatine needs a new host or is a Clone (To borrow an idea from Dark Empire). There were reports that Matt Smith was cast (Although he doesn't really look anything like Ian Mcdiarmid), although he's denied a few times, maybe because it's kind of a secret role. Granted, Palpatine's voice is of course in the film and Mcdiarmid is credited, but it's STAR WARS so it doesn't exactly have to be a corporeal appearence....

[TriggerWarning]

I'm still hopeful that my theory going back to Force Awakens holds true and that Rey is somehow related to Palpatine either naturally or via cloning (with gender altered of course). I can imagine a scenario where the remnants of the Empire impregnated women around the galaxy with Palpatine DNA hoping to get another Sith lord. Then assuming Rey finds out her true heritage it would explain why Palpatines force ghost is present and the whole imagery of her as a Sith would be a vision she had much like Luke had in Empire where he had to face his heritage.

[ChrisIII]

I'm starting to wonder if Palpatine will physically appear, maybe it's just his voice/spirit. There does appear to be some cloaked figure in one of the trailers sitting in a chair, it could also be Kylo (He did have a hood in the first film).

There is one poster image released for celebration, but I think it's been noted it's based on one of the more expensive toy figures.

Weird question I know, but did Ian Mcdiarmid even shave his beard the past two years? You'd figure he'd kind of have to do that with all the Palpatine makeup, although I'm no expert in that kind of thing.

[abulafia]

I'm starting to wonder if Palpatine will physically appear, maybe it's just his voice/spirit. There does appear to be some cloaked figure in one of the trailers sitting in a chair, it could also be Kylo (He did have a hood in the first film).

There is one poster image released for celebration, but I think it's been noted it's based on one of the more expensive toy figures.

Weird question I know, but did Ian Mcdiarmid even shave his beard the past two years? You'd figure he'd kind of have to do that with all the Palpatine makeup, although I'm no expert in that kind of thing.

chris, palps in the flesh is for sure. just how they will pull it of is open. clone, force mumbojambo or least possiblity, surviving DS2 explosion. it may even start with his voice/spirit, but i doubt that.
for that you´d need some build up.
palps full flesh has the most awe-factor. so that it will be

[Hypestyle]

if he comes back it has to be in a young body with a new actor. He has to be able to do acrobatic combat like in the modern movies.

[Somecrazyaussie]

I'm still hopeful that my theory going back to Force Awakens holds true and that Rey is somehow related to Palpatine either naturally or via cloning (with gender altered of course). I can imagine a scenario where the remnants of the Empire impregnated women around the galaxy with Palpatine DNA hoping to get another Sith lord. Then assuming Rey finds out her true heritage it would explain why Palpatines force ghost is present and the whole imagery of her as a Sith would be a vision she had much like Luke had in Empire where he had to face his heritage.

I really hope everything is a misdirection as well. Because the rumours floating around are leaning heavily towards the cloning angle.