"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This iconic line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates the mixed feelings many fans have about Emperor Palpatine's controversial return. Despite his apparent demise at the end of Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's revival in The Rise of Skywalker through cloning technology stirred significant backlash. However, Ian McDiarmid, the actor who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, remains unfazed by the criticism.
In a recent interview with Variety, timed to coincide with the successful re-release of Revenge of the Sith in theaters, McDiarmid addressed the fan backlash. He defended the narrative choice, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on the plausibility of Palpatine's survival plan, saying, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to be put it together in some form."
McDiarmid also shared his enjoyment of the filming process, particularly his unique mobility on set. "When I realized I had a sort of astral wheelchair, that was even better. I just had these four guys who whisked me around the studio; I can’t tell you how much fun that was," he recounted. He also mentioned the new makeup design, which he described as "even more grotesque than the previous one."
Regarding the specific criticism of Palpatine's return, McDiarmid remained nonchalant. "Well, there’s always something, isn’t there?” he remarked. "I don’t read that stuff and I’m not online. So it’ll only reach me if someone mentions it. I thought there might be a bit of a fuss about bringing him back. But as I said, mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable. This man who was horribly maimed thought maybe one day it might happen to him, and we’ve got to have a plan B. I loved the whole idea that he should come back and be even more powerful than he was before. Though this time, he had to be utterly destroyed. So I think he’s dead.”
The Rise of Skywalker offers a somewhat vague explanation of Palpatine's resurrection, suggesting that he used ancient Sith magic and cloning to return. When Kylo Ren encounters him, Palpatine appears as a reanimated version of himself, hinting that he did not survive his fall at the end of Return of the Jedi. Instead, he had a contingency plan in place, as hinted by his words to Kylo Ren: "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural."
Despite the detailed explanation, many fans remain unconvinced about Palpatine's return. It remains to be seen how future Star Wars projects will handle this divisive plot point. Daisy Ridley's character, Rey Skywalker, is set to return in multiple upcoming films, including a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This film will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Ridley has been described as the franchise's "most valuable cinematic asset," suggesting a continued focus on her character in the Star Wars universe.
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