Disney’s Star Wars has completely retconned one line from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The Sith had waited for a thousand years, operating in the shadows, careful to avoid the attention of the Jedi. Palpatine was the culmination of everything his predecessors had worked for, the Sith who successfully took control of the Republic, and who ultimately exacted revenge upon the Jedi.
As powerful as Palpatine may have been, though, there was one Jedi he doesn’t seem to have wanted to meet after he had been outed as a Sith; Master Yoda. The Sith Lord initially claimed to be delighted at the chance to battle the aged Jedi Grand Master, but it’s notable that the duel between Palpatine and Yoda began with Darth Sidious attempting to flee rather than resort to lightsaber combat. He doesn’t seem to have been confident he could win; “You will not stop me,” he hissed, and then explained what he meant. “Darth Vader will become more powerful than either of us.” The dialogue clearly implied that, as powerful as Palpatine considered himself to be, he thought Anakin Skywalker would be even greater. It suggests Palpatine was acting in accordance with the Rule of Two when he chose Anakin as his apprentice, ensuring the continued ascendance of the Sith by recruiting the most powerful Force-sensitive he had ever encountered.
It is ironic, then, that Disney’s Star Wars has essentially ignored this one line of dialogue. Darth Sidious’ motives have been rewritten, with Palpatine recast as a Sith heretic who would go to any lengths to conquer death. According to Disney-era canon, Palpatine considered himself to be the personal culmination of the Sith, the fulfilment of everything they had sought to achieve, and he saw no reason to plan passing on his Empire. Rather, he viewed the Chosen One as an instrument, a tool that would secure his eternal reign. This would be achieved either through the creation of a Force Dyad, which the Sith revered as a route to immortality, or through Darth Plagueis’ sinister technique of Essence Transfer. The Emperor imagined transporting his spirit into Darth Vader’s body at the moment of his own death, thereby claiming the power of Star Wars‘ the Chosen One for himself.
Why Star Wars Has Retconned Palpatine’s Vader Line & The Rule Of Two
Ironically, this particular retcon is probably something of an accident. As spectacular as the duel between Palpatine and Yoda may be, most attention is focused on its outcome, and few viewers really notice Palpatine seems a somewhat unwilling participant. There’s a sense in which the Disney era – and, in truth, most audiences – have bought into Palpatine’s own egotistical claims about himself. They believe the Emperor is almost invincible, the greatest power in the galaxy because of his mastery of the dark side, an imbalance in the Force so great he could not possibly be defeated in battle with Yoda. In reality, however, Darth Sidious is not all-powerful; he attempts to run, he fears being outmatched, and – in a neat parallel with the concurrent duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan – he only wins when he claims the higher ground.
Some Star Wars retcons are controversial. This one, however, is so in keeping with popular culture that it goes almost unnoticed. It’s best explained away as a lie on Palpatine’s part, a bluff as he tries to manipulate Yoda into thinking he has a chance. Nobody will particularly mind accepting that interpretation of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
