"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This iconic line from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates the divisive reaction to Emperor Palpatine's return. Many fans were unhappy with the decision to bring back the iconic villain after his apparent death in Return of the Jedi. But what does Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, think about the backlash?
In an interview with Variety celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith to theaters, which has seen significant box office success, McDiarmid addressed the criticism nonchalantly. He stated, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on the plausibility of Palpatine's contingency 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 enjoyed the creative aspects of his character's revival, mentioning the fun he had with the "astral wheelchair" and the new, more grotesque makeup look.
Regarding the backlash specifically, McDiarmid remarked, "Well, there’s always something, isn’t there? 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 return. When Kylo Ren encounters him early in the film, Palpatine appears as a reanimated version of himself, suggesting he did not survive his fall at the end of *Return of the Jedi*. However, as McDiarmid explained, Palpatine had a backup plan in place. During his monologue to Kylo Ren, Palpatine references his words from *Revenge of the Sith*, stating, "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural." This hints at ancient Sith magic as the means of his return.Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show
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It seems unlikely that the core Star Wars fanbase will ever fully embrace Palpatine’s return in The Rise of Skywalker, with many preferring to ignore it altogether. The future of the Star Wars saga remains to be seen, but it will be intriguing to observe how subsequent films address this contentious plot point. Daisy Ridley's character, Rey Skywalker, is set to appear in "several" upcoming Star Wars films, having been recognized as the franchise's "most valuable cinematic asset."
Ridley is confirmed to return in the Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy-directed sequel to The Rise of Skywalker, which will explore Rey's journey to rebuild the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of the previous film.
