
Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious may very well be certainly one of Star Wars strongest Sith and best villain in Star Wars motion pictures and TV exhibits, however he was proper about Yoda - and the Jedi on the whole - in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Revenge of the Sith is without doubt one of the most essential factors of Star Wars timeline. In only one movie, Anakin Skywalker falls to the darkish facet and turns into Darth Vader, the Jedi are practically eradicated by Order 66, and Palpatine lastly utterly overthrows the Republic and establishes the Empire.
Though Revenge of the Sith is the movie that depicts all of those occasions, it was a comparatively sluggish burn. In actual fact, Palpatine was pulling strings even earlier than Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menaceand his plan was meticulously drawn up. This has typically raised questions on how the Jedi might have been fooled into working so intently with a Sith Lord, however a Palpatine line of Revenge of the Sith reveals why his plot in opposition to the Jedi was so profitable.
Yoda was blinded by his conceitedness (and the Jedi order)
The Jedi misplaced Palpatine hiding in plain sight
In Revenge of the SithPalpatine tells Yoda, "Your conceitedness blinds you, Grasp Yoda." Whereas this may occasionally appear somewhat wealthy coming from Palpatine, of all individuals, whose personal conceitedness in all probability destroyed him not as soon as, however twice, Palpatine was proper that Yoda's conceitedness, and the conceitedness of the Jedi Council extra broadly, was a significant component in his downfall.. It was all the time somewhat disconcerting that the Jedi have been capable of work so intently with Palpatine for therefore lengthy and didn't have a greater inclination that Palpatine was a serious risk.
Sure, Palpatine could have hidden himself within the Power so the Jedi wouldn't know he was a Sith Lord, however the Jedi ought to nonetheless have perceived Palpatine as a corrupt politician. There was nothing stopping them from recognizing Palpatine's more and more alarming bids for energyand it was fairly evident, particularly at first of Revenge of the Siththat Palpatine's motives have been egocentric, worrying, and harmful. There have been instances when the Jedi acknowledged that Palpatine's political strikes have been trigger for concern (particularly Obi-Wan), however in the long run they didn't act.
The Jedi ought to nonetheless have perceived Palpatine as a corrupt politician.
This conceitedness was clear even earlier than Revenge of the Sithnevertheless. In The phantom menacethe Jedi have been satisfied that the Sith have been destroyed and couldn't return, even with Qui-Gon Jinn standing earlier than the Council and saying he had discovered one. Star Wars: Episode II - Assault of the Clones it additionally revealed that the Jedi Council refused to imagine that Dooku may very well be liable for Padmé's tried assassination. As a result of he was as soon as a Jedi, the Council was adamant of their perception that killing was not in his nature (clearly, they have been unsuitable).
Yoda ignored all of Anakin's warning indicators
Yoda felt Anakin's ache and struggling and knew about his nightmares, however he was unable to really act
Palpatine's troubling habits additionally wasn't the one obtrusive downside Yoda ignored within the Star Wars prequel trilogy. In The phantom menacethe Jedi Council appeared very involved about Anakin's age and attachment to his mom. Nevertheless, a few decade later, Yoda evidently grew to become rather less involved about these issues.
Palpatine's troubling habits additionally wasn't the one obtrusive downside Yoda ignored within the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Probably the most important instance occurred in Assault of the Cloneswhen Anakin carried out his brutal bloodbath of Tusken Raider males, ladies and kids. Yoda didn't know that Anakin had finished one thing so heinous, however he felt ache and struggling round Anakin within the Power. He appears to have been unable to maintain up. Whereas it is sensible that Yoda's focus shifted to the Clone Wars and rising galactic tensions, given Anakin's historical past, this could have been a precedence for Yoda.
The identical may very well be stated of Yoda's interactions with Anakin in Revenge of the Sith about Anakin's nightmares. Surprisingly, Anakin did the correct factor by bringing his fears to Yoda - though he would have been wiser to be extra sincere with the Jedi Grasp than he was. Nevertheless, when Yoda heard about Anakin's nightmares, Yoda didn't take him severely sufficient, principally telling him to disregard them, which didn't assist a lot. Ultimately, this was a significant component in Anakin's fall to the darkish facet.
Palpatine used Yoda's conceitedness in opposition to him for years
Palpatine knew the Jedi would imagine they have been shielded from the Sith
Clearly, Palpatine used Yoda and the Jedi Council's conceitedness to his benefit. He benefited vastly from the Jedi's continued denial of the threats they confronted - Darth Maul, Rely Dooku, Palpatine, and even the clones, who Star Wars: The Clone Wars revealed that that they had some extent of warning about. For some purpose, the Jedi grew to become so smug that they ignored a number of indicators that, if that they had been heeded, might need been sufficient to forestall the catastrophes that adopted.
In fact, it wasn't simply the Jedi's failings that led to their downfall. Palpatine has confirmed himself to be a mentor and the true “phantom menace” for generations. Even so, Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious was sadly right in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith when he identified that the Jedi's conceitedness blinded them.