The Phantom Menace Timeline and All of Palpatine's Plans Explained

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace includes a complex timeline of treaties, political maneuvering, and manipulations thanks to Emperor Palpatine's master plan. This long history full of confusing political jargon has often led to The phantom menace be classified among Star Wars worst films, despite the story being an intriguing exploration of how corrupt politicians can manipulate a state or, in this case, a galaxy. Although the Star Wars timeline before The phantom menace It's important that what happened after Palpatine's plan was implemented saw the Skywalker Saga take shape.

Overall, George Lucas prequels have hugely impacted the franchise, from the initially divisive reception to the way in which Star Wars the films will incorporate elements first introduced in the previous stories. In addition to these broader effects on the franchise, the story told by the prequels describes the full story of how Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader ruled the galaxy through the timeline of Star Wars Galactic Empire. As such, it's certainly worth exploring exactly how this plan began, starting with Palpatine's political machinations that led to him coming to power in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.

9

Palpatine plans the invasion of Naboo

The blockade of Naboo begins the fall of the Galactic Republic

The first step in Palaptine's decades-long plan was, ironically, the invasion of his own home planet. Little is known about Palpatine's history in Star Warsbut it has long been known that he came from Naboo. Under the guise of his Sith alter ego Darth Sidious, Palpatine convinced members of the Trade Federation to establish a blockade on Naboo. This prevented any supplies from reaching the planet, in an attempt to persuade Queen Amidala to support the Federation's tax law and essentially give the latter control of the planet.

Naturally, the question raised about this is why Palpatine wanted Naboo under the control of the Trade Federation. The straight answer is that he didn't. The invasion of Naboo was simply a way to increase sympathy for his cause in the Senate. With Naboo being his home planet and the greed of the Trade Federation causing the situation to escalate into the threat of war, Palpatine became a more sympathetic figure. inside the Senate when faith in Chancellor Valorum was shaken.

8

Sifo-Dyas is betrayed by Count Dooku

Worlds away from Naboo, Palpatine's plans were carried out

While Naboo was invaded and Palpatine manipulated the Senate to his side, other Sith actions were carried out across the galaxy. This part of Palpatine has not been explored in The phantom menacebut instead retroactively linked to the film via the timeline of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Palpatine's plans with Naboo coincided with more openly evil actions, when Count Dooku betrayed his former Jedi ally, Sifo-Dyas. Sifo-Dyas is mentioned many times in the prequels, but his story remained shrouded in mystery until The Clone Wars.

Interestingly, Sifo-Dyas suspected that the Sith were planning something during the previous era, but the Jedi Order did not share his concerns. As such, Sifo-Dyas secretly ordered the Kaminoans to create a Grand Army of the Republic, also known as the Clone Army. Wishing to include the clones in their plans, Palpatine ordered Count Dooku to kill Sifo-Dyas, which the would-be Sith did with ease.

7

Padmé's escape complicates Palpatine's plans and he sends Darth Maul

The Jedi Order rescues Padmé from Naboo

Up to this point in The phantom menacePalpatine's plan goes relatively smoothly. However, this changes when Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi smuggle Queen Amidala away from Naboo. Knowing that Palpatine needs Amidala's cooperation to increase his position in the Senate, he releases his Sith apprentice, Darth Maul, to find her. Maul fails to do so, allowing Padmé and her Jedi allies to reach the Republic capital, Coruscant.

6

Palpatine manipulates Padmé into asking for a vote of no confidence

Another contingency plan works in Palpatine's favor

Probably the most impressive thing about Palpatine's rise to power is how often he avoided potential obstacles. No matter what happened, Palpatine often had contingencies to get his rise to power back on track, the biggest being Star Wars Necromancer Project. After his Sith kidnapping attempt via Maul didn't work, Palpatine changed tact by delving into political manipulation. Using the love they share for Naboo, Palpatine convinces Queen Amidala to call for a vote of no confidence against Chancellor Valorum.

5

Palpatine Manipulates His Way to Become Chancellor

Palpatine's first major success is granted

After Padmé calls for said vote of no confidence, Palpatine's previous manipulation of the Senate begins to bear fruit. By capitalizing on the sympathy he garnered for Naboo's plight, asking for political favors from others in the Senate, and no small amount of blackmail, Palpatine wins the election to become Chancellor of the Republic after Valorum is ostracized. This essentially makes Palpatine the most powerful man in the galaxy as leader of the Republic and a powerful Star Wars Sith Lord who operates in the shadows.

4

Count Dooku takes over Sifo-Dyas' plans for the clone army

Dooku's betrayal yields results

While Palpatine rises to the top of the Republic's political scene, Dooku continues the clandestine work of the Sith. After assassinating Sifo-Dyas, Dooku begins working to transform the Grand Army of the Republic into a deadly Sith weapon. Dooku does this by transforming the chips placed inside the clones into what become known as inhibitor chips through another Clone Wars retcon.

As revealed in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithinhibitor chips become a dangerous thorn in the side of the Jedi Order. The chips eventually turn the clones against the Jedi, forcing the soldiers who fought alongside the space wizards to kill them for Palpatine's gain. This became known as Star Wars' infamous Order 66 and resulted entirely from Dooku's off-screen machinations involving the Clone Army in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.

3

Palpatine's plans fail when Darth Maul dies on Naboo

Palpatine needs another Sith apprentice

As mentioned, Palpatine's plan is foiled multiple times throughout the Skywalker Saga's nine-episode story. That being said, no setback is as great for Palpatine as the loss of Darth Maul. Maul dies on Naboo during the climactic Duel of the Fates, leaving Palpatine without his Sith assassin. Without Maul, Palpatine does not pose the same threat to the Jedi Order that he previously did.

After all, Palpatine's entire plan involves pure chaos. If he can stitch together as much war, confusion, and disorder as possible throughout the galaxy, his rise to power will be much easier, as seen by his being elected Chancellor in The phantom menace. As far as the Jedi Order is concerned, Maul was a great tool in ensuring chaos within the Jedi ranks, having his apprentice regularly kill members of the Order. Regardless, Palpatine turned to Count Dooku/Darth Tyrannus as his next apprentice who, while powerful in the Force and influential politically, did not possess the same chaotic bloodlust as Maul.

2

Dooku deletes Kamino's Jedi records

The final act of Dooku Episode I has been completed

The final mission Dooku received from Palpatine during the Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is linked to the Clone Army. After killing Sifo-Dyas and taking control of the clones through the inhibitor chips, Dooku is tasked with erasing the Jedi Temple's records of Kamino. so as to keep the Order in the dark about Sifo-Dyas' original plans and the Sith's updated and reworked schemes. This explains why the Clone Army was only discovered 10 years later, during Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

1

Palpatine recruits Count Dooku as his new apprentice

The Sith Acolyte becomes a true apprentice

The death of a Star Wars Sith Lord paved the way for another in the final step of Palpatine's plan in The phantom menace. Maul's death left Palpatine in need of a Sith apprentice to do his bidding, so who better than the acolyte who killed Sifo-Dyas, reshaped the Clone Army, and ensured the Jedi remained ignorant of his plans? Therefore, Dooku officially took Maul's place as Darth Sidious' apprentice, solidifying himself as Darth Tyrannus and a major threat to the Jedi for the remainder of the prequels after Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.