Emperor Palpatine famous returned from the grave in Star Wars films, bringing to life the iconic, cringe-worthy line of dialogue, “Somehow, Palpatine returned”. While the live-action, animated, and canon comic book series have made strides in explaining how Palpatine came back to life, the fact that it wasn't fully explained when it happened in The Rise of Skywalker already makes it inferior to the original version of the same story in Star Wars Legends.
Star Wars Legends Dark Empire Trilogy was the original story of Emperor Palpatine's resurrection after the events of Return of the Jedi - and for the most part, it's pretty much the same as what fans see in The Rise of Skywalker. Emperor Palapatine's essence survived after his body was destroyed on the second Death Star, inhabiting an unstable clone body until he was presented with a suitable host to inhabit. However, as mentioned previously, it is the details that make the Legends much better version, with 10 in particular that stand out the most.
10
Star Wars Legends Actually Explained Palpatine's Resurrection Process
Emperor Palpatine's spirit was guided back to life by other long-dead Sith
Starting with the obvious, Dark EmpireThe version of Palpatine's resurrection was immediately better than the version fans received The Rise of Skywalker for one main reason: Star Wars Legends really explained it. Node Dark Empire TrilogyPalpatine travels to an ancient Sith Temple known as the Sith Necropolis, where the spirits of long-dead Sith Lords reside forever, trapped in a limbo between the living and the dead. While there, Palpatine and the Sith Lords reveal how Palpatine returned from the grave: the Sith spirits guided him.
When Palpatine's body was destroyed along with the Second Death Star, his spirit did not have a clone or nearby host body to inhabit. So, Palpatine required guidance from the spirits of these Sith Lords to guide him to the mortal plane, where countless clone bodies were waiting for Palpatine to possess them.
9
Star Wars Legends Didn't Have a Useless Snoke Fake
Emperor Palpatine has been the main villain since the beginning of his resurrection
Node Star Wars sequel trilogy, Emperor Palpatine was not revealed as the main villain until the third film. In the previous two, Supreme Leader Snoke was the main villain, and the mystery surrounding Snoke's identity was an interesting aspect of the sequel trilogy - until it was revealed that Snoke was just Palpatine all along. Snoke was a clone manipulated by Palpatine as he built his strength on Exegol, and was a big fake.
In Dark EmpireHowever, Palpatine did not hide behind a clone alter ego, he presented himself as the main villain from the beginning. This detail allowed Star Wars Legends to really create a story around Palpatine's resurrection, as it delved into the necromantic practices of the Sith in much more detail, and didn't leave fans wanting more when Palpatine was finally defeated.
8
Star Wars Legends Gave Palpatine a Younger, Battle-Ready Body
Emperor Palpatine gets a new look with exciting storytelling potential
When Palpatine returned The Rise of Skywalkerhe was even weaker than in the original trilogy. While fans now know that Palpatine was more than capable of lightsaber combat back in the day, this wasn't immediately apparent when these films were released, as Palpatine did nothing except sit on his throne and shoot Force lightning. .And, in The Rise of Skywalkerthat was basically all Palpatine did again, which offered nothing new.
In Dark EmpirePalpatine didn't just inhabit a clone body that was basically an exact copy of his own Return of the Jedi shape, he gained a younger, battle-ready body. The difference here is that The Rise of Skywalker apparently was trying to do the same thing as Return of the Jedi in relation to Palpatine, while Dark Empire was trying to be completely different, making the Legends much more interesting version.
7
Star Wars Legends Allowed Leia to Prove Herself as a Jedi Against Palpatine
Emperor Palpatine considered Leia a Jedi and even praised her abilities
Aside from a brief flashback scene and a moment in which Leia used the Force to travel through space, the Star Wars The sequel trilogy pretty much ignored any Jedi potential Leia ever displayed. It's explained that Leia consciously chose not to continue her Jedi training with Luke Skywalker, but that felt like wasted potential. Happily, Star Wars Legends gave Leia a solid Jedi arc, which coincided with Palpatine's return.
Leia was teased as the galaxy's other 'only hope' in The Empire Strikes Backand in Dark Empireshe proves it. When Luke briefly falls under the corruption of Palpatine's dark side, it is Leia who uses the Force (and her lightsaber skills) to save him. Then, Leia is able to block Palpatine's Force probe in her mind, something that really impresses the Emperor.
6
Star Wars Legends Gave Palpatine A Far More Suitable Host Than Rey
Emperor Palpatine Almost Possessed Leia's Youngest Son, Anakin
Palpatine's plan in The Rise of Skywalker was to lure Rey to his base on Exegol and inhabit his body. The film explained that Rey was Palpatine's ideal hostess given that she was his biological granddaughter, but this wasn't even established until that film and didn't 'rhyme' in the way Star Wars it is intended for this.
In LegendsPalpatine seeks out Leia's newborn son, Anakin, to take over the child's body. This idea is much more complete than fans got from the films, especially if it's true that Palpatine used the Force to create Anakin Skywalker for the sole purpose of inhabiting his body (before his injuries), as he now has the chance to do it again with a new 'Anakin'. This is a classic example of rhyme in Star Wars storytelling, making Anakin a much more suitable host than Rey.
5
Star Wars Legends Made Palpatine a More Personal Villain for Luke Skywalker
Emperor Palpatine actually corrupted Luke Skywalker, making them greater enemies
Emperor Palpatine may have been the overall villain of all three Star Wars film trilogies, but that didn't really seem to be the case for Luke Skywalker personally. Luke's main enemy to overcome in the OT was his own father, Darth Vader, who was an incredibly personal villain. And in the sequels, Luke didn't even meet Palpatine's resurrected form, much less fight him. Node Dark Empire Trilogyhowever, all this is perfectly corrected.
Luke Skywalker is corrupted by Emperor Palpatine in Dark Empire after disguising himself as his apprentice, giving the two a real relationship with personal risks. Palpatine was no longer this essentially amorphous 'big bad' that Luke Skywalker had no real connection to. His conflict with Palpatine became personal, making the final confrontation that much more impactful.
4
Star Wars Legends gave fans the lightsaber duel the movies didn't
Emperor Palpatine and Luke Skywalker had a climactic lightsaber duel
THE Star Wars the films neglected to offer fans a lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine not once, but twice. In Return of the Jedithe Emperor simply shot Luke with Force lightning, and in The Rise of SkywalkerLuke was already dead at the time of Palpatine's resurrection. Luke Skywalker is the greatest hero of all time Star Warswhile Emperor Palpatine is the ultimate villain, but the two have never had a lightsaber duel in canon.
Legends fixes this by giving fans the lightsaber duel the films didn't offer, and in the coolest way possible. After Palpatine inhabits a younger clone of himself, he and Luke engage in not one but two epic lightsaber duels, and the second ends with Luke cutting off Palpatine's hand in another perfect example of how Star Wars rhymes.
3
Star Wars Legends gave fans a better look into Palpatine's mind
Emperor Palpatine was more than the maniacal villain, the films portray him as
Emperor Palpatine has always seemed like a pretty two-dimensional villain. He craved power, had no qualms about murdering anyone, and was incredibly sadistic. In fact, Palpatine's sadism became his defining characteristic as a villain, as he truly enjoyed every moment of his evil existence. At least that's how he was in the movies, but in Star Wars Legendsthere was more to Palpatine than that.
In Legendsa Jedi named Brand gained access to Palpatine's spirit and offered final insight into the state of Palpatine's psyche. Ultimately, Palpatine was not only filled with joy at the overwhelming evil in his heart, but with another emotion that was admittedly shocking: despair. Suffering is what all Sith experience, but up until this point, it seemed like Palpatine was the only exception. Legends clarifies that it is not.
2
Star Wars Legends Made Palpatine's Final Death Much More Poetic
Emperor Palpatine is killed by a survivor of the Great Jedi Purge
Node Star Wars films, Palpatine's final death comes in the form of Rey channeling the light side energy of all the Jedi who came before her, destroying Palpatine in epic fashion. While this allowed every Jedi Palpatine had ever killed the opportunity to avenge their own deaths, it felt a little impersonal and a little over the top, which actually lessened the impact.
When Palpatine was last killed in Legends, it was a Jedi named Brand who dealt the final blow. Brand absorbed Palpatine's spirit before he could possess Anakin Solo, and then allowed himself to die, taking Palpatine with him. And the best part? Brand was a survivor of the Great Jedi Purge. Brand killed Palpatine in the name of all Jedi, which is basically what happened in canon, but in a much more impactful way.
1
Star Wars Legends Told Fans Exactly What Will Happen to Palpatine's Spirit After His Death
Emperor Palpatine will never return as his spirit is sent to a 'Sith Hell'
What happened to Emperor Palpatine after he died in The Rise of Skywalker? This question is something fans have been wondering since the end of the sequel trilogy, and it's possible they'll never get an answer. However, in Legends, Star Wars tells fans exactly what happened to Palpatine after he was finally killed by Brand, and it's something Palpatine feared throughout the Dark Empire Trilogy.
When a Sith dies without a body to transfer their life essence (or without an anchor to bind their spirit to the physical world), they essentially experience a 'Sith Hell'. They are trapped in an eternal state of madness and fear that not even the strongest Sith can escape. And when he finally dies, that's exactly what happens to him. Emperor Palpatinewhich is a detail that makes it Star Wars much better resurrection in Legends.