Custom Emperor Palpatine figure inspired by the
moviecharacter
Darth Sidious was a Dark Lord of the Sith who was considered to be the most successful Sith Lords ever existed. Despite of there were hundreds of powerful, and great Sith Lord when the Sith Empire was in its golden era, they did not survived, they killed each other, or were defeated during the
continuous wars with the Jedi Order. The Sith order had been almost extinct for a millennium. Almost, because somehow, two survived - but not from the stupid, brute, animal-like kind, but from the smarter, more clever kind. Two great example for this more
intellectual, more shrewd Sith were the Master Darth Plagueis and his apprentice, Darth Sidious.
Darth Plagueis, the Wise, soon became aware of the clever and talented young Sidious who was gifted with Force-sensitivity, and accepted him as his apprentice. Although
Plagueis trained Sidious in accordance with Darth Bane's tradition, still he felt important to train the mind of the young Sidious, too. This
does not mean that Plagueis let Sidious just sit there, Plagueis' teachings were still brutal! He ordered his apprentice to continue his
physical trainings, fencing drills, surviving "lessons" day and night, also, he had to practice and develop his Force abilities, too. He later will take benefit from his great fencing skills, when the
Dark lord killed 3 Jedi masters in a second, and even his Force abilities would give him the upper hand, since he won't be unarmed even with his bare hands he could kill anyone with strong Force Lightnings! And beside all of these Palpatine had to learn very much. Plagueis knew very well, their biggest chance to excel from those many aggressive, uneducated Sith, who only operate their brute power is to learn much, and to use their brains, too. But the Wise never knew that this will help them to survive all of them! So during the course of
Sidious' training, Darth Plagueis allowed him access to some Sith holocrons, items that contained the ancient
knowledge. The Jedi mistakenly believed that these holocrons sat in their Temple, but those were actually clever forgeries, a form of Sith disinformation. While Sidious could study some rare Force Powers from his holocrons, which were unknown by the Jedi, so they couldn't protect themselves against this extra Powers, so these could give him the upper hand one day. In the meantime Plagueis was learning, too, educating himself, studying matters, selecting a new direction for his studies: Plagueis was obsessed with immortality. He delved into forbidden teachings, and possessed, or at least he told Sidious to possess, knowledge that could sustain those who were dying, or even return them from death. Both the Jedi and the Sith had sought ways to survive death for thousands of years, without success. The most powerful of the ancient Sith Lords supposedly knew such secrets, but they had been killed, or died, and
no one came back... Plagueis then began taking his research to its greatest extreme, to create new life from nothing. Eventually Plagueis told Sidious of an experiment to influence the midi-chlorians to draw life directly from the Force itself. The child that resulted, Plagueis insisted, would potentially possess astounding powers. (This child would be Anakin Skywalker according to some sources!)
But for a Sith, immortality was a futile pursuit. The Sith order counted upon the death of a master and the rise of an apprentice to further itself, so the philosophy of such a brutal faction led just the opposite direction from immortality. And the young Sith apprentices must slaughter someone close to them to demonstrate their commitment to the Sith cause and to impress their master. For example Darth Tyranus killed Master Sifo-Dyas, his closest friend in the Jedi Order, and Darth Vader first participated in the murder of Mace Windu, and then personally slaughtered numerous Jedi younglings.
Darth Plagueis commanded the young Sidious to commit such a murder, only then having proved his worthiness to become a real Sith. Sidious was not lazy, took the advice, and killed Plagueis himself while he was peacefully slept. Someone close was needed to slaughter, ain't it? This should really
convince UTTERLY Plagueis, that Sidious has learned the Sith teachings, isn't that? Literally utterly...
So Sidious became the last one, and claimed to be a Sith Lord. He started to carry out his plan, and began his political career on Naboo, with the name
Palpatine he became the senator of the planet. The records pertaining to Palpatine's ancestry, immediate family members, upbringing, and his past had mysteriously vanished by "someone". Anyway, Palpatine was first seen on Naboo in the Prequel trilogy, as the senator of Naboo. Palpatine was clever, but he needed somebody, who would be his blunt instrument, his deadly weapon to carry out his plans while he remained in the shadows.
If Palpatine had to contact somebody directly, he relied on holographic communication. During such long distance transmissions he wore dark robes hiding even his face with it in order to keep his identity and location a secret. So Palpatine had to look after an apprentice, and soon found a very aggressive, blood thirsty, but easily manipulated young Zabrak
from Iridonia, Darth Maul. It was time to let the party begin. Sidious arranged for the cowardly Neimoidians to blockade and invade the peaceful planet of Naboo. It was not an easy task, Sidious had to manipulate the normally non-confrontational Neimoidians into combat, he had to work hard to involve them into the conflict, using their greed for money, promising them a great reward for their participation, which would eventually handled out by Darth Vader
in the end of Ep3, interpreting Palpatine's personal best wishes for them. So the big bad
aggressor was ready in the game with the Neimodians on board. "I need some Jedi, too. But how shall I lure them into my game? They keep saying they are not soldiers, and they don't want to involve into an armed conflict. I must make them personally interested. I send two Jedi to Naboo as ambassadors, then I order the Neimoidians to kill them. But the Republic had to be held back for now, in so to it look like a slow, and bureaucratic, which can hardly move, in order I could stand out with the perfect solution"- he thought. But the Jedi escaped from the trap, and got down separately to the surface of Naboo in landing ships of the blockade. Never mind! "
Maul my son, leave at once, and kill them!" Eventually, though, Naboo's young monarch Queen Amidala committed acts for her people and the heroic self-sacrifice of the Gungan people on the surface seemed to kept the Sith plans to realize, the events had long-lasting implications for the Republic. Although Darth Maul was killed by the Jedi Knights everybody was floating towards a war. And despite the death of his prized apprentice, none of the Jedi knew for sure of Sidious' existence, or of his true identity. If Maul was the apprentice, who was the master? Yoda tried to find out with the Force who was the master while he was meditating, but Sidious was stronger, as he learned from the holocrons how to hide himself and his prints in the Force. The shroud of the Dark Side clouds us - told Yoda, and really, it was not only a phrase, but a tangible experience, the Jedi even don't sense Palpatine's Dark Power even if they stand next to him! And he manipulated the non-Force sensitives, too, even more, and even easier. He studied a
mental trick which was very similar to the Jedi Mind-trick, he could effect the target person's will without the usual hand movement, without the eye contact, but with a smile on his face, like an angel, using a fatherly tone he could achieve his goals with anyone.
For instance Padme. Maybe this is why Amidala lodged a complaint, proposing to vote against chancellor Valorum if he, or the
bureaucrat Republican senators cannot move quickly in those desperate times, changing him with a more
dynamic person.
Palpatine "self imposed" for this difficult task, and "let himself persuaded" into this sacrifice.
One of his first acts was to raise a Republic Army to be prepared for the Trade federation threat. He knew well, all
totalitarian dictatorship needs a strong executive, an army which answers personally him, so to push through his orders and will at any cost, without contradiction. The control organizations, such as the Senate and the Jedi order needs to be weakened, or
switched out. Easy pie, as they will weaken, or ceased to exist, his powers will grow. But how shall he force those idiots to permit an army? They keep abstaining from it, and they
haven't voted for it. But it would be so important, since Darth Maul is not able to butcher everybody alone, that is not possible, especially after Maul was defeated by the young Kenobi. "Who cares, easy come, easy go! The brutal
aggressive times are over, a new phase is coming. I need somebody who possessed more guile and craft, someone who has more influence, and who can emerge as a leader, IN MY STEAD." Sidious' next gambit centered not on the raising of a new apprentice, but the converting a suitable Jedi candidate. His selection was the legendary yet disillusioned Jedi Master
Count Dooku, who was very rich. Sidious lured Dooku to the dark side, granting him the Sith title of Darth Tyranus. Dooku had to "impress" Sidious by slaughtering his Jedi friend, Sifo-Dyas, who was supervising the Kaminan clone program at that time. Then he had to take Dyas' place, sponsoring the clone program with big amounts of his own money, requiring a tiny
little modification in the gene structure, implementing an "insignificant" component, called order 66. Of course he was acting under a Sith name, alias Darth Tyrannus. "All rightie, the clone side is ready. Now we gotta
strengthen the quite scary Neimoidian side. C'mon doggie, hurry Tyrannus, you have plenty of money,
impress me, organize the Separatist resistance. Involve other Systems, because the Trade Federation is not brave enough alone to launch the attack. The fooled campaigners should be molded into the CIS, and you gotta pay them the needed amounts to support the creation of the new vehicle fleet, NRZ-99s, Crab droids, Homing spider droids, Dwarf Spider droids, Trifghters, oh yeah, and some hundred thousands of new Super Battle droids." Dooku went, and paid... The two brutally strengthened opposing armies were ready, only a good reason was
needed to let them fight each other. A great opportunity had come, when Amidala
traveled to Coruscant to vote on the clone army case. "Great! I can kill two birds with one stone! We have to assassinate Amidala! If she dies, that will be good, she won't speak against me any more. Also, Anakin will get mad, which is goooooooood. The Jedi will hunt down the assassin, so I nor have to pay them, neither they can speak! I will have a good reason to activate the army to provide us defense, it will be all fine. If not, there is still a plan B on Geonosis, check-mate." Eventually the plan B came to life, since the assassination was failed, but the Jedi activated the clones, to save themselves on Geonosis. Millions of people died, clones, droids, and many Jedi were killed, also innocent urban citizens on the many attending planets, the crisis gone deeper, the Clone Wars was storming through the Galaxy. Palpatine totally controlled both opposing sides, if one seemed to be gaining the upper hand somewhere, he
strengthened the weaker, or retreated the stronger a bit. It was all about to make the war longer, so the more Jedi will be killed, and the people will be tired of the deadlock situation, and would urge more radical solutions. Of course during the Clone Wars, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine seized further political power in the name of galactic security, requiring and gaining more and more "temporary" and extraordinary competences, to be able to answer the
threat with the right methods. Finally he had almost full powers, which he would give away at no circumstances, only the Jedi order could be able to take it away from him.
Phase three is coming. More and further systems need to be involved, so the battlefronts would get further, and so to the armies would weaken. The initial armies are totally changed by now, new squadrons are fighting everywhere, and there are no more 4-5 Jedis stationing and supporting a squad. Nowadays there are only 2 Jedis at a location, while some locations have only 1, often an absolutely
inexperienced padawan who was needed on the fronts, so he was promoted a knight earlier then it should be awarded. Only a few Jedi remained at home, (at Corsucant), and those are not a significant power. Having closely monitored Anakin Skywalker for years, Sidious felt he was the ideal Sith to make true his visions. He always kept bombing the young Jedi with his thoughts and
intrigues, Palpatine befriended Skywalker, becoming a close friend and a fatherly authority to a youthful warrior. He often confused Anakin, reading in his mind, using him at his disposal.
Sidious' silken words of advice steered Anakin away from the Jedi Code. Skywalker grew to trust Palpatine, believing that the friendly politician had his best interests at heart, which slowly turned away Anakin from his fellow Jedi. To test Skywalker if he is worthy to be his apprentice,
Sidious had himself kidnapped by his Confederacy underlings general Grievous and Count Dooku in the beginning of the third phase. Dooku worried to be changed if he won't be strong enough, but Palpatine convinced him to
trust him, claiming he will intervene if Anakin would come up victorious, and won't let Dooku down. That was not true of course. Anakin defeated Dooku, and Sidious
didn't helped, but instigated the Jedi to kill Dooku.
Dooku's face told everything about the Dark Side, he was cheated, he was led astray, he was used to do cruel things, and now he is alone, he will die, and his soul won't find peace, like Ajunta Pall's, and other similar Dark Jedi. At Palpatine's goading, Anakin kills the Sith Lord by cutting his head off. While running on the Invisible Hand corridors, Sidious performed a really difficult Sith trick, he blocks the sense of the Jedi, who won't notice a simple
trap, and they walk in it unaware. Anakin and Obi-wan asked each other how could it happen, why didn't they feel such a trap, while
Palpatine were smiling on them silently, thinking you are fools Jedi, I do whatever I want with you. After they escaped the ship finally, and got home, phase three can be continued with the final step, Obi-wan and Anakin were separated after Kenobi were sent to Utapau alone. Sidious further ensnared Anakin, attacking his mind heavier than ever before. Skywalker was torn by prophetic visions of Padme dying in childbirth. (I can imagine it was also a powerful Sith
mental trick, which was casted to Anakin by Sidious!) Also, his mother, the Jedi, and saving Padme will be used against Anakin, then Sidious reveals his true identity.
His plan finally succeeded, we all know the events from now, that is history. Anakin first warned the Jedi about Palpatine was a Sith Lord, then they kill them as a newly born Darth Vader, and with the help of the pre- programmed Order 66 by clone blasters. Then Palpatine stopped the fighting sides, bringing peace for the Galaxy, which
basically means giving birth of the
Galactic Empire, with a new Emperor, Palpatine himself. They continue hunting down the running Jedi, they dissolve the Senate, and they rule their new Empire as dictators. In the old trilogy Palpatine's role was not so significant, he first appeared in the
Empire Strikes Back as a hologram, warning Vader for the presence of Luke in the Force, then in the Return of the Jedi he had a better strategic role, he allowed the rebels to steal the Second Death Star plans, to make them believe it was not fully operational. He was very professional while overpowering Luke Skywalker's pacifist resistance, cleverly getting on his nerves, aggravating him with his rebel friends, his father, and finally with Leia. Then he again tried the good old kill your father, and replace him on my side trick on Luke after pitting
father against son. Luke refused him. Vader finally realized, he was just the same puppet like the previous apprentices, and everything happens the same way as before, when he had to kill Dooku the same way, now
Vader is panting on the floor in front of Luke, his hand was cut, like he cut Dooku's, and his life is in Luke's hand. The greatness of his son and his
mental power will decide his fate, whether he can live, or will be chopped like a pig. Since Luke was more human then his father, and was ready even to die for the true case, Vader finally realized that his life was spared, but worths like a pile of bantha poodoo, he wasted his talent,
haven't fulfilled his destiny, used his power for his goals, or rather for Palpatine's goals! And he is laughing right besides him, torturing his son with awful Force Lightnings. Vader grabbed the Emperor, and threw him inside a deep shaft, finally returning from his evil life, just in time, because soon he died, and he got into the Light beside Yoda and Obi-wan. But the Emperor's
soul couldn't find peace, and according to the Expanded Universe "Clone Emperor" cartoons it will be placed into clone bodies for seven more years before the New Republic forces finally destroyed maybe the biggest evil of the Star Wars movies for good.
Please take a look at my custom Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) figure!
This figure is a modified version of an existing Power of the Force
Emperor Palpatine figure. I didn't liked his grey cloak, because we saw in the movies a BLACK cloak on him. Some
reference photos show a black cloak which color is a mixture of some blue and black colors. So I put a bit of blue paint into the black,
but this cannot be noticed too much when seeing the figure in total. I repainted his face, too, since I wanted to picture it a deadly white, cruel face. Also, take a look at his hands, it has a
degeneration because of those deadly Force Lightnings. Finally let me focus your attention for the stick, too, I painted it not to look just simple black piece of plastic stick.
Custom Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) figure front view
Custom Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) figure back
Custom Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) figure left
Custom Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) figure right
Thanks for your interest, visit back soon!
written by: Norbert Rostas
2009.11.11. the figure was made many years before.
