Ian McDiarmid Is Right: Palpatine Should Return (But Not Be Resurrected)
Ian McDiarmid noted the possibility of reprising his iconic role of Palpatine in a future Star Wars property, and while his return would be a welcome surprise, The Emperor shouldn’t be resurrected yet again. Palpatine seemingly died in Return of the Jedi, but in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, he was revealed to have returned from the dead. Palpatine’s final death was shown in the sequel trilogy’s finale, and while McDiarmid should play the sinister Sith Lord once more, resurrecting Palpatine again shouldn’t be an option.
Palpatine returning from the dead was first shown in 1991’s Star Wars: Dark Empire comics, which are part of the Legends continuity. The Rise of Skywalker appears to be heavily inspired by Dark Empire, as it borrows many significant plot and lore elements, including Palpatine’s resurrection. In both properties, the Sith Lord and Emperor transfers his consciousness into a fragile clone body, having learned such methods of prolonging one’s life from his master, Darth Plagueis.
In a recent interview, Ian McDiarmid confirmed that he may show up to play Palpatine once again, though he made sure to confirm that the Sith Lord did truly die at the end of Rise of Skywalker. McDiarmid said that if Hayden Christensen can come back to the iconic role of Darth Vader, he may find himself returning to play the iconic character as well. Preserving the ending of the sequel trilogy is essential, but the canon timeline provides plenty of opportunities for McDiarmid to play Palpatine again before the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Since Palpatine is generally considered to be the greatest villain in the Star Wars franchise, his return could give the burgeoning space opera a worthy opponent for future protagonists to fight against in the form of a familiar and terrifying foe.
While Palpatine generally kept a low profile after establishing the Galactic Empire, he actively trained his new apprentice, Darth Vader, in the ways of the Sith. On occasion, Palpatine would fight alongside his apprentice, as shown in Lords of the Sith. If the Star Wars franchise ever reexplores the prequel era, there are opportunities for McDiarmid to reprise the Palpatine role, but as a politician rather than a Sith Lord. While Palpatine presumably remained on Exegol following his resurrection, a property that explores the origins of Snoke, his strand-cast creation, could feature McDiarmid as the undead Palpatine.
However, while this return would provide a fascinating plot point, it's vital that the established timeline is not undone retroactively. As one of the most brilliant and powerful Sith Lords of all time, Palpatine masterminded the conflicts of all three trilogies, manipulating and ruining lives with cruel callousness as he directed the course of galactic history. Palpatine’s final deaths, both in Dark Empire and The Rise of Skywalker, were fitting ends to the saga’s main antagonist, so while McDiarmid can come back, Rey’s victory on Exegol must be preserved.
Another trilogy of Star Wars saga films is possible, and while Palpatine is its greatest villain, the franchise needs to move on from him and create new antagonists if it progresses past The Rise of Skywalker. Ideally, a new type of villain, perhaps inspired by Legends characters like Lumiya, Abeloth, or the Yuuzhan Vong, would succeed Palpatine as the galaxy’s next great threat rather than bringing Palpatine back once more and potentially cheapening his meaningful final demise. The return of Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine would certainly please Star Wars fans, but bringing the Sith Lord back from the dead yet again should be avoided.
Source: Screenrant
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