Ian McDiarmid Defends Palpatine's Return in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This iconic line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates fans' mixed feelings about the Emperor's return. Despite his supposed death at the end of Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's reappearance in the latest installment of the saga stirred significant controversy among Star Wars enthusiasts. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, had a different perspective on the backlash.

In a recent interview with Variety, coinciding with the successful re-release of Revenge of the Sith in theaters, McDiarmid addressed the criticism with a nonchalant attitude. He defended the narrative choice, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on the plausibility of Palpatine having a backup plan, saying, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to be put it together in some form."

McDiarmid also enjoyed the creative aspects of his character's return, particularly the "astral wheelchair" and the new, more grotesque makeup. He humorously noted that Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, was more concerned about the wheelchair than anything else. Reflecting on the backlash specifically, McDiarmid remarked, "Well, there’s always something, isn’t there? I don’t read that stuff and I’m not online. So it’ll only reach me if someone mentions it. I thought there might be a bit of a fuss about bringing him back. But as I said, mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable."

He further explained Palpatine's foresight: "This man who was horribly maimed thought maybe one day it might happen to him, and we’ve got to have a plan B. I loved the whole idea that he should come back and be even more powerful than he was before. Though this time, he had to be utterly destroyed. So I think he’s dead."

The film itself provides a nebulous explanation of Palpatine's return. When Kylo Ren encounters him early in The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine appears as a reanimated version of his former self, suggesting he did not survive his fall in Return of the Jedi. Instead, he utilized ancient Sith magic, as hinted by his line from Revenge of the Sith: "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural."

Despite the explanation, many fans remain skeptical and would rather ignore Palpatine's return. The future of the Star Wars franchise remains to be seen, with upcoming projects potentially addressing or ignoring this contentious plot point. Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker is set to return in several films, including a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker.

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