Palpatine's Appearance

[Guest JediIgor]

Well, force lightning is just a very rapid dark side consumption. Maybe after he gets cloned he uses lightning again and again, so each time shortly thereafter his body ends "dried up." Anyways, it's not as weird as seeing the Death Star at the end of the movie.

[Stellar_Magic]

After watching the film for the third time I noticed that when General Grievous speaks with Sidious, sidious already has the appearance of the emperor. I'm guessing Palpatine's appearance before the lightning is nothing but a mask created by sidious to hide his appearance. When he uses the lightning he can't maintain the mirage.

[Jahled]

After watching the film for the third time I noticed that when General Grievous speaks with Sidious, sidious already has the appearance of the emperor. I'm guessing Palpatine's appearance before the lightning is nothing but a mask created by sidious to hide his appearance. When he uses the lightning he can't maintain the mirage.

 

Best theory so far....

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

But why does he not reestablish his illusion? He has nothing to gain from looking evil, and if he looked as he did before, he might get a little more suport... then again, when you're going to declare yourself Emperor, what does it matter if you're ugly?

[Stellar_Magic]

Maybe he thought using his actual appearance as 'evidence' for Jedi treachery would give him more support.

[Skynxnex]

Actually he has no reason to go back to his illusion. The Jedi are now more or less destroyed and his 'mask' succeeded in getting Anakin to turn to the darkside. Plus as we saw in his speech, he uses the 'transformation' as a Jedi trick saying that they scarred him and deformed him. Now that he is the Emperor it doesnt matter anymore.

[Trejiuvanat]

Interesting theory, it fits well with Lucas's approaches to masks. (Every character is concealed behind a mask, only after each one deals with his 'fate' will he remove the mask) Fitting if you think that Palpy has now revealed his nature and consumed his revenge he no longer needs his mask, while Vader must now hide behind a mask.

 

In the novelization I think I read something as Palpy saying: 'And the mask becomes the man, I will miss the face of Palpatine but the face of Sidious will now work".

[Skynxnex]

Interesting theory, it fits well with Lucas's approaches to masks. (Every character is concealed behind a mask, only after each one deals with his 'fate' will he remove the mask) Fitting if you think that Palpy has now revealed his nature and consumed his revenge he no longer needs his mask, while Vader must now hide behind a mask.

 

In the novelization I think I read something as Palpy saying: 'And the mask becomes the man, I will miss the face of Palpatine but the face of Sidious will now work".

 

 

I read something like that in the novel as well. It really only makes sense that the use of the normal Palpatine appearance was for a much more...hmm public friendlier image than the true nature of Palpatine. Dont get me wrong, it is still possible that Palpatine was in fact being consumed by the darkside, but I think his appearance now is how it has always been. For instance during the duel between Mace and Palpy, I think the novel makes it clear that Palpy was winning. Mace really stood no chance at all and if you watch the scene again all Palpy is doing is using up time before Anakin gets there.

 

One thing that we do know from this film is that Palpatine has an incredible power at seeing the future and he knows how to use this knowledge to further his own ends. For instance its clear that Palpatine knew that if he appointed Anakin to the Jedi Council, he knew they wouldnt like it and refuse to make Anakin a master.

[Guest Scathane]

Interesting theory, it fits well with Lucas's approaches to masks. (Every character is concealed behind a mask, only after each one deals with his 'fate' will he remove the mask).

How many examples do the movies show, in your opinion?

 

One thing that we do know from this film is that Palpatine has an incredible power at seeing the future and he knows how to use this knowledge to further his own ends. For instance its clear that Palpatine knew that if he appointed Anakin to the Jedi Council, he knew they wouldnt like it and refuse to make Anakin a master.

I may have overlooked that but, how is this clear?

[Skynxnex]

Interesting theory, it fits well with Lucas's approaches to masks. (Every character is concealed behind a mask, only after each one deals with his 'fate' will he remove the mask).

How many examples do the movies show, in your opinion?

 

One thing that we do know from this film is that Palpatine has an incredible power at seeing the future and he knows how to use this knowledge to further his own ends. For instance its clear that Palpatine knew that if he appointed Anakin to the Jedi Council, he knew they wouldnt like it and refuse to make Anakin a master.

I may have overlooked that but, how is this clear?

 

 

Well as to your point directed at me, you have to remember that Anakin sees Palpatine as a sort of friend and mentor. He tells him everything it seems. Palpatine knew about the Sand People and how Anakin killed them because of what they did to his mother. Anakin told Palpatine this stuff. It doesnt require a huge leap in logic to see that Palpatine knows that Anakin is being singled out by the Jedi. Indeed you can see the interaction being played out in the movie where the Jedi seem to not trust Anakin. When Palpatine appointed Anakin to the Jedi Council, they didnt trust Anakin and assumed he would be spying on them. They then wanted Anakin to spy on Palpatine. I mean, also since Palpatine asked Anakin what it was the Jedi wanted him to do that made Anakin feel uneasy...its pretty obvious that Palpatine knew what all was going on.

 

Palpatine literally is the master manipulator. On the Star Wars website his power has been listed as being on a par with Yoda's if not more powerful. And from the novels we know that Palpatine has a great gift for using the Force to see the future. Throughout the movie, we see Palpatine place himself in harm's way. This is characteristic of what he does in Return of the Jedi. Its because Palpatine trusts the knowledge given to him via the Force and his gift for foresight.

 

If you re-watch the Mace and Palpatine fight just look at it this way, Palps takes on 3 of the masters and destroys them...fast. On the Star Wars website, those 3 masters are not pushovers, but are considered to be some of the most powerful when it comes to using a lightsaber. And Palpatine went through them like it was nothing. And then with Mace Palpatine was taking his time. He knew Anakin would come. Look how he lost his lightsaber shortly before Anakin came in. In the novel, Mace 'thinks' he is detecting Palpatine's fear and shatterpoint. He realizes only after Anakin takes his arm off/hand off that he had detected Anakin's fear. Palps in other words HAD NO FEAR and knew he wouldnt lose or die.

 

Also, I cant help but sympathise to some extent with Anakin's plight. Its been acknowledged on other novels and on the SW databank that some of the masters had love interests going on with other Jedi. Its therefore hypocritical for the Jedi to be telling Anakin that if he were married or something thats it and he gets kicked out of the Jedi. Yoda telling Anakin to train himself to lose all attachment...wtf? Easier said than done Yoda. Here is Anakin, trying to talk about his problem and instead his advisor just dismisses him with some nonsense about attachment and the darkside. One thing that bothers me is that the Jedi in the Old Republic try to act like they are beyond emotions which is BS. Emotions are fine, just learn to control them. Using your anger though, thats what leads to the darkside. But anyway, Palpatine was definitely a more sympathetic figure to Anakin and I can see why Anakin decided to follow him. This obviously doesnt excuse his actions such as slaughtering the Jedi etc but you get the idea.

 

One thing though that did bug me about the movie was the ease with which Anakin defeats Dooku. Dooku was supposed to be roughly on a par with Yoda and Anakin defeats him fairly easily. Yet when he fights Obi, its this long drawn out fight. Also that end part where he jumps. Anakin should have just lightly jumped off onto the bank or something, but I guess the point was to show that Anakin despite being very powerful was brash and impulsive and didnt think in terms of tactics and strategy in his fights and instead just brute-forced his way around. Hence Obi-Wan beating him.

[Guest Scathane]

Point.