After seeing Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker fans have been split down the middle once again. One side vs the other debating on whether or not its a good movie. Some people just sit back, disengaged their brain and enjoyed it and others went deeper and analysed what worked and what didn’t.
It’s safe to say that for me despite its many, many flaws the one confusing plot point of the movie was Palpatine’s return. A character presumed dead by not only ever single fan but even actor Ian McDiarmid who plays him!
Palpatine Surviving Was a Shock for Ian McDiarmid
In a recent interview with Digital Spy McDiarmid said he was confused about his character having survived. He also went on to say that it was never George Lucas’ intention to bring back the character in anyway shape or form.
I thought he was dead. Because when we did ‘Return of the Jedi,’ and I was thrown down that chute to Galactic Hell, he was dead! McDiarmid said. ‘Oh, does he come back?’ And [George] said, ‘No, he’s dead.’ So I just accepted that. But then, of course, I didn’t know I was going to be doing the prequels, so in a sense he wasn’t dead, because we went back to revisit him when he was a young man. But I was totally surprised by this.
It was ‘always the plan’ to bring back Palpatine says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. But I can’t wrap my head around how this is true. There is no foreshadowing of his appearance in any of the previous two movies. In this one, there’s a radio call and poof he’s back like a pantomime villain.
Another assumption is that this was a reason that Colin Trevorrow stepped down from the director’s chair as he also didn’t agree with Palpatine’s return. Well worth reading this interview with Empire magazine for further clarification on that.
Overall
Whilst I didn’t mind Palpatine showing up again in the Star Wars universe I felt he was severely under utilised. His character was never intimidating at any point through the movie.
He posed no threat or installed any such fear or worry in our heroes at any time. It was quite a weak and frail version of the Palpatine we all know and love.
At the end of the day he was a little old sith being held up by machines. Having the equivalent of Floyd Mayweather step into the ring with Sugar Ray Leonard just isn’t my idea of a fair fight.
Disney has destroyed a good movie universum of Star Wars.
I don’t like the fact that the Palpatine was brought back to life as well as destoying Luke Skywalker’s character by presenting him as a total looser.
Because of Disney I stopped to like Star Wars universe and after each sequel I was going out from the cinema very dissapointed.