During the time of the Old Republic, there was peace. Senators would argue with one another within the Senate House, but outside there was peace. Most of the senators were content with just being able to sit in the Senate, not wanting to gain more power than they already had. But, as is inevitable with governments, the Old Republic expanded, and eventually became unwieldy. As more senators poured in,, it was only obvious that among them would be corruption and dishonesty. This was the time when Palpatine stepped forward, offering himself as an honest and good leader. He knew exactly what the people of the Old Republic wanted. He had stood by and observed as the senators squabbled and allied themselves with huge corporate industries in a bid to gain the upper hand over their adversaries. By this time the people were tired of the in-fighting and corruption. They saw Palpatine as the light at the end of the tunnel, and rushed towards him. Only a few saw him as what he really was. But by then, it was too late. The light turned out to be a blazing inferno. Palpatine became leader of the Old Republic, disbanded it, and brought in his 'New Order', declaring himself Emperor. It was then that the people saw what they had brought upon themselves. Palpatine had a huge navy built, with the ominous Star Destroyers as the main ships of the fleet. They struck fear in to everyone who saw them. But, after all, that was how Palpatine wanted to rule: by fear.
As the Empire grew through the enslaving of planet after planet, Palpatine set up higher ranks within the Empire. This meant that officers would be enticed to work more diligently, enslave more people, put down any hint of rebellion just so that they could gain Palpatine's favour and climb higher within the Empire. But the main point of these ranks was so that Palpatine could bring the Empire more directly under his control. He wanted to control not only the political side, but also the military side. This was done by promoting Moffs to Grand Moffs. Moff Tarkin was the first to be honoured with this rank. Before, Tarkin controlled several planets, or a 'sector'. As Grand Moff, he gained control of several sectors, including priority sectors. These Grand Moffs would report directly to Palpatine.
When Tarkin presented his ideas for the Death Star, he had no idea that it would be Palpatine, not he, who gained credit for it. This was typical of Palpatine's rule. He took credit for every idea that would allow the Empire to succeed. This meant that, in effect, the Empire would not be able to function without him. With this in place, Palpatine became a recluse, only emerging from his dank shadow when necessary.
Palpatine was not only a master politician and Force-user, he was also very inquisitive and studious. As a result of his extensive use of the dark side of the Force, his body had become decayed and frail. Therefore, when he chanced upon the records of the Spaarti cloning cylinders used during the time of the Old Republic, he saw an avenue by which he could rule the galaxy for all time.
Of course, Palpatine did not want to make a clone of himself before he knew that the process was without flaws, so he cloned an old Jedi Master, his advisor in the Old Republic Senate : Jorus C'Baoth. When Palpatine knew that the process was perfect, he ordered a top secret cloning factory to be built on the planet Byss, where he grew several clones of himself. He kept a few of the Spaarti cylinders aside, though, and placed them inside Mount Tantiss on Wayland.
With the Old Republic brushed under the carpet, and the Empire firmly in place, Palpatine looked set to rule for eternity. Unbeknownst to him, a young boy growing up on a farm on Tatooine, would prove otherwise. Luke Skywalker, son of Darth Vader, Palpatine's second-in-command, rose through the fire and hell that was the galaxy, and became a Jedi Knight, like his father before him. Trained by Ben Kenobi, Vader's old mentor, and helped by Yoda, Luke would prove to be the one thing that stood between Palpatine and eternal life.
Palpatine realised the potential power and danger of Luke, and wanted him destroyed, but Vader persuaded him otherwise. Palpatine then told Vader to turn Luke to the Dark Side, a task that looked easy from one point, but was in reality impossible.
With Tarkin's dream destroyed, Palpatine knew that Luke was the most dangerous being in the galaxy to him. Vader failed to turn Luke on Bespin, and Palpatine was angry. He could not see how to turn the son of Vader. Then a chance arose. Palpatine began to construct a second Death Star, over the forest of Endor. Not content with his vast Navy, and going against the wishes of most of his advisors, Palpatine again wanted to be able to bring the might of the Empire's Navy under his direct control. He then saw a chance to crush the Rebellion and turn, or destroy, Luke.
He allowed the location of the Death Star to fall into Rebel hands. He had laid a trap for them. When the Rebellion came hurtling out of Hyperspace, lasers bristling and flags flying, the trap was sprung, for the Death Star was operational, contrary to what the Rebels thought. Luke, meanwhile, was on Endor with Han and Leia. He knew his destiny was to confront Vader again, and so surrendered. He was taken up to Palpatine on the Death Star, and there he met his destiny.
Palpatine was so confident that Luke's compassion for his friends would break him, that he allowed him to fight Vader. After an emotional battle with his father, Luke was attacked by Palpatine, who was now bent on destroying the young Jedi. Palpatine's overconfidence in his abilities proved his undoing, whilst Luke's confidence in his father saved him. Instead of Luke turning to the Dark Side, it was Vader who turned to the Light Side, and destroyed Palpatine, though not forever.
Palpatine returned to take up the reigns of his decimated Empire several years later, in the form of one of his clones. He had not learnt from any of his past mistakes. He once again ordered a super weapon to be built, and once again he was beaten, but not just by Luke alone, but also by Leia. Palpatine, as a disembodied spirit, was sent to the hell that is the Dark Side.
Vader is thought of as the embodiment of evil. What then is Palpatine?
What is worse than Vader?
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