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

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This iconic line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates the divisive reaction to Emperor Palpatine's return in the film. Many fans were vocal about their dissatisfaction with the clone-driven revival of the character after his apparent demise in Return of the Jedi. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, had a different perspective on the backlash.

In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith which has seen significant box office success, McDiarmid addressed the controversy surrounding Palpatine's return. He dismissed the criticism, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to put it together in some form. When I realized I had a sort of astral wheelchair, that was even better. I just had these four guys who whisked me around the studio; I can’t tell you how much fun that was. Daisy was more worried about that than anything else. And then, of course, we had to devise another makeup look, which was even more grotesque than the previous one."

Regarding the specific backlash to the Emperor's return, 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. 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 Rise of Skywalker offers a somewhat vague explanation for Palpatine's comeback. Early in the film, Kylo Ren discovers Palpatine in a reanimated state, suggesting that he did not survive his fall at the end of Return of the Jedi. McDiarmid's comments align with the film's narrative, emphasizing Palpatine's contingency plan. The Emperor himself, in a monologue to Kylo Ren, hints at the use of ancient Sith magic, quoting his famous 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 McDiarmid's defense, it appears unlikely that the core Star Wars fanbase will embrace Palpatine's return in The Rise of Skywalker. Many would prefer to ignore this plot point altogether. The future of the Star Wars franchise remains uncertain in this regard, but fans can look forward to new developments. Daisy Ridley's character, Rey Skywalker, is set to appear in multiple upcoming Star Wars films, having been identified as a key cinematic asset for the franchise. Ridley is confirmed to return in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

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