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

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates fans' mixed reactions to Emperor Palpatine's return. After his apparent death in the beloved Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's comeback using cloning technology stirred controversy among Star Wars enthusiasts. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over 40 years, addressed the backlash in an interview with Variety, coinciding with the successful re-release of Revenge of the Sith in theaters.

McDiarmid dismissed the criticism, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on Palpatine's foresight, saying, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had a plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to put it together in some form." McDiarmid enjoyed the new elements introduced in The Rise of Skywalker, such as his character's "astral wheelchair" and the enhanced makeup that made Palpatine even more grotesque.

Regarding the backlash, McDiarmid remained nonchalant: "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 vague explanation of Palpatine's return, hinting at ancient Sith magic and referencing his iconic 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." This suggests that Palpatine used Sith magic to reanimate himself after his fall in Return of the Jedi.

Despite the explanation, many fans remain unconvinced and would rather ignore Palpatine's return. The future of the Star Wars franchise will be interesting to watch, especially with Daisy Ridley reprising her role as Rey Skywalker in upcoming films. Ridley is set to star in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

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