The agency of Palpatine

Well, a similar sort of question is:

Who or what is behind the terrible "war of nature", to use Charles Darwin's stark wording, that seems to define all sentient existence?

The Earth alone is a dense biological staging ground on which almost all the life that once respired and replicated itself within or beneath its thin haze of atmosphere is now extinct. And all the creatures "lucky" to be born at all must fight to survive against starvation, predation, dehydration, hypothermia, drowning, pestilence, natural disaster, genetic variation and mutation (or the phenotypic and physiological impact of such variation and mutation), rape, mutilation, senescence, and ultimately, cellular death, to stake their momentary place on a fraction of dot, lost in the forbidding ocean of space and the gaping immensity of time, in the face of a universe that seems indifferent, at best, and often downright hostile, to their coming into being at all.

And this incredibly violent, utterly pitiless chamber drama may be happening throughout the universe, on trillions of worlds, ceaselessly, without intervention or relief, to seemingly no particular end. 

Who are to blame for that? God? Satan? The Demiurge? Some kid in his basement who got a bit carried away and created a small computer simulation for his or her own amusement? 

I think Palpatine is the closest thing we've yet seen in Star Wars to the Platonic Demiurge. He's the dark creator, destroyer, and sustainer of the architected reality of Star Wars -- imprisoning yet giving odd life to the characters we see on the screen, and having a direct impact in our world (our personal and cultural addiction to the series), too.

It's definitely a little weird to think about. If you don't think so, maybe you haven't thought enough about it!


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It's plausible that Palpatine basically affects and/or effects every particular outcome, but the outcomes where he's having a more overt and comprehensible effect would be all those times he prods a character into doing something by effectively (haha) whispering poison in their ear. Of course, that's because you can see and hear him doing these things and going to work like a pro, but he might be having "other" effects, elsewhere on the story, too.

To that end, you might want to adduce his strong hinting to Anakin that he had something to do with his conception or birth in Episode III, or his boasting to Luke that "everything that has transpired has done so according to [his] design" in Episode VI. The latter remark would seem to be more for the benefit of the audience (all of Palpatine's lines have this dimension, in fact), since any viewer who has seen the prequels is more filled-in on galactic history than Luke, and can fancy that this boast applies to all of Palpatine's machinations (and not merely his leading the rebels, in the final battle, into a trap).

The idea of Palpatine designing events and causing things to come to pass according to his will also has deistic and demiurge-istic implications. It is also notable, or it may be apropos of nothing, that TPM bears a lot in common with Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", as well as demonstrating a few visual resonances with "The Forbidden Planet", the classic 1956 science-fiction film that is a re-telling of the same play (it made the science-fiction genre into a more artistic and meaningful film genre: a precursor to both modern science-fiction cinema and to Lucas making the B-movie a more serious thing with Star Wars and Indiana Jones). "The Tempest" features a character called Prospero: the main protagonist and the Duke (!!) of Milan within the story (sort of how Palpatine is almost the Duke of Naboo!!!!), who uses magic and controls a great deal of the narrative. As Spark Notes puts it:

www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/tempest/character/prospero/



Not unlike the way Palpatine (both names begin with the same letter and have the same number of syllables) has such an enormous impact as to -- in his case, perhaps, unwittingly -- bring about a happy end at the close of the main saga.

The extract goes on to say:



Palpatine, while he may be the arch villain of the saga, ends up having a similar function. He seems to be Lucas' surrogate in the story, and through the lessons that Palpatine teaches -- albeit: with twisted intent -- we are meant to feel or sense some of the creative tensions and difficulties involved in cohering the artwork into a single piece: a unified six-part experience. In addition, Lucas is furnishing us with his own framework on morality and justice, using the dark mentor of Palpatine to establish a firm sense of "right" and "wrong". Palpatine even says to Luke at the end of the saga that he is looking forward to completing his training. And, by extension, he is completing the training of the audience, whose members have been quietly apprenticed to Palpatine as they have sat and watched the saga unfold and build to conclusion.


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A few years ago, I wrote out this brief meditation on Palpatine on that other Star Wars website. The one that likes to censor and ban prequel fans whenever they start running their mouth about the Disney transition, or when they take to complaining about unequal treatment vis-a-vis those that tear into the prequels and their fans and troll for Disney. Anyway, here it is:


Palpatine is really the "Dark Side" of the characters' internal misgivings, indiscretions, and vanities being reflected back on them.


Palpatine invites the characters to embrace their turmoil; and in that way, he's only really returning what they send out -- as if he weren't really "there" (as a separate character) at all...


Some chosen lines and a little breakdown for each:


- "Wipe them out. All of them."
Go on, you know you want to...


- "I love democracy. I love the Republic."
Thinks Jar Jar contentedly and uncritically for finally finding acceptance after his little speech gains uproarious applause.


- "I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. Makes you stronger."
Hey, I'm allowed to be mad and awesome. This anger thing could really take me places, after all...


- "You could call for a Vote of No Confidence..."
I could, couldn't I?


- "Master Yoda, do you really think it will come to war?"
This whole Jedi-serving-the-Galactic-Republic thing; I always knew it would end in disaster...


- "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural."
Yeah, to hell with the likes of Obi-Wan and Yoda. I can write my own destiny...


The Phantom Menace, indeed.
  

Felicity Jones from R1. But here in another role

Some remarks on the main topic: my big problem with these theories (they are rather popular amongst fans)is that they represent Palpatine as almighty Sith lord that can do everything, can foresee everything and can win in any situation. Only is not that at all: even in OT we see examples of Emperor's mistskes and his big mistake is to think that he can overcome the love of the father to his son of course, we see also examples that he cannot foresee everything (he couldn't feel Luke's presence on Endor) and so on. We could see this even in Episode 1: I want this treaty signed! Yes we could speculate that Sidious is lying to Nute Gunrey but then again why sending Maul to search for the queen and bring her back to Naboo to sign the treaty?? So he is expecting the plan f the treaty to go as he predicted but it doesn't . So what Palpatine does? He changes the tactics. Because, the unfortunately evil genius of Palpatine is that he is brilliant strategist and opportunist. If he had a slogan, it would be: We can use this in our advantage (something that he not only repeats several times but constantly applies in his schemes, yes, even in OT). Is what the real opportunists do: they use every consequence in their advantage even when it looks like they are loosing: the queen refuses to sign the treaty and succeeds to come to Coruscant but Palpatine changes the tactics and decided to use the fact that the queen is in Coruscant. Like in OT, in Episode 5 where at first he said that Luke should be destroyed aхd then when Vader proposes to try to convince him to come to their side Palpatine again changes the tactics and decides that Luke should be neutralized by joining their side (he made a mistake with Luke but I give this as example how is possible to change the tactics in a completely different direction and stay with the same goal). And the good strategists do exactly this: they change the tactics and the meaning used as often as is necessary but they never change their main goal. Is indeed the way that they achieve the goal, changing the details in their plan according to the circumstances; exactly because they can’t foresee everything. What happened in Ep.1 is a perfect example for this. The main purpose here is to cause the crisis of Naboo and if this treaty is signed this would make the position of Valorum even weaker, in the following turmoil Palpatne could accumulate more power and be closer to the position of Supreme Chancellor (and of course he could be elected, he would arrange that). When the queen comes to the capital he changes completely the tactics and he succeeds in the elections (first with the vote of no confidence and then when the crisis continues as he arranged that with his election of Chancellor). He looses Maul in the process but he succeeds in the main goal and covers his tracks well. But if he could foresee everything , he wouldn't say: wipe them out, all of them (as Anakin is included in "all of them").
P.S. I could accept that the Chancellor chooses Kenobi for the task to protect Padme not only because Padme knows him for very long time (so she would accept him as bodyguard) but also because is like an opportunity for Anakin to shine amongst the Jedi if they succeed. But if they fail, then it would be Kenobi fault as he is the master and this indeed would diminish his “status” in Anakin’s eyes so this again would work for Palpatine.

A) Anakin's Birth- I know Lucas toyed with this idea, and in fact removed a line of dialogue that pretty much said that Palpatine created Anakin. I was never a big fan of this. I think of the saying evil begets evil. Basically, if Anakin is created by evil, than his choices are made for him in the grand scheme of things. I like it more that the Force created Anakin, and thus his choices were his own.

B and D) I never really felt Anakin's nightmares either of Shmi or Padme were created by Palpatine. We see this power is handed down to Luke, when in ESB, he is able to see the future where his friends are in pain. Now here's the kicker though that will cook your noodle. Now we know how Vader knew to torture Han and Leia. He knew that there was a good chance his son would see the visions of his friends and loved ones in pain, and would want to do something about it. So he knew his trap for Luke would work and bring Luke to him. Vaders used his experiences as Anakin to trap his son.

C) Never crossed my mind that Palpatine was involved.

E) Never crossed my mind Palptine was involved.   

Now here is something that i'm surprised never gets talked about. I brought it up on the TFN forums years ago, and it seemed to blow a few peoples minds. How Palpatine laid out his plan in Revenge Of The Sith using General Grievous. 

We all know that Palpatines capture at the beginning of ROTS is a staged event. It is setup because Palpatine wants to test Anakin, to see if Anakin is ready to be turned. Once Anakin murders Dooku, Palpatine is now ready to set his endgame in motion. 

After being "rescued", Palpatine meets with Mace. This is important, because this sets up the golden goose that the Jedi now have to chase. Mace is under the assumption that now that Dooku is dead, Palpatine will start to hand back powers to the Senate, as this is a sign the war is going to start to wind down. Afterall, the Seps just lost their leader. However, Palpatine informs Mace that he will not be handing back any powers and the war will not end until General Grievous is killed or captured. Mace's reply... finding Grievous will now be the Jedi's top priority. See, Palpatine knows that the Jedi suspect him of something. They want Palaptine to step down.. He knows, that once they find Grievous, they will come looking for Palpatine to step down and give up his emergency powers. Palpatine has made General Grievous a very very very important piece on the chess board.

So what does Palpatine do? Well he starts to really push that wedge between Anakin and the Jedi, he knows Anakin is ripe for the picking, and Palpatine has set his final plan in motion. He knows the Jedi Council want Anakin as close to him (Palpatine) as possible. Palpatine starts moving his pawns to their final positions on the board. He sends the Sep Leaders to Mustafar, and not because he is trying to protect them. After a little time of working on Anakin, Palpatine now does a very important thing. He is the one that gives up the where abouts of General Grievous.. you know, the same General Grievous that he made the extremely important piece that would end the war and would make him give back emergency powers. SO he knows the Jedi will move. So it's Palpatine that sets this all in motion. He gives up General Grievous because he knows the Jedi will send their most reliable battle field general, Obi Wan, and not Anakin, as they want Anakin with Palpatine to spy. Palpatine has set Grievous up for failure. 

All Palpatine has to do is wait for Grievous to fall to Kenobi, and that will be it. When Anakin delivers the news to Palpatine that Kenobi has engaged Grievous, Palpatine knows now is the time to make his move on Anakin. He knows it is only a matter of time before Grievous falls, and that the Jedi will be coming for Palpatine to give up his power. So it is no coincidence when Anakin informs Palpatine of Obi Wan attacking Grievous that Palpatine now decides to tell Anakin that he is the Sith. 

This is an awesome plan by Palpatine to initiate the final stage of his plan. He has played everyone perfectly, he has moved his pawns where he wanted them. He used the Jedi as pawns to help drive that wedge between the Council and Anakin, and when he felt it was all ready to pop, he just gives the Jedi Grievous's location. Once he has Anakin, well than it's Order 66, and sending Anakin to Mustafar, where Palpatine sent the Sep Leaders, to be executed and end the war quite easily. 

 

I am wont to side with the perspective overall argued by tonyg. Or is it Tonyg? Or is it TonyG? Like, Tony Gangsta. Because my mind for whatever reason likens it exotically as Ton-yig. (I'm never certain whether I should capitalize grammatically proper screen handles that are presented otherwise. Whatever. I'm going lower case)

Hence:

A. Anakin's birth
No

B. Anakin’s nightmares of Shmi
No

C. The capture and torture of Shmi Skywalker
Nope

D. Anakin’s visions of Padmé dying in childbirth
No

E. The death of Padmé
And no

Palpatine is a literal wizard in his reality. A sorcerer. Of the above events however this grants him not the creation/control, but rather the (finer) perception. He is not influencing their outcomes; it is the outcomes that influences his stratagem—itself ever-fluid, as tonyg elaborates. Yet on the allusions to Shakespeare, perhaps such does indeed apply to Palpatine, just in a more roundabout fashion. Or maybe in a very limited, practical sense per his storied reality, for in addition to being a sorcerer, Palpatine is also an actor. Except, he's not so much an actor performing on a stage of his making and reciting his own script as he is an actor navigating the audience, the streets outside, the world at large ...but always and so perpetually using the thespian craft. And I don't just mean the obvious, either, playing in broad strokes the alter ego of a politician separate from a Sith Lord. It's deeper than that. Script or no script, staged or real, what do all actors do almost reflexively, instinctively? They "read the scene", so to speak. They read the immediate layout, the other people in the room. They gauge, and in turn play their part in real-time. Palpatine, then, is at once the ultimate 'game theory' strategist and the ultimate thespian ...with the added mystic powers of cognition that reach beyond mere sense-data. He doesn't need to be Prospero, just godd ol' Iago; beyond a general plot to upend the Republic and a general intent to ambush the Jedi, he doesn't need to mechanize every single event -- manage every single variable -- spanning a galaxy, just respond-and-reorientate organically by virtue of his exceptional, collective talents.

Exactly! To shift the cause to Palpatine is to ignore not only what these movies are about, but also to dismiss the core problem with Anakin and what he needs to do to succeed. To let go of his fear and attachment. To pretend that it comes from Palpatine is to indulge the idea that by getting rid of Palpatine, he would get rid of his visions. That's not true. The visions he has are, in a way, the equivalent of the cave on Dagobah. What's in them? Only what he takes with him. Palpatine didn't plant fear in Anakin. He took advantage of the fear he had. There's a difference.

It's also morally flawed. It promotes the idea that you can blame your fears (and problems) on somebody else, good person or bad, and use them as scapegoats to justify your actions. It's pure cowardice. Just like Anakin blaming Obi-Wan for what happened on Tatooine.

No. Cowards are those that don't take responsibility and blame others for their own flaws and misdeeds. Anakin didn't lack rightful counsel. The Jedi offered him plenty. Anakin chose the wrong path, he chose to listen to Palpatine. Even when he knew deep down that it was wrong, he still chose to do it. That choice is his, no one else's. Palpatine didn't force him to anything. Nobody did. Palpatine seduced him, lied to him, but the choice remained Anakin's.

Five times "no".

Users of the force can feel emotions of each other. No more.

Also, I don't like theory of Padme's death by Palpatine's force. It is very stupid and senseless.

She was shocked by Vader's cruelty. She is in the last month, she married him, she's never seen him dark, also, the fault of the Republic, the strain of childbirth...

Seriously, don't you see why did she die?

Another one I'd add is; how much of the series of events which led to Kenobi discovering the clone army on Kamino was cooked up by Palpatine?

He obviously wanted Kenobi and Skywalker assigned to the protection of Senator Amidala, but what about the rest?

I had always been neutral and centered on the fence about this question. I mean, at the end of the day, all he really needs is for Kamino to contact the Republic/Jedi and to tell Dooku to start a war. I liked the idea that the movie was made that much more intriguing by through virtue of his skills and good intentions, Kenobi ended up serendipitously helping facilitate Palpatine's scheme even more fortuitously than he'd planned. And I like how Lucas leaves many things delightfully ambiguous, like Anakin's conception...

However, I was recently reminded that in the AotC commentary, Lucas states Palpatine wanted Kenobi to discover Kamino, which helped sway my stance. But again, how much of Obi-Wan's trek to Kamino was designed by Sidious?


There are a lot of events and variables:
-Padme using herself as bait.
-Kenobi & Anakin chasing and catching Zam. (Not in their mandate).
-Taking Zam outside where Jango could shoot her, with a Kamino saber dart, mind you. (She was about to say "Jango Fett" though, so they might've gotten her to spill the beans).
-Kenobi knowing someone who'd know where the dart is from.
-Someone figuring out the planet should still be there, despite the records not showing it.


Which leads me to a second question: did Palpatine want Kenobi to discover the droid foundry and overhear the Separatist leaders on Geonosis?

RotJ set a precedent with everything going according to Palpatine's plan, as he echoes at the end of AotC, he even revealed that it was he who allowed the Rebels to learn of the location of the new Death Star. So how much can we apply the goings on of AotC to this?

Did Palpatine know about the Prophesy of the Chosen One?

Did he convert Anakin knowing (thinking) that it would then eliminate his one threat?