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 the fanbase's mixed feelings about Emperor Palpatine's return. Despite his dramatic demise in Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's reappearance in the sequel trilogy was met with significant backlash from fans. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, had a different perspective on the controversy.

In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith, McDiarmid addressed the backlash with a casual dismissal. "Mine and Palpatine's logic was entirely reasonable," he stated, defending the character's return. He elaborated on the idea that Palpatine, being a meticulous planner, would naturally have a contingency plan in place. "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B," McDiarmid explained, adding humorously that the "astral wheelchair" used in filming added to his enjoyment of the role. He also mentioned the new, more grotesque makeup design, which he found intriguing.

When directly addressing the fan backlash, McDiarmid remained unfazed. "Well, there's always something, isn't there?" he remarked, noting that he avoids online criticism and only hears about it secondhand. He reiterated his belief in the plausibility of Palpatine's return, emphasizing that the character's foresight and power justified his comeback. "This man who was horribly maimed thought maybe one day it might happen to him, and we've got to have a plan B," McDiarmid said, expressing his satisfaction with the narrative choice to bring Palpatine back stronger than before, only to be definitively destroyed in the end.

The film The Rise of Skywalker offers a vague explanation of Palpatine's return, suggesting that he used ancient Sith magic, as hinted in his dialogue with Kylo Ren: "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural." This aligns with McDiarmid's view of Palpatine's strategic foresight and use of dark powers.

Despite the divisive nature of Palpatine's return, the Star Wars franchise continues to evolve. Daisy Ridley's character, Rey Skywalker, is set to appear in several upcoming films, with one confirmed sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This film will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. It remains to be seen how future Star Wars projects will address or perhaps ignore Palpatine's controversial return.

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