Chancellor Palpatine: The Untold Rebel of the Star Wars Universe
Algerian philosopher and novelist, Albert Camus, states, “What is a rebel? A man who says no, but whose refusal does not imply a renunciation. He is also a man who says yes, from the moment he makes his first gesture of rebellion. A slave who has taken orders all his life suddenly decides that he cannot obey some new command. What does he mean by saying ‘no’?” (Camus 6). Rebels come in all shapes, colors, sizes, or even species, in the Star Wars canon. Often times, Star Wars viewers associate the notion of a rebel with that of the fighters of the Rebel Alliance or the Resistance. Legendary characters such as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia are called to mind, both of whom head the rebellion against the seemingly oppressive Galactic Empire. However, what happens when we consider the conflict from the opposing perspective?
Rebel fighters in Episode IV: A New Hope
As Eric Molinski, host of the Imaginary Worlds podcast, postulates, “The epic battle between the Evil Empire and the Rebel Alliance has become a metaphor we love to use in sports and politics. But what happens when you realize that you’re the Empire in someone else’s story? Do you tell them they’re wrong? Do you embrace being bad? Or do you argue that ‘evil’ is all relative?” (Molinski, “Empire vs. Rebels”). This begs the question, can we think of Emperor Palpatine as a rebel?
The goal of this paper is to investigate the instances throughout the Star Wars canon in which the actions of Palpatine constitute rebellion, as defined by Camus in his work entitled The Rebel and by Fanon in his Wretched of the Earth. These actions seek to rebel against any combination of the Republic, the Jedi Order, or Palpatine’s own present status in the social hierarchy. More specifically, it will examine Palpatine’s beginnings in the films of the prequel trilogy in translation to his rise to the head of the Galactic Empire. Do the ends justify the means by which the Emperor brings about his reign over the galaxy?
Nearly all viewers of the Star Wars movies can make the unanimous argument that Palpatine is the ultimate antagonist and one of the most powerful Force-wielding characters of the saga. It is a widely accepted viewpoint, especially since fans are inclined, almost predisposed, to sympathize with the cause of the Rebel Alliance. The Emperor is the leader behind the faction that literally blows up the entire planet of Alderaan with the Death Star, just to prove its military capabilities and inflict a personal jab towards Princess Leia (A New Hope, 00:59:09). The Rebels’ worst enemy is the Empire; therefore, the Emperor isn’t a likely friend of the fans.
As such, one might argue that the Emperor represents the antithesis of a rebel, as defined earlier by Camus. With the title of Emperor, Palpatine sits atop the galactic hegemony. That being said, the Emperor is without question the most powerful figure in the galaxy up to this point. When we think of the Emperor, viewers are hardly reminded of anything that resembles the notion of a rebel.
For instance, towards the beginning of Episode IV, Grand Moff Tarkin states, “The Imperial Senate will be no longer of any concern to us. I’ve just received word that the emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away…Fear will keep the local systems in line” (A New Hope, 00:37:30). Without any form of democracy to impede his authority, the Emperor is free to exercise his reign of tyranny as he sees fit, especially through the might of Imperial military force.
When viewers are first introduced to Palpatine, they know him as the Senator of Naboo, as well as a friend to Queen Amidala. Unbeknownst to the rest of the Star Wars universe, Senator Palpatine is in actuality a Sith Lord, a manipulator of the dark side of the Force. It is this duality of character that allows for Palpatine’s capacity to scheme and connive behind the backs of the Republic and the Jedi Council.
Palpatine acting as Senator of Naboo in
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Camus asserts that “The rebellion does not arise only, and necessarily, among the oppressed, but that it can also be caused by the mere spectacle of oppression of which someone else is the victim” (Camus 9). By no means is Palpatine oppressed in the manner that most would think of oppression. Sheev Palpatine is victimized by the system which he falls under: the Galactic Republic, along with the police force of the Jedi Order. Frustrated with his current situation, he has fallen slave to the ruling system. This internal conflict is magnified by the fact that Palpatine is a Sith, the sworn enemy and direct contradiction of the Jedi. His frustration with the galactic government is unmistakable in his conversation with Queen Amidala over the course of action regarding the Trade Federation’s blockade on Naboo. Palpatine argues, “There is no civility, only politics. The Republic is not what it once was. The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates. There is no interest in the common good” (The Phantom Menace, 01:22:52).
Thus, Palpatine’s first act of rebellion is his persuasion of Queen Amidala of Naboo, in regards to control of the Senate. He urges her to call for a “vote of no confidence” in the current Chancellor Valorum. This census results in Palpatine himself receiving a nomination to the chancellorship. This shift in the Senate gives Palpatine a more commanding presence in the galaxy and allows him to climb the hierarchical structure of the Republic (The Phantom Menace, 01:28:58).
Meanwhile, Palpatine has been biding his time and masquerading as the enigmatic Darth Sidious in order to advance his agenda and rebel against the current nature of things. Franz Fanon claims, “Decolonization, which sets out to change the order of the world, is clearly an agenda for total disorder” (Fanon 2). The Sith Lord created this disorder by becoming the driving momentum that sooner or later brings the galaxy to the brink of war. His plotting includes but is not limited to the conflicts instigated by the Trade Federation, the training of the Sith apprentices Darth Maul and Darth Tyranus, also known as Count Dooku, and the creation of the clone army on Kamino (Attack of the Clones, 00:42:52). These events bear a snowball effect, each related and having an additive effect on the other to provide an escape route of rebellion, from Palpatine’s oppression in the system to his eventual totalitarian rule of the galaxy.
The Chancellor’s finishing instances of rebellion, moving towards personal liberation, are evident in Episode III. The Clone Wars have begun, and the galaxy is in turmoil. Palpatine becomes closer to the young Anakin Skywalker, developing a sort of mentorship with the Jedi Knight. With each conversation the two share, Palpatine attempts to subtly manipulate Anakin’s views, causing him to distrust the Jedi. With recurring nightmares of his wife Padmé dying in childbirth, Anakin has become frustrated and confused. The Chancellor takes advantage of Anakin’s desperation and fear of losing his loved ones by luring him to the dark side of the Force with the tale of Darth Plagueis the Wise, a renowned Sith Lord and Force-user fabled to have the ability to cheat death (Revenge of the Sith, 00:46:09).
This interaction is reminiscent of a statement by Fanon in The Wretched of the Earth: “But deep down the colonized subject acknowledges no authority. He is dominated but not domesticated. He is made to feel inferior, but by no means convinced of his inferiority. He patiently waits for the colonist to let his guard down and then jumps on him” (16). Anakin is to the colonist, as Palpatine is to the colonized subject. Anakin represents the Jedi Order, while Palpatine exemplifies the Sith. The Jedi oppressed the Sith by being the dominant Force user of the galaxy at the time. Whereas the Jedi were prevalent and in good standing with the Republic, the Sith have been in hiding and were thought to be eradicated. Palpatine “jumps on him” in the sense that he wastes no time in attacking the Jedi ideals of which Anakin was trained to believe and uphold. To reinforce this notion, Palpatine is successful in imposing the Sith standards upon a shaken Skywalker. Consequently, Sidious gains a new apprentice in the rogue Jedi: Darth Vader, the vengeful Sith puppet and Imperial enforcer whose strings are pulled by the Emperor.
Darth Vader kneeling before the Emperor in
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Additionally, Palpatine further elevates his stature in the Senate by assembling the Republic into the Galactic Empire. His proclamation is justified by the accusation that the Jedi are plotting to overthrow the Republic. With the galaxy at war and current affairs at an uneasy state, the Senate likely rationalized this Palpatine’s decision in order to seek protection from the imminent danger of the Clone Wars. With this rearrangement of government, Palpatine officially became the “Emperor” that fans are familiar with in the original trilogy.
With the authority of an emperor at his disposal, Palpatine executes Order 66, the infamous command that, in effect, intended to wipe out the entirety of the Jedi (Revenge of the Sith, 01:20:48). The clone troopers that Palpatine himself had commissioned years prior as yet another facet of his plot were conditioned to obey the order in their programming. It prompted each clone trooper squadron to hunt down and betray their Jedi leader. The execution of Order 66 was the Sith’s greatest fantasy brought to life: the destruction of the Jedi. As Fanon once stated: “The work of the colonized is to imagine every possible method for annihilating the colonist” (50). It signaled the end of the Sith oppression and the beginning of the regime of the dark side.
In storytelling, we are always invited to relate to the motivations of the protagonist. In the case of Star Wars, we are drawn to the heroism and valor that is embodied in the likes of the Jedi, the Rebellion, and the Resistance. On the contrary, we are rarely given reason to even consider sympathizing with antagonistic forces. The Empire and the First Order are both taken to be synonymous with evil. Now that we have explored Palpatine’s motives, can we relate to his character’s intentions?
As stated previously, the purpose of this paper is to explore the actions of Palpatine that could be considered rebellion, especially through the lenses of Camus’ The Rebel and Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth. By playing the role of devil’s advocate in support of Palpatine, viewers are granted a more holistic perspective of the saga. Taking a look behind the curtain provides a medium through which we can understand Palpatine’s motivations and his subsequent actions throughout the narrative.
This research seeks to paint the whole picture, in reference to the struggle between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire. These two forces are respectively thought of in terms of the universal conflict of good against evil. Despite knowing this, what happens when we redefine these positions and take a look from the other side? Giving attention to Palpatine’s own rebellion grants us the ability to do so. Consequently, this challenges our understandings of morals and the manner in which we distinguish right from wrong. Again, after this discussion of Palpatine as a rebellious figure, Star Wars fans can ask themselves the same question: do the ends justify the means by which the Emperor brings about his reign?
Works Cited
Camus, Albert. The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt. Vintage International, 1991.
Fanon, Franz. The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press, 2005 (originally 1961).
Kershner, Irvin, director. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Twentieth Century Fox, 1980.
Lucas, George. “Palpatine with Queen Amidala.” Star Wars. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, 1999, http://www.starwars.com/news/6-of-palpatines-key-manipulations.
Lucas, George. “Palpatine Talks About Darth Plagueis.” YouTube, Voca Productions Watch Latest Video, 25 October 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx52–WmLQs.
Lucas, George. “Rebel trooper.” Wookieepedia. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 1977, http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Rebel_trooper.
Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Twentieth Century Fox, 1999.
Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Twentieth Century Fox, 2002.
Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Twentieth Century Fox, 2005.
Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.
Lucas, George. “Vader kneeling to the Emperor.” Star Wars Underworld. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980, http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Holoprojection_chamber.
Molinski, Eric. “Empire vs. Rebels.” Imaginary Worlds, Episode 28, 17 November 2015, https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.org/empire-vs-rebels.html.
Although it may appear that one could categorize Emperor Palpatine as a “rebel,” this classification is not wholly correct. There are several considerations that should be taken into account when making this claim: the definition of a rebel, Palpatine’s political position, and his motive. After analyzing each of these and the ways in which they work together, the faults in considering Palpatine a rebel become clear.
Arguably the most important factor in determining whether or not Palpatine is a rebel is the definition of the term rebel itself. Generally, the denotation of “rebel” is regarded as a person who resists authority or custom. While the idea being resisted may not be the most prevalent or powerful in society, the act of resistance may be considered rebellion nonetheless. A few important distinctions to be made about rebellion, however, come from Albert Camus’s The Rebel. In his text, Camus asserts that a rebel, before rebelling, has been silenced and taken advantage of in some way. He also claims that, when rebelling, “a man identifies himself with other men and so surpasses himself” and acts “in the name of certain values which are still indeterminate but which he feels are common to himself and to all men” (Camus 8-9). Therefore, in order to be a rebel (according to Camus), one must rebel for the greater good rather than solely selfish motives.
Palpatine’s position in society and considerable political standing are important to consider when attempting to classify him as a rebel. Before rising to the rank of emperor, Palpatine served on the Galactic Senate, which was the general authority in the Star Wars galaxy. Through this position, he had significant political sway and even authority over the Jedi Order. As Jaan Choudhri points out in his essay on the politics of Star Wars, “the Senate takes advantage of the Jedi’s passiveness and holds control over them, as the Jedi Council does the senate’s bidding,” since the Jedi are bound to the laws created by the Senate (2). Although it may appear that Palpatine rebels against the light side of the force and the Jedi Order, he already had the political authority necessary to control them. He also wields considerable power as a Sith Lord and is able to bend people to his will using the force. Palpatine is never disadvantaged and always has the upper hand in regards to power and political authority, even at the outset of the trilogy.
Palpatine’s rise to power is difficult to classify as a rebellion because of his previous political authority, but based on this aspect alone he could still be considered a rebel against light side morals. This is not the case, however, according to Camus’s statement that a rebel must act for the greater good. Palpatine “is acting in his own interests, which is a characteristic of a tyrant” and “cleverly manipulates the law in order to advance his power” rather than bettering the galactic government for the sake of the people (Choudhri 4). Palpatine lures Anakin to the dark side with promises of “unlimited power,” indicating that Palpatine chose the dark side for personal gain rather than to resist oppressive rules (Revenge of the Sith). Palpatine also dissolves the Senate in order to make himself Emperor and give himself ultimate political authority over the galaxy. The ends certainly do not justify the means by which he achieves this—Palpatine has created an authoritarian military government which uses fear to maintain control over its citizens in order to amass as much power as he can. By Camus’s definition (on which you have based your argument) Palpatine cannot be a rebel since he acts only in his own self-interest.
Although it may initially appear that Palpatine rebels in some way by creating the galactic empire, it becomes clear on further analysis that he cannot be classified as a rebel. He acts for himself rather than the greater good, and in doing so disenfranchises the galaxy’s denizens and ultimately reigns over them. Since he does not act with the intent to aid his fellow citizens, he does not fit the definition of a rebel Camus provides.
Works Cited:
Camus, Albert. The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt. Vintage International, 1991.
Choudhri, Jaan. Postcolonial Star Wars, WordPress, 7 Dec. 2017, pages.vassar.edu/postcolonialstarwars/fall-2017/jaan-choudhri/.
Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Twentieth Century Fox, 2005.
This essay calls on the idea of cycles of power. In the prequels, the Republic and the Jedi are in power, and, as this essay points out, Palpatine rebels; he fights the system put in place with the goal of dismantling this power structure. In Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine succeeds and assumes control over the galaxy. In the original trilogy, the Rebel Alliance sees the Emperor as the oppressor, aiming to dethrone him just as he aimed to dethrone the Jedi. Predictably, the Rebel Alliance eventually succeeds at dismantling the Empire and assumes the position of power. The cycle completes in The Force Awakens, when the First Order rises to power with the hope to overthrow the New Republic. When they succeed, they become the new oppressor, making the Resistance the new rebels. Throughout these films, we have seen many character as both rulers and rebels, and we have seen them transition between these two roles.
Similarly, this paper reminds the reader of the importance of the viewer’s perspective on Star Wars. We, the viewers, witness the oppressive and violent nature of the Sith and the Empire through the destruction of Alderaan, the murder of Luke’s aunt and uncle, the mass genocide of the Jedi through Order 66, and many other examples. These instances prompt the viewer to see the Sith and the Empire as evil, but character’s such as Palpatine most definitely do not. The Emperor’s perspective will justify even the most vile actions as sacrifices for the security and prosperity of the Empire. The destruction of Alderaan demonstrated the Empire’s destructive power, which would hopefully prompt Leia to surrender and give the Empire the necessary information. The murder of Luke’s family may have been a punishment for non-compliance. Order 66 eliminated much of the Empire’s strongest opposition. Though the viewer sees Palpatine as evil, he is still the hero of his own story.