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

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This phrase has become a legendary meme in the Star Wars community, often used to poke fun at the controversial return of Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker. Many fans were vocal about their dissatisfaction with the character's revival via cloning, especially after his supposed demise at the end of Return of the Jedi. However, what does Ian McDiarmid, the actor who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, think about the backlash?

In a recent interview with Variety celebrating the theatrical re-release of Revenge of the Sith, which has enjoyed significant box office success, McDiarmid addressed the criticism with a nonchalant attitude. "Mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable," he remarked, defending the plot twist.

McDiarmid elaborated on the rationale behind Palpatine's return, stating, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had a plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to be put it together in some form." He also expressed his enjoyment of the filming process, particularly noting the fun of being transported around the set in an "astral wheelchair" and the challenge of developing a new, more grotesque makeup look for the character. "Daisy was more worried about that than anything else," he added, referring to his co-star Daisy Ridley.

When directly addressing the backlash, McDiarmid said, "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 ambiguous explanation of Palpatine's comeback. When Kylo Ren encounters him early in the film, Palpatine appears as a reanimated version of himself, suggesting that he did not survive his fall at the end of Return of the Jedi. McDiarmid's explanation aligns with the film's narrative, emphasizing Palpatine's contingency plan. In a key scene, Palpatine references his own words from Revenge of the Sith, saying, "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural," hinting at ancient Sith magic as the method of his resurrection.

Despite the explanation, many in the core Star Wars fanbase remain unconvinced and would prefer to ignore Palpatine's return altogether. It remains to be seen how future Star Wars movies will handle this aspect of the saga. Daisy Ridley's character, Rey Skywalker, is set to appear in multiple upcoming films, having been described as the franchise's "most valuable cinematic asset." Ridley is confirmed to return in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will follow Rey as she attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

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