Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars #50!Emperor Palpatinehas a reputation as an evil genius inStar Warscanon, a master-planner capable of manipulating events on a galactic scale.Palpatine orchestrated the Clone Wars, he wiped out the Jedi Order, and he manipulated the Senate into electing him Emperor of the Republic, which was immediately thereafter reorganized as the Galactic Empire - and that’s just in the prequels. Throughout theSkywalker Saga, Palpatine has been twenty steps ahead of everyone. However, that doesn’t mean he’s infallible, especially after one recent development.
InStar Wars#50 by Charles Soule and Madibek Musabekov,the current era ofStar Warscomics comes to a close, and it nearly ends with the death of Emperor Palpatine along with every remnant of the Sith across the galaxy. After discovering a mystical artifact that can remotely kill anyone no matter where they are in the galaxy, Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewie decide to use it on Palpatine. However, the only way to use this artifact - known as the Grim Rose - is to offer it the DNA of the target, ideally blood or bone.
Luckily for the Rebels, all members of the Senate had to donate a blood sample to the Republic databanks on their home planets for security purposes, meaning Palpatine’s sample was still on Naboo from when he was a Senator. Lando went to Naboo disguised as an Imperial Officer to obtain the sample, but the records clerk saw right through him, and identified Lando as a Rebel right there on the spot. However, rather than alerting the Imperials, the clerk simply handed Lando Palpatine’s blood sample, as she was as sick of his dictatorial reign as the Rebels were.
Emperor Palpatine was Nearly Killed by… a Records Clerk
Palpatine’s Recent Brush with Death Proves He Didn’t Account for EVERYTHING
While Luke Skywalker and the gang ultimately didn’t go through with the plan to use the dark magic of the Grim Rose to kill Palpatine from afar, they certainly could have, and the records clerk who gave the Rebels his blood sample would have been directly responsible for his death. There was no other way the Rebels could have gotten a sample of Palpatine’s blood, so without the record clerk, their plan would have been foiled before it began.
Emperor Palpatine is someone who could orchestrate the downfall of the entire Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order in one fell swoop, all while hiding his identity as a Sith Lord from the entire galaxy as he did so. However, the Emperor’s focus on the big picture blinded him to the threat-level of the individual, which created a loose end that Palpatine never foresaw, nearly costing the Emperor his life.
This isn’t the first time Emperor Palpatine has overlooked people who weren’t individually powerful or significant to his grand schemes. During the events of this very story, an insurgent cell within the Empire called the Schism Imperial - which is made up of Imperial bureaucrats - is plotting to usurp Palpatine. While Palpatine is aware of the Schism Imperial, the group’s mere existence is proof that individuals with seemingly no power can be a threat to even the Emperor himself, just like this records clerk.
Palpatine’s Life Wasn’t the Only One in Danger, the Sith as a Whole were Nearly Wiped Out
The reason Luke, Leia and the others didn’t go through with their plan to use the Grim Rose to kill Palpatine was that it wouldn’t just kill him, but also everyone whose life he personally impacted. People Palpatine knew, was close with, had a relationship with throughout his entire life were all in danger, meaning countless innocents would have died as a result of the Rebels’ actions. But, plenty of not-so-innocent people would have been killed too, including and especially the Sith.
The only known Sith during the original trilogy were Palpatine and Darth Vader, though there were other Sith-adjacent groups with access to the dark side of the Force that were arguably just as dangerous. There was the Sith Eternal cult on Exegol that was led by Palpatine,the Knights of Ren who once saved Palpatine’s life, and Administrator Sly Moore, who was essentially Palpatine’s right-hand person that also practiced in the dark side. If the Rebels used the Grim Rose, every one of them would have been killed along with Palpatine, effectively wiping out the Sith all at once.
10 Best Emperor Palpatine Moments of All Time (That Fans Only Got in The Comics)
Emperor Palpatine is the villain of the entire Star Wars Skywalker Saga, but his reach goes beyond the films alone. Here’s his 10 best comic moments!
All his scheming, all his accomplishments, everything he worked for his entire life to achieve - both as a political leader and a Sith Lord - nearly came crashing down, all because of a simple records clerk. And not only Palpatine’s life was in danger, but perhaps the entire future of the Sith. That one margin of error could have beenEmperor Palpatine’s biggest mistake, which utterly destroys his super-planner reputation inStar Warscanon.
Star Wars #50by Marvel Comics is available now.
Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
The senator for Naboo, Palpatine rose to power and influence during the dying days of the Republic. In reality, his public persona was just a mask; he was really Darth Sidious, greatest of the Sith Lords, and he used his political skills and Machiavellian cunning to bring down both the Republic and the Jedi. Palpatine ruled his Galactic Empire for decades, until he was betrayed by his apprentice, Darth Vader. Even this wasn’t enough to stop the Emperor, however, as he was resurrected by his followers - only to be defeated once again.
