Palpatine's machinations motif

Palpatine's machinations motif, a musical piece, was composed by John Williams and brought to life by the London Symphony Orchestra for the 2002 cinematic release of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. This specific leitmotif is featured in scenes that revolve around the scheming nature of Darth Sidious, and it essentially comprises the entirety of the Revenge of the Sith cue labeled 5m1, titled "Palpatine Instructs Anakin." Initially heard in Attack of the Clones, this musical theme is present when Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who is secretly Darth Sidious, accepts the emergency powers granted to him by the Galactic Senate. The musical score accompanying this scene also incorporates the mystery motif, "The Emperor's Theme," and the conspiracy motif. Later, a choir sings the machinations motif when Tyranus disembarks from his solar sailer to meet with Darth Sidious; an instrumental version of the leitmotif is featured in Revenge of the Sith. The motif is also heard in "Padmé's Ruminations," during a scene where the lovers Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker gaze out of their respective windows as the sun sets on Coruscant. Skywalker contemplates submitting to Darth Sidious in exchange for the power to overcome death, driven by his inability to let go of Amidala. Subsequently, the leitmotif is played when Sidious commands the fallen Skywalker to destroy the Jedi at their Temple, and also when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda are in the Jedi Archives, recalibrating the Jedi beacon to warn others to avoid the Temple and discussing the necessity of eliminating Sidious and the fallen Anakin Skywalker. During this latter discussion, the motif is interrupted by renditions of the mystery motif, dies irae, and "Duel of the Fates." Nevertheless, the motif persists into the following scene, where Kenobi visits Padmé Amidala to inquire about Skywalker's whereabouts, and the music transitions to "Anakin's Dark Deeds."

In the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, an instrumental performance of the leitmotif accompanies the scene where Darth Sidious encounters Rey at the Sith Citadel on Exegol and reveals his schemes to her. Within the official commercial release soundtrack for the film, the motif is integrated into the concert suite and track titled "Anthem of Evil," and it is also featured in the track "Approaching the Throne."

This motif is present in the 2011 massively multiplayer online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic, specifically when Valis informs the future Hero of Tython that their Padawan, Kira Carsen, is secretly a Child of the Emperor, and also when Broonmark pledges his allegiance to the Emperor's Wrath. In Timeline 1: Treaty of Coruscant within the Galactic Timeline feature on swtor.com, the motif is played as Jedi Master Gnost-Dural discusses the Treaty of Coruscant, a groundbreaking peace agreement between the Galactic Republic and the reconstituted Sith Empire.

During the 2013 digital expansion Rise of the Hutt Cartel, the motif is featured as Sith Empire forces endeavor to discover a means to keep Makeb from exploding to extract Isotope-5, a vital substance essential for the Empire's survival in the Galactic War. In the 6.2 story update to the Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught expansion, which was launched in 2020, the motif is played when the unstable and vengeful family of Valkorion reunites within the mind of Satele Shan.