The Long Game: The Insidious Plot of Sheev Palpatine
"The Long Game: Sheev Palpatine's Cunning Scheme," penned by Michael Kogge, is featured in Star Wars Insider 188. This piece meticulously chronicles the ascent of Sheev Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, within the expansive Star Wars galaxy. It meticulously follows his transformation from an apparently unassuming senator representing Naboo to the supreme ruler of the vast Galactic Empire, a figure most would come to simply call "The Emperor."
Summary
The article commences by recapping the established understanding from the initial Star Wars films: the Emperor was solely identified by this title and generally regarded by fans as the ultimate embodiment of evil within the Star Wars narrative. Although the name "Palpatine" and his role as a senator were introduced in novelizations, they were largely overlooked.
The narrative transitions to the prequel trilogy, elaborating on how these movies vividly portrayed the genesis and development of Palpatine's persona. It elucidates his mastery of deception, presenting himself as a modest individual offering sagacious advice to Queen Amidala, while secretly orchestrating his own formidable rise to power. He projects an image of solemnity and sorrow as he witnesses the creation of a clone army, yet ultimately leverages this army as a pivotal component of the final stage to ensure his ascension to the Galactic Empire.
The article concludes by emphasizing Palpatine's strategic patience in playing the long game, never outwardly displaying evil intentions, embodying "an evil so banal it is inconspicuous, even to the man himself." Palpatine's rise to power is greeted with the "thunderous applause" of the Galactic Senate, and as the citizens of the galaxy acclimate to Imperial authority, even the name Palpatine fades into obscurity, supplanted by the designation "The Emperor."