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

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This iconic line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates fans' mixed feelings about the Emperor's return. Despite his apparent death in the beloved Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's reappearance in the sequel trilogy stirred significant controversy. Yet, what does Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, think about the fan backlash?

In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith to theaters, McDiarmid addressed the criticism with a nonchalant attitude. "Mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable," he stated, suggesting that Palpatine's return was a plausible twist. He elaborated, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had a plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to put it together in some form." McDiarmid also enjoyed the creative aspects of his character's revival, mentioning the "astral wheelchair" and the new, more grotesque makeup look.

Regarding the backlash specifically, McDiarmid remarked, "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." He emphasized Palpatine's foresight in having a contingency plan, and expressed satisfaction with the character's enhanced power and ultimate destruction in The Rise of Skywalker.

The film itself offers a somewhat vague explanation of Palpatine's return. When Kylo Ren encounters him, Palpatine appears as a reanimated version of his former self, hinting at ancient Sith magic as the means of his revival. This is underscored by Palpatine's own words from Revenge of the Sith: "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural."

Despite the explanation, many fans remain unconvinced and would rather ignore Palpatine's return. It remains to be seen how future Star Wars projects will handle this contentious plot point. Daisy Ridley, who played Rey Skywalker, is set to return in multiple upcoming films, including a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This film will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

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