Star Wars Star Wars Discussion Thread - LET THE PAST D-! Oh, wait, nevermind

I’ve had a thing I’ve been pondering, and it would be how I’d write Darth Sidious if it were down to me.

Do you think he, if not respected, at least spared more thought to the Rebels than his own lackies? Because power and misery fetish aside, Palpatine loves the thrill of the chase and the cutthroat world of politics. He must quietly sneer at those who gormlessly applaud him, and the corrupt who grovel at his feet. He enjoys power over them, most certainly, but to him they are nothing but tools and some less useful ones at that.

The Rebels meanwhile?

In those early days of the Empire, as the galaxy cowered before him or praised him, Palpatine must have noticed the eyes of those who would one day lead the fight against him: narrowed in suspicion, or hiding deeper thoughts. Whereupon delicious goosebumps must have popped up as the thought “they see through me” crossed his mind, followed by “ah, a new opponent. Let us begin.”

These people, lacking the Force’s awesome power, or Palpatine’s excellent apprenticeship in power and politics to Darth Plagueis, see Sidious for what he really is and plot against him. They are the closest things to fellow players of the game, who openly contest him, and Palpatine must thrive off the challenge.
 
I’ve had a thing I’ve been pondering, and it would be how I’d write Darth Sidious if it were down to me.

Do you think he, if not respected, at least spared more thought to the Rebels than his own lackies? Because power and misery fetish aside, Palpatine loves the thrill of the chase and the cutthroat world of politics. He must quietly sneer at those who gormlessly applaud him, and the corrupt who grovel at his feet. He enjoys power over them, most certainly, but to him they are nothing but tools and some less useful ones at that.

The Rebels meanwhile?

In those early days of the Empire, as the galaxy cowered before him or praised him, Palpatine must have noticed the eyes of those who would one day lead the fight against him: narrowed in suspicion, or hiding deeper thoughts. Whereupon delicious goosebumps must have popped up as the thought “they see through me” crossed his mind, followed by “ah, a new opponent. Let us begin.”

These people, lacking the Force’s awesome power, or Palpatine’s excellent apprenticeship in power and politics to Darth Plagueis, see Sidious for what he really is and plot against him. They are the closest things to fellow players of the game, who openly contest him, and Palpatine must thrive off the challenge.
Palpatine only liked them as long as they lost and died, he definitely did not like them in the slightest whenever they delayed things or slurred him.

He's basically a sadist
 
I get what your saying with regards to Palpatine having respect for a worthy adversary and enjoying the "Game" for what it's worth but I do feel that Palpatine was too narcissistic and self centered to actually muster much respect for his Rebel adversaries beyond practicality. He was too envious of becoming a "God" so to speak and everything kind of was dedicated to that overriding goal.

The most genuine respect he'd have beyond practicality IMHO for an adversary would be of he successfully corrupted them like he did with Vader and others. I feel most displays of sympathy from him are merely false fronts put up.

So yeah, I don't see him showing any sort of genuine respect or regard for his enemies unless it served him in some substantial manner IMHO.
 
In Legends, he was certainly too narcisstic to give a thought to people beyond how useful and/or amusing they were. Disney canon strangely enough actually gave just a bit of depth to his character in the Vader comics where he shows genuine approval and recognition of Vader breaking a link - so to speak - of his chains as Sith Apprentice, when he began building a power base of his own from which to overthrow Sidious. Enough so that instead of responding with punishment, Sidious just told Vader to take the failure of his first such plot as a lesson, before rewarding him by telling him who ratted him to Sidious: Doctor Aphra.

EDIT: Canon Sidious may have planned and prepared to rule forever, but I personally think in light of those comics that if Vader had successfully overthrown and supplanted him, Sidious' last thoughts would have been equal parts disappointment and pride. Disappointment in himself, that he wasn't strong enough to rule forever...and pride that he had trained a worthy apprentice (even more so when said apprentice had been the Chosen One of the Jedi).

I even suspect there was a secret clause in Operation Cinder. That is, it would only ever be implemented if anyone but Vader had killed and succeeded Sidious.
 
Oh that's right. I suppose I would add the caveat regarding his minions. He was impressed when he saw Vader was actively plotting against him in the Disney Canon. Plus that is part of the then current Sith mantra, replacing your Master as part of the path to gaining more power.
 
Oh that's right. I suppose I would add the caveat regarding his minions. He was impressed when he saw Vader was actively plotting against him in the Disney Canon. Plus that is part of the then current Sith mantra, replacing your Master as part of the path to gaining more power.

Yup; in both Legends and Disney, Sidious always regarded Vader with a mix of disappointment and contempt, as he seemed to be content with what power he had. Never looking for more, never imagining something bigger, always the follower and never aspiring to be greater.

The difference was that Legends Sidious would ironically have disposed of Vader the moment he started acting like a Sith Apprentice. Well, maybe after he found a suitable replacement, Vader was nothing if an efficient enforcer. Disney Sidious, as mentioned above, reacted with pride and satisfaction that at last, Vader was flexing his figurative muscles, and snarling covetuously at the Dark Lord's throne.

Of course, all this is ruined by the sequel trilogy, as it makes any and all character development in side-materials redundant by aping Legends Sidious.
 
Well, saw the first episodes of Skeleton Crew, and it was...ok, if only because of the plot threads and info/lore drops involved so far hint at something really weird with the kids home planet, like either SW Treasure Planet or SW Vault-Tec level weird and 'hidden from the galaxy' since some time in the Old Republic.

The kids themselves are annoying as hell, at least the two main leads, and frankly if it wasn't for the plot threads/lore dumps, I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone who is above the age of 12.
 
Well, saw the first episodes of Skeleton Crew, and it was...ok, if only because of the plot threads and info/lore drops involved so far hint at something really weird with the kids home planet, like either SW Treasure Planet or SW Vault-Tec level weird and 'hidden from the galaxy' since some time in the Old Republic.

The kids themselves are annoying as hell, at least the two main leads, and frankly if it wasn't for the plot threads/lore dumps, I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone who is above the age of 12.

So, basically Rebels 2.0 Electric Boogaloo? Pass... -_-
 
So, basically Rebels 2.0 Electric Boogaloo? Pass... -_-
Nah, I think it will pan out, and get more..weird but interesting, if they can get the kids to not be stupid for a second, though I understand why they act as they do.

I am serious when the kids home planet gives me Fallout Vault-Tec vibes, and I want to know what the heck is going on here, and why.

It's a planet not from old canon, that much I am pretty certain, and how Palps missed it is a rather good story to find out in and of itself.

Maybe not what most Star Wars fans from the Legends days wanted, but I think there is more potential here than in anything since Andor, though from a comedy adventure angle instead of political thriller angle.
 
Teenagers kill fics/movies/games for me. E.g. Betrayal at Antara or Spellforce 2 were unplayable for me.
 
Teenagers kill fics/movies/games for me. E.g. Betrayal at Antara or Spellforce 2 were unplayable for me.

I felt the same way watching Beasts of No Nation. And despite having a cast full of diverse POC kids and Idris Elba in a starring role, it wasn't even that funny or entertaining. I've shown the movie to loads of kids, and none of them liked it either. Like they almost liked it less than Black Panther 2. Why make a movie with such an aspirational cast and turn it into such a depressing mess... like WTH Hollywood? What are you trying to say?
 
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