Palpatine
Star
Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Novelization
by
James Kahn, story by George Lucas
The following
was taken from a scene with Palpatine and Vader in the throne
room on the Death Star.
"...Back
in the days when he was merely Senator Palpatine, the galaxy had
been a Republic of stars, cared for and protected by the Jedi
Knighthood that had watched over it for centuries. But inevitably
it had grown too large--too massive a bureaucracy had been required,
over too many years, in order to maintain the Republic. Corruption
had set in.
"A few
greedy senators had started the chain reaction of malaise, some
said; but who could know? A few perverted bureaucrats, arrogant,
self-serving--and suddenly a fever was in the stars. Governor
turned on governor, values eroded, trusts were broken--fear had
spread like an epidemic in those early yers, rapidly and without
visible cause, and no one knew what was happening, or why.
"And
so Senator Palpatine had seized the moment. Through faud, clever
promises, and astute political maneuvering, he'd managed to get
himself elected head of the Council. And then through subterfuge,
bribery and terror, he'd named himself Emperor.
"Emperor.
It had a certain ring to it. The Republic had crumbled, the Empire
was resplendent with its own fires, and would always be so--for
the Emperor knew what others refused to believe: the dark forces
were the strongest."
Top
A
Guide to the Star Wars Universe
by
Bill Slavicsek
Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, 1994
Here follows
an excerpt from the entry for "Emperor Palpatine." The
entire entry is drawn only from the films, the radio dramas, and
the film novelizations.
"...As a senator in the Old Republic, Palpatine
was an unassuming man serving at a time of widespread corruption
and social injustice. The massive bureaucracy of the Republic
had grown twisted and sickly over the psan of generations. Like
an immense tree with decaying roots, the Republic appeared strong
but was slowly dying from within. To appease the member worlds
who saw the galactic government as nothing more than a usless
burden, the Senate offered up a promising young politician who
seemed perfect for keeping the union together. SEnator Palpatine
appeared to lack drive and ambition, for he had remained apart
from the political corruption that racked the Senate. Those who
needed a stable government in place to continue their plundering
believed they coul duse Palpatine as a figurehead, teaching him
to smile obediently for the holomedia. Those who genuinely wanted
to save the Republic saw him as a compromise candidate who would
serve as a puppet leader, following and implementing their plans
to repair the system. Palpatine, however, had his own ideas.
"Palpatine exceeded everyone's expectations
after he was elected as head of the Senatorial Council and President
of the Republic. He got the wheels of government turning again
after long periods of inactivity. He stepped forward as a great
leader who inspired trust and commitment. During the time of jubilation,
promise, and hope that followed Palpatine's election, he slowly
introduced the New Order and declared himself Emperor. The brief
period of hope and light quickly turned dark as tyranny spread
across the galaxy. The Empire was born...
"...How
the Emperor achieved his mastery of the dark side of the Force
remains a mystery lost in the passage of time. Through his dark
will, Darth Vader was created, the Jedi Knights were destroyed,
the Old Republic was swept away, the Empire was forged, and the
greatest military force ever assembled was unleashed upon the
galaxy. He worked upon levels few could comprehead, forming plans
within plans and manipulation his Empire the way a master gamesman
manipulates the pieces on a holoboard. His grand schemes continued
until a new player stepped to the table--Luke Skywalker."
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Star
Wars: The Lost Episodes
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