"Ian McDiarmid Defends Palpatine's Return in Star Wars"

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This Star Wars meme has become iconic, poking fun at the controversial return of Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker. The character's resurrection, especially after his apparent demise in Return of the Jedi, was met with significant backlash from fans. However, Ian McDiarmid, who has portrayed Palpatine for over four decades, had a different perspective on the criticism.

In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith which has seen impressive box office results, McDiarmid addressed the controversy surrounding Palpatine's return. He dismissed the backlash, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on his viewpoint, saying, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to be put it together in some form. When I realized I had a sort of astral wheelchair, that was even better. I just had these four guys who whisked me around the studio; I can’t tell you how much fun that was. Daisy was more worried about that than anything else. And then, of course, we had to devise another makeup look, which was even more grotesque than the previous one."

When specifically addressing the fan backlash, 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. This man who was horribly maimed thought maybe one day it might happen to him, and we’ve got to have a plan B. I loved the whole idea that he should come back and be even more powerful than he was before. Though this time, he had to be utterly destroyed. So I think he’s dead."

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

View 23 ImagesDespite the fanbase's reluctance to accept Palpatine's return in The Rise of Skywalker, the Star Wars universe continues to evolve. It remains to be seen whether future films will acknowledge or ignore this plot point. Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey Skywalker, is set to return in multiple upcoming Star Wars projects, including a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This film will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.