Now, this should be the saltiest rumour you read all day, but sources from all over the internet and the Hollywood sphere have been talking about Emperor Palpatine pulling the strings of Episode VII's villains from beyond the grave, possibly as a force ghost. Or maybe not: Palpatine may have been thrown down a great big hole at the climax of Return of the Jedi, but we never actually saw him die, did we? Of course, such an outcome would be unthinkably terrible as the character's a villain with almost no motivation or emotional connection to the heroes and barely a story arc - the reason Vader worked so well is because he's Luke and Leia's father and he gets a definitive redemptive arc. We're lumping this in the 'do not believe until proven true' pile of dodgy Star Wars rumours, but, judging by the lengths Abram and co. have gone to make the new Star Wars seem an awful lot like the old Star Wars, it just might end up having a ring of truth to it. But let's hope not. What do you think? Are you as trepidatious as us about Episode VII? Or are you filled with unbridled optimism? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
