Star Wars: 10 Massive Plot Holes The Sequels Stupidly Created
9. What Did Palpatine Actually Want?
Though the Original Trilogy presents the Emperor as little more than the manifestation of evil, the Prequels transformed good old Sheev into a three dimensional character, even if his motivations amounted to little more than using a series of badass Force-sensitive henchmen to help him gain complete control of the galaxy.
Revenge Of The Sith added another layer of depth to the character, as it transpired Palpatine was also after the secrets of eternal life, enlisting Darth Vader to help him gain immortality.
But at the end of Return Of The Jedi, Palpatine taunts Luke to strike him down, presumably to get Vader to duel his son in an attempt to convert Luke to the Dark Side of the Force. Or maybe, knowing full well the Rule Of Two, which states there can only ever be two Sith Lords in existence at a time, Palpatine really was hoping Luke would kill him, convinced that Vader and Luke would form a stronger Sith team than himself and the Jedi formerly known as Anakin Skywalker.
Of course, the Emperor does eventually die (...apparently), at the hands of Darth Vader. Turns out he did manage to figure out some secrets of immortality before his demise, though, as he makes a miraculous return in the opening scenes of The Rise Of Skywalker.
Just when it's starting to seem Palpatine's wish of immortality finally came true, he starts begging Rey to kill him, just as he taunted Luke to do the same at the end of Return Of The Jedi. It's implied that by doing so, Rey would give Palpatine free reign to essentially possess her, becoming one with her soul and living through Rey's body. Which, of course, just opens up more questions: why didn't Palpatine possess Vader at the end of Episode VI? Did Palpatine want eternal life for himself, or for his spirit to live through another?
Add this to the fact that Palpatine's puppet Snoke was trying to orchestrate Rey's death throughout Episode VII and VIII only for the Emperor to tell her "I never wanted you dead" in Episode IX, and Palpatine's motivations just seem, well, all over the place, with no consistency throughout the saga.