Star Wars: 5 Most Evil Things Emperor Palpatine Has Done

Acting as a father figure to Anakin Skywalker for many years, Sheev Palpatine was able to earn a position of trust. Skywalker trusted the Chancellor explicitly, and believed him to be a good and principled man. However, Palpatine knew of Anakin's marriage to Padme Amidala and therefore used this to turn him against the Jedi, and toward the Dark Side of the Force.

Anakin believed Mace Windu would execute Palpatine, and therefore stopped Windu by slicing off his hand. This completed Anakin's turn to the Dark Side, and him turning his back on the Jedi. Anakin became Darth Vader, and he went on to commit many atrocities across the galaxy, including storming the Jedi Temple, and spearheading the Jedi Purge.

Had Palpatine not corrupted Skywalker, then arguably the Jedi Order would not have fallen, and many lives across the galaxy would have been spared.