Star Wars 9 Theory: Emperor Palpatine Created Rey (As An Anakin 'Clone')

5. Emperor Palpatine Is Back, Somehow, For Star Wars Episode IX

Last seen being thrown down a big old reactor shaft, which was then blown up for good measure, it's been fairly assumed for some 36 years that Emperor Palpatine died at the end of Return of the Jedi. Then came the teaser for The Rise of Skywalker, and suddenly that knowledge has been thrown into question.

Is Palpatine really dead?

Right now, there's no way of answering that. It isn't beyond question that he is still dead in Episode IX. The old EU, now Legends, had a story of Palpatine clones being left behind. The very much canon Battlefront II story, meanwhile, involved him returning posthumously via a Sentinel droid, which carried with it details of his contingency plan. Given we see the remains of the Death Star II, it's possible that the laugh is coming from this or some other kind of recording. There's also the chance he returns as a Force Ghost, although there isn't evidence of the Dark Side users being able to tap into that particular power.

At the same time, it is also possible that he never really died. We never saw a body, after all, and that's always a dangerous thing in any movie or TV show. Palpatine was one of the most powerful Force users to have ever lived, so it isn't beyond the realms of credibility to suggest he was able to survive, flee to the Unknown Regions, and play the long game. It's not exactly an uncommon fantasy trope, after all - just look at Lord Voldemort's return in Harry Potter for another example of a powerful, disfigured dark power wielder returning when believed long dead. Hell, you don't even need to look at a different franchise: Maul survived a similar fate, so why not Palpatine? Ian McDiarmid says he's really dead, but we've heard plenty of lies from Abrams' actors before. Alternatively, if he is dead, then there might be means of a resurrection.

What matters is that there's a strong reason for bringing Palpatine back. He is the overarching villain of the first six movies in the Saga, and having him in Episode IX could offer a way of tying it all together if done right. And if they're having him there at the end, maybe it's because he's the one who started all of this in the first place.