Star Wars Episode 7: 10 Awesome Characters We Don't Want To See

2. Emperor Palpatine

palpatine As a senator and later as the dark emperor, Palpatine is one of the most deliciously evil villains ever to grace a movie screen. However, his shadow looms over all six of the existing Star Wars movies, and his story €“ intertwined with that of Anakin/Darth Vader €“ forms a complete arc. When "Episode IV: A New Hope" debuted, Vader became instantly famous as the villain, and the emperor was mentioned only in passing. But "The Empire Strikes Back" made it clear that Palpatine was really the guy in charge and Vader was just following orders from his "master." In the original trilogy, we knew nothing about Palpatine other than he was as thoroughly depraved as it is possible for someone to be. He seemed to take a perverse, almost sexual pleasure in manipulating Luke's emotions. ("Gooood. I can feel your anger.") But how did he get to be that way? It wasn't until the prequels that we learned Palpatine's back story and watched him evolve from a pleasant-looking, almost kindly senator into a creature so grotesque he was scarcely human. His wickedness manifested itself not just within his heart but also on his face, which looked like a skull covered with drooping bags of flesh. Had he lived just a little while longer, he could have qualified for a role on "The Walking Dead." The emperor's death €“ at the hands of his former protégé €“ was supremely satisfying for the audience, providing a solid conclusion to the six-episode cycle. Come on, admit it €“ didn't that moment make you want to sing "Ding dong, the witch is dead"? And he'd better stay that way.
Contributor

Debbie Gilbert is an award-winning journalist who's been writing for magazines and newspapers since 1988. A Memphis native who grew up near Graceland, she became a Star Trek fan in 1975.