Ian McDiarmid Defends Palpatine's Return in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'

"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a staple meme among Star Wars fans, often used to poke fun at the controversial decision to bring Emperor Palpatine back into the saga. The character, played by Ian McDiarmid for over four decades, was presumed dead after Return of the Jedi, and his return in the sequel trilogy sparked significant backlash from fans. But what did McDiarmid think about the criticism?

In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith in theaters, McDiarmid addressed the fan reaction to Palpatine's return. The re-release itself has been a box office success, demonstrating the enduring popularity of the franchise. McDiarmid dismissed the backlash, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable."

He elaborated on the rationale behind Palpatine's revival, saying, "It seemed entirely probable that Palpatine had plan B. Even though he was very, very badly damaged, he would be able to be put it together in some form. When I realized I had a sort of astral wheelchair, that was even better. I just had these four guys who whisked me around the studio; I can’t tell you how much fun that was. Daisy was more worried about that than anything else. And then, of course, we had to devise another makeup look, which was even more grotesque than the previous one."

Addressing the specific criticism about Palpatine's return, McDiarmid remarked, "Well, there’s always something, isn’t there? I don’t read that stuff and I’m not online. So it’ll only reach me if someone mentions it. I thought there might be a bit of a fuss about bringing him back. But as I said, mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable. This man who was horribly maimed thought maybe one day it might happen to him, and we’ve got to have a plan B. I loved the whole idea that he should come back and be even more powerful than he was before. Though this time, he had to be utterly destroyed. So I think he’s dead."

*The Rise of Skywalker* offers a somewhat vague explanation for Palpatine's return. Early in the film, Kylo Ren discovers a reanimated version of the Emperor, suggesting that he did not survive his fall at the end of *Return of the Jedi*. However, as McDiarmid pointed out, Palpatine had a contingency plan in place. In his conversation with Kylo Ren, Palpatine references a line from *Revenge of the Sith*: "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural." This hints at ancient Sith magic being the key to his return.

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

View 23 ImagesDespite the controversy, it seems unlikely that the core Star Wars fanbase will ever fully embrace Palpatine's return in The Rise of Skywalker. Many would prefer to ignore it altogether. It will be interesting to see how future Star Wars films handle this aspect of the story. Daisy Ridley, who played Rey Skywalker, is set to return in multiple upcoming Star Wars films, as she has been identified as the franchise's "most valuable cinematic asset."

Ridley is confirmed to star in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which will follow Rey as she works to rebuild the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.