We know that Luke and Vader defeated Palpatine and toppled the Empire, but several other characters had their own plans to ...

But there was one influence Lucas wasn’t remotely subtle about and that’s how much Palpatine’s rise to Emperor in the prequels was a direct analogy to Hitler’s ascendency in 1930s Germany.

So I looked back and, sure enough, back in May 2024 I preordered an Emperor Palpatine Star Wars Black Series figure. Ugh. Why did I do that? Did I even still want it? It’s been almost a year.

Ian McDiarmid almost didn't play Palpatine due to another actor's casting. McDiarmid's portrayal of Palpatine spans all Star Wars trilogies, solidifying his irreplaceable legacy. Lucas considered ...