The most controversial aspect ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkermade this one line fromStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Siththe perfect foreshadowing. TheStar Warssequel trilogy remains divisive amongStar Warsmovies and TV shows, with many still considering all three to be amongStar Wars’worst movies, althoughThe Rise of Skywalkerin particular. There were admittedlyproblems with the sequel trilogy, but perhaps the single biggest criticism of all was the poorly explained resurrection of Emperor Palpatine.
This return was a true shock, not only because Palpatine seemed confirmed to be dead, but also because neitherStar Wars: The Force AwakensnorStar Wars: The Last Jedihad given any indication that the story was headed in this direction. This is likely because a Palpatine resurrection wasn’t the original plan—after all, the trilogy changed hands multiple times, making one clear arc difficult. Even so,one small line fromRevenge of the Sithhas made thisRise of Skywalkertwist seem as though it had been foreshadowed all along.
InRevenge of the Sith, Yoda and Palpatine had a final showdown that rivaled Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker’s battle on Mustafar in terms of a brilliant lightsaber fight. In the end, though,Yoda retreated from his duel with Palpatine, escaping through the vents once he realized he was unable to defeat the Sith Lord at that time. Unaware of where Yoda had gone or what had happened to him, Palpatine ordered his clone troopers to search for him.
It makes sense that Palpatine’s priority would be finding Yoda, dead or alive, as Yoda surviving would be—and was—a major threat to Palpatine’s ability to hold onto his newfound power. However, the clones reported back that there was"no sign"of Yoda’s body. In response, Mas Amedda said,“Then he is not dead.“Palpatine clearly agreed, as he then commanded the clones to double their search.This one minor comment from Mas Amedda is ironically the perfect foreshadowing of Palpatine’s inevitable return, even if the two were in no way connected at the time.
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Mas Amedda And Palpatine Were Technically Right
Seemingly, this exchange between Mas Amedda, Palpatine, and the clones established a rule inStar Wars—one that the franchise has since held tight to. Historically (now), ifStar Warshasn’t shown a character’s dead body, then they are fair game to bring back. This is most obviously true with Palpatine’s resurrection inThe Rise of Skywalker, making thisRevenge of the Sithmoment all the more prescient, butPalpatine is far from the onlyStar Warscharacter to return after they seemed to have died.
IfStar Warshasn’t shown a character’s dead body, then they are fair game to bring back.
Also on this list of shockingly resurrected characters who ‘died’ inStar Warscanon are Boba Fett, Darth Maul, and even Asajj Ventress. In all three cases, their deaths seemed quite certain. Ventress didn’t die on screen inStar Wars, but her canon death occurred in the bookStar Wars:Dark Disciple, written by Christie Golden. Darth Maul was famously cut in half by Obi-Wan inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, and Boba Fett had seemed to meet a gruesome end inReturn of the Jediwhen he fell into the Sarlacc pit.
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Like Palpatine,these characters' bodies were never shown on screen, leaving the door open for their return. Oddly enough, this comment from Mas Amedda inRevenge of the Siththerefore offered a justification for Palpatine’s return long before that twist was ever revealed inThe Rise of Skywalker. The one technicality would be that Palpatine did die inReturn of the Jedi; he just managed to return via Force-sensitive clones. Nevertheless, this one minorStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithscene ultimately became the perfect foreshadowing forStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’sbig twist.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Cast
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, released in December 2019, follows the surviving Resistance as they confront the First Order. The film continues the journey of Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron as they harness the power of past generations to engage in a climactic battle against the forces of tyranny.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker’s transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin’s internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
