Concept art fromStar war : The rising of Skywalkerproves Palpatine ’s Christ’s Resurrection had been planned beforeStar war : The Last Jedi .   The unexpected return of Emperor Palpatine drove the plot ofStar Wars : The Rise of Skywalker . It ’s been heavily criticise , with no real setup on the big covert and , surprisingly , short account . Lucasfilm has since spend some fourth dimension explaining Palpatine ’s return in prescribed tie - in .

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy ab initio claimedPalpatine ’s coming back was always part of the plan , take a firm stand it was part of the pattern for the entire trilogy . Her claim was flatly rebutted by Colin Trevorrow , the first director ofEpisode IX , who left in September 2017 as a result of creative differences with Lucasfilm . A written matter of Trevorrow ’s script - called " Duel of the Fates " - subsequently leaked online , substantiate Darth Sidious was never part of his version . harmonise to Trevorrow , Palpatine ’s return was J.J. Abrams ' approximation .

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construct art fromStar warfare : The Rise of Skywalkercontinues to rise up online , andPhil Szostakhas take to Twitter to join the conversation . Concept artist Kevin Jenkins shared a superb sketch of the resurrected Palpatine , and Szostak clarified the timeline . " This Palpatine cartoon is dated November 1 , 2017 , " he pointed out , " but the early Palpatine pieces are dated October 11 , 2017 which , if you ’ve take The Art of The Rise of Skywalker , you ’ll have a go at it is bare days after the art section depart on this film . "

This confirms Palpatine ’s payoff really was one of the first thought Abrams convey to the board when he was hired to replace Trevorrow . The style of the survey will remind fans ofthe classicDark Empirecomicsfrom the old Expanded Universe , a no - longer - canyon tale in which a cloned Emperor returned to lay waste to the galaxy with superweapons . Notice the harness Palpatine is wearing as well , an constituent that made its way into the final theatrical track . This is a much more cryptical cold shoulder intoStar Warslore , aso - called " Ommin harness " from the expound Universe . Abrams '   plan for Palpatine were understandably well - developed at this stagecoach - which candidly pee-pee the decision not to explain the Emperor ’s return in the hand itself all the more surprising .

What makes this all the more salient , though , is that this confirm Palpatine ’s counter was already in the full treatment beforeStar state of war : The Last Jediwas liberate in December 2017 . This is still well after extra photography had been fill out forThe Last Jedi , however , so understandably Rian Johnson ’s film did n’t interchange shape in any way to help set Palpatine up . Reshoots forStar Wars : The Last Jediappear to have concentrate on the previous Carrie Fisher , Canto Bight , " heather boy , " and Vice Admiral Holdo - not on Kylo Ren or Supreme Leader Snoke , who could potentially have been used to suggest at a cracking sour side threat .

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Source : Phil Szostak

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Clone Palpatine in Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker

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