"Somehow, Palpatine returned." This iconic line from The Rise of Skywalker has become a meme that encapsulates fans' mixed feelings about the Emperor's return. Despite the divisive reception among Star Wars enthusiasts, who largely viewed Palpatine's clone-based revival as undermining his dramatic demise in Return of the Jedi, the actor behind the character, Ian McDiarmid, remains unfazed by the criticism.

In a recent interview with Variety, celebrating the re-release of Revenge of the Sith which has enjoyed a significant box office success, McDiarmid addressed the backlash. He expressed a nonchalant attitude towards the criticism, stating, "mine and Palpatine’s logic was entirely reasonable." He elaborated on the plausibility of Palpatine having a contingency plan, explaining, "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." McDiarmid also shared his enjoyment of the filming process, particularly the use of an "astral wheelchair," and the creative process behind developing a new, even more grotesque makeup look for the character.

Regarding the specific backlash to 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 film The Rise of Skywalker offers a somewhat ambiguous explanation for Palpatine's resurrection, showing Kylo Ren encountering a reanimated version of the Emperor. McDiarmid's comments align with the movie's narrative, suggesting that Palpatine's return was facilitated by ancient Sith magic, as hinted by Palpatine's own words in the film, "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be... unnatural."

Despite the controversy surrounding Palpatine's return, the Star Wars universe continues to expand. Upcoming projects include several films and TV shows, with Daisy Ridley reprising her role as Rey Skywalker in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This new film will explore Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. While some fans may wish to overlook Palpatine's return, the franchise's future endeavors will undoubtedly continue to engage and evolve the beloved galaxy far, far away.

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

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