Former ‘Rise of Skywalker’ director never planned to use Emperor Palpatine
By Erik Swann
Colin Trevorrow confirms that he didn’t come up with the idea to use Palpatine in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Among the numerous questions fans have about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, there is one that arguably stands above the rest: How is Emperor Palpatine still alive? Most are still trying to figure out how he survived his fate at the end of Return of the Jedi, but it’s now been revealed that this plot point wasn’t initially planned.
Former Rise of Skywalker writer and director Colin Trevorrow recently spoke with Empire about his story credit on the film. While he’s grateful that some of his ideas will still be utilized, he credited Palpatine’s return to his replacement, J.J. Abrams:
"“Bringing back the Emperor was an idea JJ brought to the table when he came on board. It’s honestly something I never considered. I commend him for it. This was a tough story to unlock, and he found the key.”"
Promotional footage has touted the Emperor as the film’s main antagonist, next to Kylo Ren and his Knights of Ren. He has yet to be seen physically in any released clips, yet his presence looms large over the story. And the returning Ian McDiarmid seems to be in top form for his iconic role.
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With this being the final chapter in the Skywalker Saga, it’s understandable that Abrams would want to bring back the franchise’s central antagonist one last time. Palpatine has had a long history with the Skywalker family, and including him will truly bring the saga full circle. This, however, still leaves the question of who or what would have served as the main villain had Trevorrow stayed on the project. He could have been planning to bring in an original character to challenge Rey, Finn, Poe and their allies. Or he may have just wanted Kylo Ren and the First Order to remain their primary enemies.
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Nevertheless, the reintroduction of the Emperor only raises the stakes even more for what could be the Skywalker Saga’s finest hour. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20.