One iconicEmperor Palpatine/Darth Sidiousquote fromStar Wars: Episode III -Revenge of the Sithhas been proven to be a major lie inStar Warsmovies and TV shows. Palpatine is one of the most importantStar Warscharacters throughouttheStar Warstimeline. In fact, despite not appearing untilThe Empire Strikes Back, Palpatine has become the main villain of the entire Skywalker Saga, particularly given his return inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Yet, it arguably wasn’t untilRevenge of the Siththat we got to see the height of his power as a Sith Lord, which was most on display throughout the latter half of the movie, after Anakin Skywalker had fallen to the dark side and become Darth Vader. It is just before that fall that Palpatine delivers one of his most iconic lines—“Unlimited power!"—as he shoots Force lightning at Mace Windu. However,Star Warsmovies and shows have since indicated that this line wasn’t accurate whatsoever, most recently inAndorseason 2.
The Sith Have Always Sought “Unlimited Power”
That Was The Ultimate Goal For Any Sith
Palpatine delivered this line gleefully not only because his plans had so perfectly fallen into place in that moment but also becausehe felt he was achieving the one thing the Sith have always wanted: absolute, unfettered power. In fact, this is whythe Sith Rule of Twowas enacted. The Sith were very nearly on the brink of extinction, all because each Sith was only concerned with their own power growing; they couldn’t think about the benefit of the future of the Sith more broadly. This, Darth Bane believed, was the one way to save them.
Even with that rule in place (which dictates that there will be one master and one apprentice at any given time), the Sith are still so obsessed with obtaining power that the apprentice inevitably attempts to overpower and kill the master, taking their place. This endless cycle is really about becomingthe most powerful Sith Lord, and we’ve seen that pattern perpetuated time and time again. Yet, there is an inherent faulty logic in this that makes Palpatine’s declaration that he had achieved unlimited power inRevenge of the Sithan obvious lie.
There is an inherent faulty logic in this that makes Palpatine’s declaration that he had achieved unlimited power inRevenge of the Sithan obvious lie.
Power Invites Challenge, So You Always Have To Be Gaining More Power
“Unlimited Power” Is Always Going To Be Unattainable—The Death Star Proves That
While Palpatine may have been deluded into thinking he’d obtained unlimited power rather than intentionally lying about how much power he actually had in that moment, the truth is,there is no such thing as unlimited power, even inStar Wars. Most recently, in fact, theAndorseason 2 premiere revealed just how much more power Palpatine needed. Although the Empire had been going strong for well over a decade at that point, the rebels were already posing a serious threat to all Palpatine had built.
That was the very reason the Death Star was necessary in the first place. Palpatine didn’t have unlimited power after all—actually, he needed the help of a massive superweapon to maintain control. What’s even more interesting about this storyline inAndorseason 2 is the revelation thatthe way Empire kept the Death Star a secretwas by claiming it was a secret energy project.
Palpatine didn’t have unlimited power after all—actually, he needed the help of a massive superweapon to maintain control.
The fact that Palpatine had to come up with a cover story for the Death Star proves he had neither absolute control nor unlimited power. Rather, he knew that an unpopular choice such as this one could bring it all tumbling down—so much so that even Imperials were being lied to. In that sense, Palpatine was actually always required to obtain more power just to repress the rebels, keep the Imperials loyal to him, and maintain the control he had. This is the nature of power in any context, though: it always requires more.
Behind Palpatine’s Lust For Power, There Was A Surprising Fear
Palpatine Himself Said Those With Power Are Afraid To Lose It
Ultimately,Palpatine’s desperation to gain and maintain power and control is borne out of the fear of losing this power and being overthrown. Earlier inRevenge of the Sith, in fact, Palpatine tells Anakin that the one thing Darth Plagueis feared was losing his power, and that this fear is the fate of all who gain power. This scene was really a self-fulfilling prophecy in a way, as Palpatine also became afraid of losing his power and, like Plagueis, was killed by his Sith apprentice.
This colors theRevenge of the Sithscene in which Palpatine claims he has unlimited power in an interesting way. Palpatine already knew this truth about power, yet he made this declaration so quickly—even before Anakin had agreed to be his Sith apprentice or he had established the Empire.Star Warshas already proven this assertion wasn’t true, but, more than that,Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious’line inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithactually reflects his fear.
