Galaxies are absolutely massive. Think of something really, really, big, then times it by ten. What you’re picturing now isn’t even close to the size of a galaxy because the feeble human brain literally cannot imagine the cosmic scale. So it’s strange then that in the Star Wars movies, the same old faces keep cropping up.
Time and time again, the same Star Wars characters keep cropping up. Kenobi, Darth Vader, Luke, Leia, Rey, there are literally a dozen people in Star Wars who literally shaped the fate of a galaxy far, far, away. Still, one person who won’t be cropping up again is everyone’s favourite evil space wizard Emperor Palpatine, and that’s coming from the man who played him, Ian McDiarmid.
There was speculation that the Emperor may appear in the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series, but McDiarmid has put those rumours to bed. “You will remember the very first Star Wars film subsequently titled A New Hope. The Emperor was present, or his presence was felt. But he never appeared,” McDiarmid told fans at Star Wars Celebration (via Comicbook). “He was sort of interpreted by Moff Tarkin, the great Peter Cushing. And then, more recently in Rogue One, his presence was felt, but he never appeared.”
“So all I would say about future speculation is if you’re expecting the Emperor to appear soon in flesh and blood, don’t get your hopes up,” he continued. Now let’s be honest, that’s a very specific denial. “In flesh and blood” means we won’t see Palpatine in person, but perhaps he’ll appear as a hologram?
Stranger things have happened. Let’s not forget the Emperor was killed at the climax of Return of the Jedi. That didn’t stop Palpatine somehow returning to life to menace a new generation of Jedi, but the less said about that, the better.
If you love Star Wars, check out our list of the best science fiction movies.