TheStar Warsfranchise ’s ultimate baddie , Emperor Palpatine , has pass no less than five times throughout the canyon and Legends timelines . Palpatine is deservedly run into by many as the ultimateDark Lord of the Sith , whose ruthless political scheming and attainment in both combat and handling brought theStar Warsgalaxy to its knees at the end of the prequel trilogy . Palpatine ’s sheer business leader in the dour side of the Force and his penchant for contingence plans allow him to chisel death multiple meter in canon and legend , though each death is meaningful in its own way .

Palpatine describes his mentor , Darth Plagueis , as being obsessed with the creation and preservation of life through the dark side . The future Emperor ’s conversation with Anakin Skywalker inStar war : Episode III – Revenge of the Sithsets up his resurrections in both canon and Legends , retroactively in the case of Legends . Palpatine ’s controversial income tax return in the 1991 laughable seriesDark Empireserved as intake for much ofStar state of war : The Rise of Skywalker ’s story , and while both properties add to the lore of their several timeline , both remain venerating to the Emperor ’s original last inReturn of the Jedi . Here are all of Palpatine ’s deaths inStar Warscanon and Legends .

Related : Star Wars : Every Sith Artifact In Palpatine ’s Senate Office Explained

George Lucas with A New Hope imagery v3

5Emperor Palpatine’s Death In Return Of The Jedi

rejoinder of the Jedi , which belongs to both canon and Legends , finish with Anakin Skywalker ’s redemption . catch Palpatine torture Luke Skywalker with Force lightning , Darth Vader rejects the Sith and nibble up his captain , dropping him down a chasm to his death . For all of Palpatine ’s brilliance and powerfulness in the morose side , his first death show how human he really is , with Skywalker killing him without a lightsaber or the Force . By killing Palpatine , Darth Vader not only struck adecisive blow toStar Wars ' Galactic Empirebut also destruct the Sith Order of Darth Bane ’s dynasty as the choose One prophecy portend .

4Palpatine’s Death In Dark Empire (Star Wars Legends)

The Legends persistence experience a rebirth in the other 1990s , withDark Empirebeing one of its most prominent episode . The ambitious comic series was initially going to have a new baddie claim the helmet of Darth Vader and bear the dead Sith Lord ’s name , but George Lucas himself suggested that Tom Veitch have Palpatine return from the all in instead . The risible series ’ name comes from Palpatine ’s secret stand-in portion of the Empire hidden on the Deep Core world of Byss . Palpatine ’s Dark Empire , which includes many of his venomous troops , warships , and superweapons , menacesthe fledgling New Republicin what becomes have it off as Operation Shadow Hand .

Palpatine himself cheats death through an exceptionally rare and unnatural dark side power called inwardness transfer , which he uses to inhabit cloned bodies kept in stasis on Byss . Palpatine ’s first death inDark Empireappears in issue 5 , where he abandon one rapidly - decompose ringer body for a younger one , provide him to best Luke Skywalker in a duel . What this decease shows is how affected Palpatine ’s Christ’s Resurrection unconscious process is , as his unleashed black side might quickly decompose his new bodies and necessitate that he either constantly inhabit new one or take over the body of a non - clon . This is , ultimately one of Palpatine ’s goals inDark Empire .

3Palpatine’s Death On The Eclipse (Star Wars Legends)

Issue 6 ofDark Empireincludes Palpatine ’s next expiry . Aboard his flagship , the Eclipse , Palpatine duelsLuke Skywalker with his lightsaber again , this clip with the Jedi being empowered by Leia Organa . The combined Force king of Luke and Leia prove too strong for even Palpatine , and he is dismembered and overcome by the Jedi , though he ultimately dies when he and the Eclipse are withdraw up by his own Force violent storm . This death highlight how far Luke has come in the six long time sinceReturn of the Jedias well as how sinewy in the Force Leia has become , with the two defeat a foe that even Jedi Grandmaster Yoda could not .

Related : Star Wars : Every Apprentice Palpatine Had ( In Canon and Legends )

2Palpatine’s Death At The Battle Of Onderon (Star Wars Legends)

Dark Empirehas two continuation comics , Dark Empire IIandDark Empire II : Empire ’s End , with Palpatine returning yet again in the former . The firstDark Empireseries set up a common law : Palpatine will always returnsooner or afterward if he is killed by conventional means . For this reason , Palpatine ’s final expiry , shown in the 2d and last outcome ofEmpire ’s End , does not occur when Han Solo blast him from behind during the Battle of Onderon , but when the dying Jedi Knight Empatojayos Brand and the spirits of all deceased Jedi overwhelm Palpatine ’s knowingness and keep it trapped in the Force forever .

Empatojayos Brand was a oldtimer of the Clone Wars and a survivor of Order 66 , so the fact that he was the first Jedi spirit to trap Palpatine is fitting , considering that the minatory order and the result Jedi Purge destroyed the sometime Jedi Order . Palpatine ’s galax - broad pogrom of the Jedi facilitate his fascist takeover , but it was finally thespirits of the Jedihe had murdered that trapped him within the Force evermore . Each of Palpatine ’s Legends - era deaths , fromReturn of the Jedito theDark Empiretrilogy , are the resultant of his victims vote down him , the New Jedi Order rise against him , or his own callousness towards dying .

1Palpatine’s Final Death In Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

In the post-2014 canon persistence , theStar Warssequel trilogy carry on the Skywalker Saga afterReturn of the Jedi . Palpatine was not initially plan to come in back in the sequel , but the frivolous option to down off Snoke and the aforethought redemption of Kylo Ren necessitated a major scoundrel . Since there was little left ofthe originalStar Warstrilogyto replicate , thanks to its harbinger , The Rise of Skywalkeruses legion ingredient of the now - alternating Legends timeline’sDark Empireas the basis of its premise .

Palpatine ’s takings via transferring his consciousness to a clone body ( which is not explained in the film ) and his secret championship portion of Imperial military forces on a cloak-and-dagger fortress cosmos all appear inThe Rise of Skywalkerand Palpatine ’s last demise is similar to that ofEmpire ’s death . During the Battle of Exegol , Rey is empowered by the spirits of all preceding Jedi as she airt Palpatine ’s Force lightning back at him , obliterate the Sith Lord and probably preclude him from return totheStar Warsfranchiseagain .

More : Every lodge Palpatine Had In Star Wars Legends ( Besides 66 )

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

Emperor Palpatine laughing maniacally in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.

Star wars palpatine deaths

Darth Vader turns on The Emperor in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.

Palpatine in Return of the Jedi and Dark Empire.

Luke vs Palpatine Dark Empire

Palpatine’s final death in Star Wars Dark Empire III Empire’s End.

Palpatine using his powers in The Rise of Skywalker

Movies