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Emperor Palpatinekept the Death Star a arcanum for decades , but someStar Warsstories suggest that the Jedi knew he was building it . The Death Star ’s early chronological show is inStar state of war : Episode II - Attack of the Clones , where Count Dooku acquiresthe Death Star plansand rescue them to Palpatine . It next appears onscreen at the end ofStar Wars : Episode III - Revenge of the Sithas Palpatine and Darth Vader observe its building .
Star Wars Rebels , Andor , andRogue One : A Star Wars Storyfurther foreground how secret the Death Star project was , which is why the Rebellion failed to foreclose Alderaan ’s wipeout . This onscreen demonstration of the Death Star leads us to believe that the Jedi could n’t have known anything about it , otherwise they surely would have stopped Palpatine . However , look back a primal record book and overlooked moments from theStar Warsmovieshints at a unlike reality .
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Palpatine Began Construction Of The Death Star Before Revenge Of The Sith
Work began as soon as the Republic acquired the plans
Although the Death Star was n’t shown onscreen until after the Jedi Purge , Palpatine ordered its construction much before in the Clone Wars . Catalyst : A Rogue One Novelby James Luceno serves as the official prequel to the filmand covers Galen Erso and Orson Krennic ’s time on the Death Star undertaking . The station is constructed above Geonosis when Poggle the Lesser is captured , and Galen ’s assist create the Death Star ’s superweapon a real possibility .
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While it ’s potential that Palpatine kept this a secret from the Jedi , it would have been much hard if the Republic approved its structure during the Clone Wars . The Jedi were in charge of conduct the Republic ’s war effort , so hold a undertaking like this a secret may not have been practical or wise . Perhaps the Jedi only know it was a battle post and were convince of its necessitybecause of the multiple superweapons create by the Separatists .
If the Jedi Council knew about the Death Star project , this would explicate or give new setting to an iconic moment fromA New Hope . When Luke Skywalker misidentify the Death Star for a small moon , Obi - Wan Kenobi tells the group"That ’s no Sun Myung Moon . It ’s a distance place . “Palatine get the Jedi bonk about the Death Star would mean Obi - Wan really recognized what he was seeing , rather than simply get good suspicion .
Palpatine Didn’t Bother To Hide The Death Star From Anakin
He can be seen looking at the plans when Anakin walks in
Another Jedi who may have fuck about the Death Star is Anakin Skywalker , who was closer to Palpatine than any Jedi . Just before Anakin tells Palpatine that Obi - Wan has engaged General Grievous , the Chancellor can be see look at what appear to be the Death Star plans . This would make sense if Palpatine was putting the final footmark of his plan in movement , and it subtly sets up the Death Star ’s appearance at the remnant of the film .
Palpatine viewing the Death Star plans when Anakin could walk in and see them may imply that the Jedi already knew . Of course , it could also mean that Palpatine did n’t care any longer if the Jedi find out , as he was about to uncover his personal identity and spring his snare anyway . Anakin telling the Jedi Council of a mortal space post at a Sith Lord ’s dictation would give them more inducement to risk arresting him .
The Death Star makes an appearance in Revenge of the Sith so much earlier than I antecedently realized — and it establish just how sheer Palpatine really was .
It ’s also deserving noting that Anakin and Obi - Wan both encounter evidence of the Death Star ’s superweapon beforeRevenge of the Sith . InStar war : The Clone Wars ' canceled arc"Crystal Crisis on Utapau " , released as four incomplete story Virginia reel , Anakin and Obi - Wan stop Grievous from assume a elephantine kyber crystal and saw up close how it focused a hefty clap . Palpatine may have desire Anakin and convinced him of the need to use the Separatists ' technology against them .
Why Didn’t The Jedi Stop Palpatine?
How could they tolerate a Death Star if they knew about it?
If the Jedi really recognize or at least suspected that Palpatine was building something like the Death Star , why would they not try out to check him ? I already cite how they may not have know that it was designed to destroy intact major planet , andPalpatine may have convinced the Jedi Council of the want to defend against breakaway superweapons . Even so , the Jedi were known to fight Palpatine when they feel he was fail too far .
The Jedi ’s inability — or involuntariness — to halt Palpatine in the prequel trilogy has always been odd , but this Revenge of the Sith line explains it .
The answer is likely the same as why the Jedi did n’t envision out Palpatine was a Sith Lord … they did n’t want to see the truth . The danger he gravel was ripe in front of them , butPalpatine successfully manipulated the Jedi into a snare with the Clone Wars , one that they struggle to get away . If the Jedi had stoppedEmperor Palpatinebefore he stop the Death Star , theStar Warssaga would have had a very dissimilar result .
Custom Image by Nathaniel Roark
