As much as the prequel trilogy is hated on, in Disney’s time of need, they turned to a character whose popularity was elevated by the films that make up the first three episodes of the Skywalker saga, good old Grand-Pappy Palpatine. As soon as it was revealed that the Emperor was returning, many of us fans wondered (how he is still alive) how this would affect the ending of the original Star Wars trilogy.

Kathleen Kennedy, a former Padawan of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, who, much like Palpatine, rose to the top and is now president of Lucasfilm, recently spoke with io9 and gave her input on the situation. Check out what she had to say below.

“I think there was a feeling of inevitability that Palpatine had been a part of all three and in the biggest picture of nine movies, he has been there from the very beginning. And his presence in this movie, we will not spoil that, but when you see it it does feel to us, not only does it have the feeling of inevitability, but the ending of where we left him last, in Return of the Jedi, was very important to J.J. and Chris and to all of us. We discussed it at great length. So no, I don’t think so. I think it definitely feels as though it is in the DNA of the nine. And it felt appropriate to have his presence be in this movie.”

ALSO SEE: Star Wars: Kathleen Kennedy On Why Things Didn’t Work With Colin Trevorrow As Director Of Episode IX

Personally, if Palpatine’s return was an inevitability as stated above, why not make him central to the entire trilogy? Or at the very least, drop hints that he’s coming in the first two installments. So I am to believe that while sitting on his throne in Return of the Jedi, trying to turn Luke to the Dark Side, he knew the outcome of the situation at hand, the denouement, would have little relevance with the overall fate of the galaxy, and the real battle to decide the fate of the galaxy would take place some 30 years in the future?

I’m as happy as anyone to have Palpatine back, but If he didn’t die on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi, then what does that mean for Vader’s redemption? The only way I see Palpatine’s return not affecting the end of the original trilogy is if the Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker is a clone, as was done in Timothy Zahn’s Expanded Universe novel series known as the Thrawn trilogy.

Palpatine once said, “Everything that has transpired, has done so according to my design,” and now this statement is shaping up to be so much more than we ever could have imagined. If ALL of this was according to his design, then we can rule out any go-with-the-flow technique or the use of improv. Palp knew the major upcoming events, he was playing the long game, the dude was looking way, way down the road.

At this point, with the film’s release next Friday, I am just going to let it all slide, and see if Abrams and company can pull all of this off, which includes wrapping up the sequel trilogy, closing out the Skywalker saga, and not diminishing the end of the original trilogy. And if all of the aforementioned is achieved, it’s likely they will in turn also succeed at mending the divided Star Wars fanbase. Good luck J.J. Seriously, man. This isn’t like bullseying womprats in your T-16 back home, this film will leave a mark on arguably the biggest franchise in cinema history, as well as on cinema itself.

Will Palpatine’s return ruin the end of Return of the Jedi? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!

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Source: io9, Star Wars Explained

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