Palpatine was practically unbeatable in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and I recently learned a piece of Star Wars lore that made me understand why. Rightly regarded by many fans as the best character of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Palpatine is commonly praised for his cunning genius, ruthless strategy, and gradual accumulation of power. He was always strong in the dark side of the Force, but Revenge of the Sith took things to another level.

In the span of a single movie, Palpatine turned the Chosen One to the dark side, wiped out the entire Jedi Order, convinced the Senate that the Jedi were traitors, and created a new Galactic Empire. He even killed three Jedi Masters in single combat, throwing the fourth one out a window with Force lightning. After re-reading a fantastic Star Wars novel, I’m convinced that Palpatine’s victories may stem from a particular Sith ability.

Sith Feed Off The Negative Emotions Of Their Opponents

Another reason for Jedi to avoid them

While there can only be two Sith Lords in the Star Wars movies, the original Star Wars Legends Expanded Universe explored the era where there were countless Sith Lords. This led me to re-read Star Wars: The Old Republic – Revan by Drew Karpyshyn, which serves as a bridge between the Knights of the Old Republic games and The Old Republic online game. The novel has many great moments, but one conversation stood out to me the most.

In chapter six, a Sith Lord named Darth Nyriss tells Lord Scourge that he nearly lost while fighting droids because he was used to drawing on the negative emotions of living opponents. She explains that all Sith do this to some extent, but a true Sith also learns to draw on their own inner strength when fighting. Although this exchange is no longer canon, it seems like an ability Palpatine would take advantage of.

This also adds more context as to why Jedi don’t give in to their emotions, as they can be a source of strength for their enemies. It aligns with Obi-Wan Kenobi telling Luke Skywalker that his feelings “do you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor.” Mace Windu seemed notably angry when dueling Palpatine, and while this helped him gain the upper hand, he didn’t realize it was only feeding Palpatine’s “unlimited power.”

The Tragic Events Of ROTS Would Have Made Palpatine Unstoppable

Untold death, destruction, and loss

Aside from dueling Jedi, there were plenty of horrific events in Revenge of the Sith that could have fed Palpatine’s power. The Separatist attack on Coruscant would have left the citizens of the planet (and the entire Republic) terrified that their enemy was about to win the war. The anger and suffering caused by the Clone Wars would already have been slowly feeding Palpatine’s power for three years.

Of course, this was nothing to the pain experienced by the Jedi when they were all betrayed and wiped out by the clones who had served them for years. While many supported Palpatine’s actions and were behind his new Empire, just as many people would have been terrified and uncertain of what it meant for the future. The galaxy would be filled with the dark side by the time Palpatine had his final duel with Yoda in the Senate.

Finally, Palpatine could have been drawing strength from Anakin’s pain, especially after he lost everything. In a way, this recontextualizes the original trilogy as well, as Darth Vader’s pain would fuel his powers but also make it impossible for him to kill Palpatine. It’s a fascinating idea to consider, but at the very least, Palpatine using this ability definitely explains his power in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.