Summary
The best scene inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithhas been made much more tragic almost two decades later. The third film inStar Wars’chronological order,Revenge of the Sithcompleted Anakin Skywalker’s journey from Jedi Knight to Darth Vader. The film has since become a fan-favorite despite being somewhat divisive upon release in 2005, with many claimingRevenge of the Sithto be one of thebest-rankedStar Warsfilmsever made.
One of the reasons for this is thereveal ofStar Wars’Palpatineas the prequel trilogy’s Sith Lord. Although never exactly hidden from audiences, watching Ian McDiarmid’s performance as Palpatine attempts to seduce Anakin to the dark side will forever be fascinating. One scene that encapsulates this the best is one of the strongest in the movie, as Palpatine tells Anakin the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise. While the scene is still the best in the film and one of the strongest in the entire prequel trilogy, it has been made more tragic almost 20 years later.
11 Things Star Wars Has Revealed About Darth Plagueis, Palpatine’s Master
Darth Plagueis' story in Star Wars canon is largely shrouded in mystery, but 11 significant revelations have surfaced about Palpatine’s Sith Master.
The Acolyte’s Cancelation Harms Revenge Of The Sith’s Best Scene
The Tragedy Of Darth Plagueis Is That His Story Will Not Be Told
Interestingly, the scene in question is harmed by something almost entirely removed from the prequel trilogy: thecancelation ofThe Acolyte. It was revealed in August 2024 that Lucasfilm would not be picking upThe Acolytefor a second season, despite the ending of the show teasing that Darth Plagueis himself would be involved in the potential story. The show was set around 100 years beforeStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, meaning Plagueis' involvement would directly set up the prequel trilogy.
This story would undoubtedly have made Palpatine and Anakin’s scene inRevenge of the Sitheven better. Rather than only receiving brief hints about Plagueis' life,The Acolytewould have shown his backstory and made the overall context of Palpatine’s Sith history much deeper. However,the cancelation of the show means Plagueis' story will not be told as it was intended, meaning the most exciting tease ofThe Acolyte’s ending will not come to fruition. If anything, this makes the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise that much worse.
Will Darth Plagueis’ Star Wars Story Ever Be Told?
The Expansiveness Of Star Wars Canon Makes It A Possibility
In the wake ofThe Acolytebeing canceled, the book titledStar Wars: Darth Plagueisby James Luceno could be folded back intoStar Warscanon…
The cancelation ofThe Acolytebegs the question of whether Plagueis' story will ever be finished. It is worth noting that a book about Plagueis' history is now considered part ofStar WarsLegends, and nothing in canon contradicts the story too much. In the wake ofThe Acolytebeing canceled, the book titledStar Wars: Darth Plagueisby James Luceno could be folded back intoStar Warscanon to give the character some semblance of a story.
However, the most likely route forward for whatever storyThe Acolytehad planned is books and comics.Lucasfilm’s publishing teams could continue Plagueis' story as written sequels toThe Acolyte, something which has been done inStar Warsbefore. The stories of Darth Maul and Qi’ra were told in this format after the failure of and thus lack of sequels toSolo: A Star Wars Story,meaning the same could be said forThe Acolyte. At least this way, the tragedy of Darth Plagueis mentioned inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithwill receive some context, though not as it was planned.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Cast
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker’s transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin’s internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
