Exploring Beyond Palpatine: The Unseen Depths of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

There are many exciting elements from the sequel trilogy that Star Wars could explore in new projects. However, Lucasfilm seems to be focusing mainly on Palpatine's return in The Rise of Skywalker. This could be due to the lack of explanation in the final movie of the Skywalker saga, but there are plenty of other avenues to be explored.

The Emperor's resurrection in The Rise of Skywalker was met with criticism from audiences because of the lack of explanation. The line "Somehow... Palpatine returned" left many fans wanting more clarity. Since then, various Star Wars media have delved into the details of how the Emperor came back to life through cloning, midichlorian manipulation, and the dark side. While this is appreciated, the focus on Palpatine's return has overshadowed other interesting aspects of the sequel trilogy.

Star Wars Is Setting Up Palpatine's Return... & Not Much More

Project Necromancer Has Dominated Sequel Trilogy Set-Up

Dr. Pershing giving his speech on Coruscant in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3 next to Palpatine's zombified clone from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. - Project Necromancer Has Dominated Sequel Trilogy Set-Up - Star Wars Is Setting Up Palpatine's Return... & Not Much More

Palpatine's plans for resurrection were part of his grand design to achieve immortality by transferring his essence into a Force-sensitive clone body after his death. In comics like Marvel's Darth Vader series by Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco, Palpatine's experiments on Exegol and his Sith Eternal cult were revealed during the original trilogy events. The novel Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher also introduced Exegol in relation to Palpatine's schemes.

The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Isn't Just About Palpatine

In addition to the focus on Palpatine's Project Necromancer in The Mandalorian seasons 2 and 3, it was revealed that Grogu's blood was highly valuable to the Imperial Remnant due to its high midichlorian count. This discovery opened up the possibility of creating Force-sensitive clones through transfusions. Both The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch have shed light on the long-standing mission of providing Palpatine with a sustainable clone body, a goal that was initiated during the reign of the Empire and took years to achieve. Despite these revelations, there has been limited exploration of other aspects from the sequels beyond The Rise of Skywalker.

There's More Than Can Be Explored

star-wars-new-jedi-order-sequel-trilogy-fixed-mistakes - There's More Than Can Be Explored - The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Isn't Just About Palpatine

Custom Image by Corey Larson

The New Republic Era, as seen in shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, delves into the struggles of the New Republic government after the original trilogy. However, in The Force Awakens, the New Republic is destroyed. This means that the sequels have not been able to explore or develop the New Republic as much as they have Palpatine's return, which has become a defining aspect of the era.

Daisy Ridley is slated to reprise her role as Rey in a new Star Wars movie. Despite this exciting news, there has been very little on-screen or in writing to set up her return.

There are still big sequel trilogy mysteries waiting to be resolved. This includes Finn's backstory and future, the question of his Force-sensitivity, and the First Order's stormtrooper brainwashing program. Another unresolved mystery is the whereabouts of Lando Calrissian's daughter post-Rise of Skywalker. Fans can only hope that future Star Wars projects will shed light on other heroes, events, or villains instead of solely focusing on Palpatine's return.

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the excessive focus on Palpatine's resurrection in the sequel trilogy, overshadowing other intriguing elements. While it acknowledges the attempts to explain Palpatine's return through supplementary media, it argues that this has come at the expense of exploring other aspects of the trilogy.

The author expresses concern that the focus on Palpatine's return has prevented the full potential of the sequel trilogy from being realized. They emphasize the lack of development for characters like Finn and Rey, as well as the unexplored mysteries surrounding the New Republic and other events. The author believes that future Star Wars projects should shift their attention away from Palpatine and delve deeper into the unexplored elements of the sequel trilogy, providing a more balanced and comprehensive narrative.