The Unforeseen Consequences of Anakin's Revenge in Revenge of the Sith

There is a Star Wars theory that suggests Anakin Skywalker's success in his first dark side mission may have caused future problems for Palpatine. As Darth Vader, he was instructed to show no mercy at the Jedi Temple, but his brutal massacre in Revenge of the Sith might have been too extreme. The theory is based on new information from The Bad Batch season 3, hinting that Palpatine still needed some Jedi to survive into the Dark Times.

The Emperor Likely Had A Dark Purpose For Younglings

In The Bad Batch season 3's three-episode premiere, Emperor Palpatine pays a visit to a secret Imperial black site on Wayland. This facility is under the management of Doctor Royce Hemlock, who is conducting cloning experiments. The Advanced Science Division is specifically working on Project Necromancer, which involves infusing clone bodies with Midi-chlorians. The goal is to match or even surpass the Midi-chlorian counts of the original donor. This could mean that Anakin's Force sensitivity inadvertently caused issues for Palpatine's plans of achieving immortality.

Project Necromancer

Palpatine and Project Necromancer Test Specimins Bad Batch Season 3 - The Emperor Likely Had A Dark Purpose For Younglings

Several containment units were shown to Palpatine, but the identities of the subjects inside remained a mystery. These individuals were M-count donors, providing blood samples that were being combined with clone hosts in an attempt to find a genetic match without diminishing the M-count. Due to the connection to Grogu from "The Mandalorian," who had a high M-count prized by the Imperial Remnant, it was necessary for the donors to be alive to provide viable samples. It is believed that the donors were being kept in stasis through a combination of technology and the dark side.

It has been suggested that Force-sensitive younglings may have been taken by the Imperial Inquisitors during the Dark Times. Instead of being killed like many Jedi after Order 66, these younglings may have been delivered to Hemlcok's facility. Younglings would have been easier to capture and keep contained as M-count donors compared to fully-grown and powerful Jedi Knights, making them tragically ideal candidates for this purpose.

Anakin's Youngling Massacre Meant It Was Harder To Find Midi-Chlorians

Palpatine Needed Living Force-Sensitive Donors

Anakin Skywalker from Revenge of the Sith with a Youngling victim's face - Palpatine Needed Living Force-Sensitive Donors - Anakin's Youngling Massacre Meant It Was Harder To Find Midi-Chlorians

Using younglings as donors is more suitable for Palpatine's Project Necromancer. This also connects well with Grogu's experimentation by the Empire/Imperial Remnant. Anakin's tragic act of killing Jedi younglings likely made it harder for Palpatine to find donors after the Jedi Purge. While there is evidence of Palpatine's cloning plans predating his Empire's rise, the need for donors may not have been a top priority during the early days of the Empire in the Star Wars timeline.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3, episodes 1-3 are available now on Disney+. Future episodes release Wednesdays at 12:00 a.m. PT, 3:00 a.m. ET, and 8:00 a.m. GMT.

Editor's P/S:

The theory presented in this article is an intriguing and plausible explanation for the apparent contradiction between Palpatine's need for Jedi survivors in the Dark Times and Darth Vader's brutal massacre at the Jedi Temple. The idea that younglings were taken alive to serve as donors for Project Necromancer adds a tragic dimension to the events of Order 66, suggesting that Palpatine's sinister plans extended beyond the elimination of the Jedi Order.

The implications of this theory are far-reaching. It could mean that Anakin Skywalker's actions in Revenge of the Sith inadvertently hindered Palpatine's ultimate goal of achieving immortality through cloning. It also raises questions about the fate of the younglings who were taken captive and the ethical implications of using them as unwilling donors. The Bad Batch season 3 has opened up a new chapter in the Star Wars saga, providing tantalizing clues about the hidden machinations of the Empire and the complex relationship between the dark side and the Force.