In the first and last films of the Skywalker Saga, Palpatine tempts a young woman to give him power through an act of aggression by making her feel alone in an apathetic galaxy and afraid for her people’s survival.
In The Phantom Menace, Queen Padmé Amidala enters the crowded, circular stadium of the Galactic Senate on Coruscant to plead for the people of Naboo, under invasion by the Trade Federation. When the Federation’s representatives dispute her claims and call for an investigation, Chancellor Valorum’s advisors pressure him into siding with them. Palpatine, then-Senator of Naboo, leans over to Padmé and suggests this is proof the Senate is hopelessly corrupt and unconcerned. Acting on his counsel from an earlier scene, Padmé responds to Valorum’s weakness by attacking him directly: “I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee! If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed. I move for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum’s leadership.” As the chamber erupts at the motion, Palpatine predicts, “Now they will elect a new chancellor, a strong chancellor, one who will not let our tragedy continue.” That new, strong chancellor turns out to be Palpatine himself. Over time, he leverages his growing power to become Emperor.
In The Rise of Skywalker, Rey enters the crowded, semicircular stadium of the Sith throne room on Exegol to confront Palpatine while her people, the ragtag band of Resistance fighters, engage in a desperate battle in the atmosphere above. The roof opens so that Palpatine can show Rey proof that her “family” is losing. Though they sent out a call across the galaxy, evidently, “No one is coming to help them.” It seems that once again the galaxy’s leaders will fail to combat injustice and tyranny, and again Palpatine argues – now explicitly – that “Only you have the power to save them.” Palpatine’s temptation operates under familiar logic: the galaxy is apathetic, leaving you to struggle alone, so you must listen to your fears and take a desperate measure. Last time, that desperate measure was for Padmé to depose Valorum so that Palpatine could seize power. This time, the desperate measure is for Rey to kill Palpatine and seize power for herself – which would give him even more power.
But whereas Padmé surrendered to fear, putting Palpatine in power, Rey resists fear and thereby brings his power to an end. Even without knowing the galaxy has shaken off apathy and is sending a massive ad hoc fleet, Rey refuses Palpatine’s offer of power through aggression, because she has what Palpatine once derided in Luke Skywalker: “faith in [her] friends.” Her faith is in Ben Solo, who she senses is coming to help her, and in the generations of Jedi who are with her through the Force, giving her a power that Palpatine cannot understand.
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Characters: Chancellor Valorum / Padmé Amidala / Palpatine / Rey
Films: Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
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Concepts: aggression / apathy / faith / fear / isolation / power and weakness / temptation
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