Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menaceincludes a complex timeline of treaties, political maneuvers, and manipulations thanks to Emperor Palpatine’s master plan. This long story filled with confusing political jargon has often ledThe Phantom Menaceto beranked amongStar Wars’worst movies, despite the story being an intriguing exploration of how corrupt politicians can manipulate a state or, in this case, a galaxy. Although theStar Warstimeline beforeThe Phantom Menaceis important, what comes after Palpatine’s plan is enacted saw the Skywalker Saga take shape.
Overall, George Lucas’prequels impacted the franchise massively, from the initially divisive reception to the wayupcomingStar Warsmovieswill incorporate elements first introduced in the former stories. Aside from those wider effects on the franchise, the story told by the prequels outlines the complete history of how Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader came to rule the galaxy via thetimeline ofStar Wars’Galactic Empire. As such, exploring exactly how this plan began is certainly worth it, beginning with Palpatine’s political machinations that saw him rise to power inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
9Palpatine Engineers The Invasion Of Naboo
The Blockade Of Naboo Begins The Downfall Of The Galactic Republic
The first step in Palaptine’s decades-long plan was, ironically, the invasion of his own home planet. Little is known ofPalpatine’s backstory inStar Wars, but it has long been common knowledge that he hailed from Naboo. Under the guise of his Sith alter ego, Darth Sidious, Palpatine convinced members of the Trade Federation to set up a blockade of Naboo. This stopped any supplies from reaching the planet in a bid to persuade Queen Amidala to support the Federation’s taxation bill and essentially give control of the planet to the latter.
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Naturally, the question raised about this is why Palpatine wanted Naboo under the control of the Trade Federation. The blunt answer is that he did not. The invasion of Naboo was simply a way of building up sympathy for his cause in the Senate.With Naboo being his home planet and the greed of the Trade Federation causing the situation to escalate into the threat of war, Palpatine grew into a more sympathetic figurewithin the Senate as faith in Chancellor Valorum was shaken.
8Sifo-Dyas Is Betrayed By Count Dooku
Worlds Away From Naboo, Palpatine’s Plans Were Furthered
While Naboo was being invaded and Palpatine was manipulating the Senate to his side, other Sith actions were being carried out across the galaxy. This part of Palpatine’s was not explored inThe Phantom Menace, but instead retroactively tied to the film via thetimeline ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars.Palpatine’s plans with Naboo coincided with more overtly evil actions, as Count Dooku betrayed his former Jedi ally, Sifo-Dyas. Sifo-Dyas is mentioned many times in the prequels, but his story remained shrouded in mystery untilThe Clone Wars.
Star Wars: The Clone Warsseason 6, episode 10, “The Lost Ones” is the episode that details Sifo-Dyas' backstory and betrayal by Dooku.
Interestingly, Sifo-Dyas suspected the Sith were planning something during the prequel era, yet the Jedi Order did not share his worries. As such, Sifo-Dyas secretly ordered the Kaminoans to craft a Grand Army of the Republic, otherwise known as the Clone Army. Wishing to fold the clones into his plans,Palpatine ordered Count Dooku to kill Sifo-Dyas, which the aspiring Sith did with ease.
7Padmé’s Escape Complicates Palpatine’s Plans, & He Sends Darth Maul
The Jedi Order Rescue Padmé From Naboo
Up to this point inThe Phantom Menace, Palpatine’s plan goes down relatively smoothly. However, this changes when Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi smuggle Queen Amidala away from Naboo. Knowing that Palpatine needs Amidala to cooperate in order to further his standing within the Senate, he unleashes his Sith apprentice Darth Maul to find her. Maul fails in doing so, allowing Padmé and her Jedi allies to reach the Republic capital of Coruscant.
6Palpatine Manipulates Padmé Into Calling A Vote Of No Confidence
Another Contingency Plan Works In Palpatine’s Favor
Arguably the most impressive thing about Palpatine’s rise to power is how often he sidestepped potential obstacles. No matter what transpired, Palpatine often had contingencies in place to put his rise to power back on track, the biggest beingStar Wars’Project Necromancer. After his attempted Sith kidnapping via Maul did not work, Palpatine changed tact by delving into political manipulation. Using their shared love of Naboo,Palpatine persuades Queen Amidala to call for a vote of no confidence against Chancellor Valorum.
5Palpatine Manipulates His Way Into Becoming Chancellor
Palpatine’s First Major Success Is Granted
After Padmé calls for the aforementioned vote of no confidence, Palpatine’s prior manipulation of the Senate begins to bear fruit. By capitalizing on the sympathy he drummed up for the Naboo situation, calling in political favors from others in the Senate, and no short amount of blackmail, Palpatine wins the election to become Chancellor of the Republic after Valorum is ostracized. This essentially makes Palpatine the most powerful man in the galaxy as the leader of the Republic and apowerfulStar WarsSith Lordwho operates from the shadows.
4Count Dooku Takes Over Sifo-Dyas' Plans For The Clone Army
Dooku’s Betrayal Yields Results
While Palpatine rises to the top of the Republic’s political landscape, Dooku continues the clandestine works of the Sith. After murdering Sifo-Dyas, Dooku begins work on turning the Grand Army of the Republic into a deadly Sith weapon. Dooku does this by reworking the chips placed inside the clones into what becomes known as the inhibitor chips via anotherClone Warsretcon.
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As revealed inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the inhibitor chips become a dangerous thorn in the side of the Jedi Order. The chips eventually turn the clones against the Jedi, forcing the soldiers who fought alongside the space wizards to murder them for Palpatine’s gain. This became known asStar Wars' infamous Order 66and stemmed entirely from Dooku’s off-screen machinations involving the Clone Army inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
3Palpatine’s Plans Fail When Darth Maul Dies On Naboo
Palpatine Finds Himself In Need Of Another Sith Apprentice
As alluded to, Palpatine’s plan is derailed several times throughout the nine-episode story of the Skywalker Saga. That said, no setbacks are arguably as big to Palpatine as the loss of Darth Maul. Maul dies on Naboo during the climactic Duel of the Fates, leaving Palpatine without his Sith assassin. Without Maul, Palpatine does not pose the same threat to the Jedi Order that he did previously.
After all, Palpatine’s entire plan surrounds pure chaos. If he can sew enough war, confusion, and disorder throughout the galaxy as possible, his rise to power is made much easier, as seen by his being elected Chancellor inThe Phantom Menace. Where the Jedi Order was concerned, Maul was a big tool in ensuring chaos within the Jedi’s ranks, by having his apprentice regularly kill off members of the Order. Regardless, Palpatine pivoted to Count Dooku/Darth Tyrannus as his next apprentice who, while powerful in the Force and influential politically, did not possess quite the same chaotic bloodlust as Maul.
2Dooku Deletes The Jedi Records Of Kamino
Dooku’s Final Episode I Act Is Completed
The final mission Dooku received from Palpatine during the timeline ofStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menaceis tied to the Clone Army. After killing Sifo-Dyas and taking control of the clones via the inhibitor chips,Dooku is tasked with wiping the records of Kamino from the Jedi Templeso as to keep the Order in the dark about both Sifo-Dyas' original plans and the updated, reworked schemes of the Sith. This explains why the Clone Army was not discovered until 10 years later duringStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.
1Palpatine Recruits Count Dooku As His New Apprentice
The Sith Acolyte Becomes A True Apprentice
The death of oneStar WarsSith Lordmade way for another in the final step of Palpatine’s plan inThe Phantom Menace. Maul’s death left Palpatine in need of a Sith apprentice to do his bidding, so who better than the acolyte who had killed Sifo-Dyas, reworked the Clone Army, and ensured the Jedi remained ignorant of their plans? Therefore, Dooku officially took Maul’s place as the apprentice of Darth Sidious, solidifying himself as Darth Tyrannus and a major threat to the Jedi for the remainder of the prequels afterStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Cast
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is set in a galaxy facing political turmoil, as Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi seek peace while encountering Anakin Skywalker, a slave with great potential in the Force. Meanwhile, the Sith begin their resurgence, threatening the stability of the Republic.
