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Emperor Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, has forever left his mark on pop culture. Palpatine changed the fate of the Star Wars universe, orchestrating the Clone Wars and subjugating billions of people as the sinister ruler of the Galactic Empire. However, what drove the Emperor to commit such acts of violence and brutality?
The answer to this question lies in the psychological traits that Palpatine perfectly exemplifies: the Dark Triad. The Dark Triad is a set of three related personality traits that lead to generally negative behaviors, encompassing narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Ultimately, the Emperor’s character stems directly from these traits, thus making him the villain we know and love today.
Narcissism
Narcissism, as defined by psychologist Delroy L. Paulhus and writer Rebecca Weber, is characterized by grandiose, self-promoting thoughts and behavior, as well as attention-seeking. Throughout the Star Wars franchise, Palpatine is utterly narcissistic, boasting about his ability to see the future to everyone around him. The Emperor vainly promotes his prophetic abilities to numerous characters, such as Count Dooku, Darth Maul, and General Grievous.
However, the most iconic instance of Palpatine’s self-promotion is when he says to Darth Vader, “Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen!” The Emperor’s apparent omniscience seems to fuel his narcissism. He believes that since he has an unerring perception of the future, he will always be victorious and invincible to the designs of his enemies. Ironically, however, Palpatine’s narcissism proves to be his downfall. In his hubris, he is betrayed by his apprentice, Darth Vader, and finds himself careening to his doom down a reactor shaft.
Machiavellianism
According to psychologist Denise Cummings, Machiavellianism is the manipulation of others for one’s own ends. Unsurprisingly, Palpatine is a master manipulator. He orchestrates the destruction of the Jedi Order and the rise of the Empire by slowly turning Anakin Skywalker, his future apprentice, to the dark side of the Force. He befriends Skywalker at a young age, becoming acquainted with the boy’s aspirations. When Anakin grows older and becomes a Jedi Knight, Palpatine acts as his father figure. He counsels Skywalker about his desire for more knowledge, power, and to do good in the universe. Sidious continues toying with Anakin’s emotions when he offers to help save Padmé Amidala’s life.
Additionally, Palpatine gradually makes Anakin more suspicious about the dealings of the Jedi Council. He increases Skywalker’s worries that they are withholding status and knowledge about the Force from him. Palpatine’s manipulation reaches a climax when he convinces Anakin to betray Mace Windu. In doing so, Skywalker succumbs to the festering hate of the Council that Palpatine placed within him. His deception complete, Palpatine orders Anakin to slaughter his Jedi brethren and the leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. By using Skywalker to eliminate his rivals, Palpatine assumes power as Emperor of the Galatic Empire, thus culminating years of careful plotting and treachery.
Psychopathy
In addition to his self-centered and manipulative nature, Palpatine exhibits psychopathy: the inability of a person to properly feel emotion. Throughout the Star Wars franchise, the Emperor feels no empathy for anyone. He tortures and kills his enemies and orders his allies to commit atrocities without the slightest hesitation.
In Revenge of the Sith (Watch Now on Disney+), he instructs Anakin to kill the Jedi without remorse, telling him, “Do not hesitate, show no mercy.” He also displays psychopathy when electrocuting Darth Maul in The Clone Wars (Watch Now on Disney+). When Maul begs for mercy upon feeling the searing-hot lightning coursing through his body, the Emperor exclaims, “There is no mercy.” Lastly, Palpatine shows no hesitation when he uses force lightning against Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi (Watch Now on Disney+). In fact, he even appears to gain pleasure from torturing Luke. The Emperor’s behavior demonstrates his lack of empathy for others’ feelings, which has further cemented his status as a treacherous and immoral villain.
Conclusion
Emperor Palpatine’s success as a villain comes from his personification of the Dark Triad. His narcissism springs from his ability to prophesy future events, which leads him to vastly overestimate his power. His Machiavellianism inspires him to manipulate Anakin Skywalker, using him as a tool to root out his enemies and secure absolute power. Lastly, Palpatine’s psychopathic tendencies cause him to inflict immense suffering on those around him without any hesitation. Palpatine’s prideful, manipulative, and emotionless nature has seared his name into the minds of legions of Star Wars fans. To millions of people around the world, the Emperor represents the ultimate arch-villain: he is the embodiment of evil and will remain that way for generations to come.
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