Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? If you’re a die-hard “Star Wars” fan, odds are, you have. The tragedy in question originally stemmed from a very important scene in “Revenge of the Sith” when Palpatine tells Anakin of Plagueis, birthing one of the most mysterious characters in a galaxy far, far away. For as much as he is talked about, Plagueis was never actually seen on screen — until very recently that is. Though brief, the famed Sith Lord finally appeared in the flesh in “The Acolyte,” bringing the character to canon in a very meaningful way. Beyond his presence in the shadows on Disney+, Plagueis was also recently added to the official “Star Wars” database.
StarWars.com keeps a huge database full of characters from the official canon. Rather amazingly, Plagueis only recently got an official entry following his brief yet impactful appearance in “The Acolyte.” While this may be hard to believe, it’s no less significant. The Plagueis database entry firms up elements of the character’s history in the official canon, tying him directly to Palpatine’s backstory as well. The full database entry reads as follows:
“Known in some circles as Darth Plagueis the Wise, the Sith Lord Plagueis was once the mentor and Master of Darth Sidious. According to legend, Plagueis was so powerful he could use the Force to influence midi-chlorians to create life and possessed the knowledge to even evade death. In the time of the High Republic, Plagueis was already actively working against the Jedi, many years before the fall of the Order. But Plagueis was killed by his apprentice, the former Sheev Palpatine, after teaching his pupil all he knew.”
The importance of the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise
In “Revenge of the Sith,” it’s heavily implied that Palpatine was the apprentice who killed Plagueis in his sleep, though never explicitly stated. Plagueis has been touched on so little in the official canon that even getting it in writing that Palpatine killed Plagueis is kind of a big deal. Particularly because the database entry seems to be borrowing elements from the much-beloved novel “Star Wars: Darth Plagueis” by James Luceno, which is no longer part of the official canon. That itself is a tragedy, but I digress.
The 2012 novel centers on Plagueis, framed as one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived, one who craves power above all else and only fears losing it. After destroying his master, he vows to never suffer the same fate, setting out on a quest to learn how to cheat death using the Force. Palpatine is chosen as his apprentice and, while studying the ways of the Sith, he rises through the ranks of the Galactic Senate. Spoiler alert: Palpatine gets power-hungry and Plagueis suffers the same fate as his master.
While it’s unlikely that Lucasfilm would take an entire Legends novel from the former Expanded Universe and designate it as canon retroactively, the Disney era of “Star Wars” has utilized what was once canon to inform new, official stories. Grand Admiral Thrawn being brought back in “Star Wars Rebels” before making his way to live-action in “Ahsoka” is perhaps the premiere example.
Who knows? Maybe we’re going to see more of Plagueis in the near future. Maybe we’re going to see the story of Plagueis and his apprentice Palpatine play out in a meaningful way, be it in a new book or even a live-action project of some sort. Either way, Plagueis has come out of the shadows and into the light, providing even more depth to the history of Emperor Palpatine.
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