Sheev Palpatine

Sheev Palpatine was born in 84 BBY and died in 35 ABY.

The Sith Lord who brought down the Galactic Republic and ruled the galaxy as its Emperor, Sheev Palpatine led a double life for decades. In public he was a mild senator. In secret he was Darth Sidious, apprentice to Darth Plagueis. He killed his master and took the Zabrak child Maul from Dathomir to train as his own apprentice. Then he engineered the Trade Federation's invasion of his own homeworld, and the crisis it caused won him the office of Supreme Chancellor in 32 BBY. Working with his second apprentice, Count Dooku, he ran both sides of the Clone Wars. That let him gather emergency powers, turn Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader and wipe out the Jedi with Order 66. In 19 BBY he declared himself Emperor. His Empire held the galaxy for a generation until the Rebellion rose against it. At the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, Vader turned on him to save Luke Skywalker and threw him down a reactor shaft. Palpatine had planned for this. Using dark side transference, his spirit moved into a failing clone body on the hidden world of Exegol. From there he set the Contingency in motion to destroy what was left of the Empire, created Snoke to steer the First Order, and built the Final Order. He announced his return in 35 ABY but was finally destroyed at the Battle of Exegol by his granddaughter Rey, who turned his own lightning back on him with the strength of the Jedi behind her.

Homeworld: Naboo
Species: Human
Force Sensitive: Yes

84 BBY - Birth on Naboo

Sheev Palpatine is born into the noble Palpatine family and grows up in Theed, where he learns politics and manipulation early.

65 BBY - Theed Power Generator Ceremony

As a rising figure in Naboo public life, Palpatine attends the opening of the Theed power generator.

52 BBY - Sith Apprentice and Senator

By now he is Darth Plagueis's apprentice, under the name Darth Sidious. With his master's help he is elected Senator of Naboo, which also makes him senator for the Chommell sector. Around this time he begins mentoring the young Wilhuff Tarkin.

42 BBY - Meeting Dooku

Rael Averross introduces Palpatine to Jedi Master Dooku. Later, after Dooku leaves the Order, Sidious draws him toward the Sith.

~40 BBY - Claiming Maul

On Dathomir, Sidious takes Mother Talzin's son Maul as his apprentice, breaking his promise to make Talzin his right hand.

Before 32 BBY - Murder of Darth Plagueis

Following the Rule of Two, Sidious kills his master in his sleep and becomes Sith Master. He trains Maul harshly and takes him to Malachor.

33 BBY - Testing Maul

Sidious rebukes Maul for his impatience and then tests his loyalty, setting him up to kill a Jedi Padawan in the Kellux system. He also has Maul kill the Bimm Voh, a former Jedi seneschal who had been passing him Jedi texts.

32 BBY - Invasion of Naboo

Sidious orders the Trade Federation to blockade and invade Naboo, and sends Maul after Queen Amidala. As Palpatine, he gets the Queen to call a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum and is elected Supreme Chancellor. Maul is cut down by Obi-Wan Kenobi and presumed dead.

~32 BBY - The Clone Army

When he learns that Sifo-Dyas has ordered a clone army from Kamino, Sidious has Dooku kill him and take over the order.

22 BBY - Emergency Powers and the Clone Wars

During the Separatist Crisis, the Senate gives Palpatine emergency powers and he approves the Grand Army of the Republic. The Clone Wars begin at Geonosis, with Dooku, now Darth Tyranus, leading the Separatists.

22–19 BBY - Controlling Both Sides

Palpatine directs the war on both sides, piles up executive power, grooms Anakin Skywalker, and deals with the return of Maul and the Nightsisters.

19 BBY - Order 66 and the Empire

Palpatine lets Anakin kill Dooku, then reveals himself as a Sith. Mace Windu tries to arrest him and is killed, and Anakin becomes Darth Vader. Palpatine issues Order 66, declares himself Emperor, and fights Yoda to a standstill in the Senate chamber.

19 BBY–1 BBY - Imperial Reign

The Emperor rules largely unchallenged. He uses the Inquisitorius to hunt surviving Jedi and builds the Death Star.

1 BBY - Dissolution of the Senate

With the Death Star complete, the Emperor dissolves the Imperial Senate. The station is destroyed at the Battle of Yavin.

3 ABY - A New Target

The Emperor senses Luke Skywalker's power and orders Vader to turn the boy to the dark side or destroy him.

4 ABY - Death at Endor

On the second Death Star, the Emperor tries to replace Vader with Luke. Vader turns on him and throws him down a reactor shaft. His spirit passes into a clone body on Exegol.

5 ABY - The Contingency

His posthumous Contingency plan leads to the Battle of Jakku and the end of the Galactic Empire. Loyalists retreat to the Unknown Regions.

5 ABY–35 ABY - Rebuilding from Exegol

Kept alive by the Sith Eternal, Palpatine creates Snoke to lead the First Order and turn Ben Solo. He also builds the Final Order fleet of Xyston-class Star Destroyers.

35 ABY - Exegol Broadcast

Palpatine announces his return to the galaxy and destroys Kijimi to show the Final Order's power.

35 ABY - Final Death at Exegol

During the Battle of Exegol, he drains the life force of the dyad formed by Rey and Ben Solo to restore himself. Rey, backed by the voices of past Jedi, turns his lightning against him and destroys him for good.

Sheev Palpatine in the timeline

Sheev Palpatine on Wookieepedia

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