By Emperor Palpatine has terrorized audiences of the Star Wars saga for generations, ever since he loomed in as a towering cowled hologram barking commands at the figure we once believed was the most terrifying force in the cosmos (sorry, Lord Vader). Still, there’s an undeniable magic in Ian McDiarmid’s cackling, lightning-slinging fiend that simply clicks. Somehow, the sinister sovereign keeps delivering, and a fresh Reddit thread has viewers unpacking exactly why.
The opening salvo from one user claimed, “The greatest part about Palpatine is that he proves a baddie doesn’t require a sob-story past to be unforgettable.” Someone else chimed in, “Palpatine is the dictionary definition of a ‘Disney villain.’ You never get inside his head or pity him. He’s barely a rounded personality, honestly. He’s just malice incarnate—and it’s ridiculously fun to watch.”
That unfiltered wickedness is what cements him as a timeless antagonist, one who has tormented the Skywalker bloodline and the wider galaxy for eons. Be it a venomous verbal duel that pits father against son in Return of the Jedi, or a mere whisper of his name in Andor, Palpatine’s grim silhouette stretches across the stars, and audiences can’t resist despising him.
Another commenter added, “I adore Palpatine precisely because there’s no heartbreaking origin. No sob tale, no wound to blame. He’s rotten simply because he enjoys it, and that delighted cackle of his makes the whole package even better.”
Could anyone ever dethrone him on either the silver or small screen? Time will tell. Yet with each fresh Star Wars series and film looming on the horizon, the stage might just be set for a new contender.