Did Palpatine Do Anything Good When He Was Emperor?

We all know Emperor Palpatine as the evil mastermind behind the Galactic Empire, but was everything he did really bad?

Surprisingly, there were a few things he did that brought positive outcomes, even if the motives behind them weren’t entirely noble.

Let’s get into the nuanced aspects of his rule and highlight some of the “good” things he did while reigning as Emperor of the galaxy.

1. Ended the Clone Wars and Brought Temporary Peace

One of Palpatine’s major achievements was ending the Clone Wars and bringing temporary peace to the galaxy.

Of course, he was responsible for starting the war in the first place, playing both sides as Darth Sidious, but his decisive actions ultimately brought an end to the conflict.

By doing so, Palpatine projected himself as the galaxy’s savior, a leader who restored peace after years of devastating turmoil.

This illusion of peace, though manipulated, gave many systems, especially those in the Core Worlds, a brief respite from the chaos of war.

Ending the war allowed Palpatine to consolidate his power and smoothly transition from Chancellor to Emperor.

He cleverly framed the Jedi as traitors, accusing them of plotting to overthrow the Republic, and used this as a pretext to justify their extermination.

This not only eliminated his most powerful adversaries but also painted his rise to power as a necessary step to protect the galaxy from further conflict.

Though the peace Palpatine forged was rooted in manipulation and authoritarian control, it temporarily reduced the chaos and bloodshed across the galaxy.

The war-torn regions experienced a period of relative stability, which helped solidify Palpatine’s position as Emperor and allowed him to tighten his grip on the galaxy.

2. Brought Stability and Reduced Crime in the Core Worlds

As Emperor, Palpatine centralized power, creating a more streamlined government that was able to reduce crime, especially in the prosperous Core Worlds.

The Republic was riddled with corruption and inefficiencies, but under Palpatine’s rule, those areas saw a marked reduction in piracy and criminal activity.

The Empire’s iron grip on law enforcement kept many lawbreakers at bay.

However, while the Core benefitted from this order, the Outer Rim and less fortunate systems faced exploitation and oppression.

So while there was stability, it came with a darker price for those on the galaxy’s fringes.

3. Created Millions of Jobs Through the Military-Industrial Complex

Another “positive” during Palpatine’s reign was the sheer number of jobs created through the Empire’s massive military build-up, take the Mega-class Star Dreadnought for example, it could carry up to 2,225,000 personnel, and that’s just one Star Destroyer spaceship.

The construction of the Death Star, the expansion of the Imperial fleet, and the recruitment of soldiers created countless jobs across shipyards, factories, and military institutions.

For planets like Kuat or Corellia, which specialized in shipbuilding, this was an economic boon.

That said, many of these jobs involved dangerous labor conditions, and much of the work relied on slavery or forced labor.

So, while employment was higher, the methods were often more brutal.

4. Reduced Corruption in the Senate (But Replaced It with a Dictatorship)

During his rise to power, Palpatine took advantage of the rampant corruption in the Galactic Senate, promising to end it.

Once Emperor, he followed through by dissolving the Senate entirely.

This move did eliminate much of the bickering and inefficiencies that plagued the Republic’s governing body, but it also established an authoritarian regime.

With the Senate out of the way, Palpatine and his appointed officials ruled with an iron fist, erasing political opposition and consolidating all decision-making power within the Emperor’s hands.

While it brought a more stable government, it wasn’t exactly a win for democracy

5. Gave Darth Vader Medical Care and Prosthetics

It’s easy to overlook, but when Anakin Skywalker was severely injured on Mustafar, Palpatine saved him, providing prosthetics, life-saving medical care, and a new identity as Darth Vader.

This wasn’t an act of kindness, Palpatine knew the value of keeping such a powerful apprentice alive. But on the surface, he did save Vader’s life.

The cybernetic enhancements and medical treatment allowed Vader to survive, but they also made him more dependent on Palpatine, ensuring his loyalty.

6. Unified the Galaxy Under One Government and Currency

Palpatine’s transformation of the Republic into the Galactic Empire introduced a unified government and a standardized galactic currency.

This helped simplify trade, governance, and military operations, especially in the Core Worlds.

By centralizing authority, Palpatine brought a sense of cohesion that allowed many planets to operate under the same legal and economic framework.

However, much of this unification came at the cost of personal freedoms, with heavy taxation and exploitation of the Outer Rim regions.

While beneficial to some systems, others saw their resources stripped for the Empire’s benefit.

7. Ended the Use of Clone Armies

One significant move Palpatine made was the decision to phase out the Clone Army after becoming Emperor.

By replacing the Republic’s Clone Troopers with human recruits, the Empire diversified its military and made it less reliant on the artificial soldiers that had fought in the Clone Wars.

This transition marked a shift in how the Empire would operate, focusing more on natural-born recruits from across the galaxy.

This move also had a darker side, as Palpatine’s human-centric policy often marginalized non-human species and enforced a strict, often oppressive military regime.

8. Brought “Peace, Freedom, Justice, and Security” to the New Empire (But at a Cost)

In his own words, Palpatine promised to bring peace, freedom, and security to the galaxy – and he did, though it came at a heavy cost.

For some systems, particularly in the Core, the Empire provided a level of stability and order that hadn’t been seen in years.

Planets like Coruscant and Naboo experienced relative peace compared to the chaos of the Clone Wars.

Yet, this “peace” was built on fear, repression, and the eradication of any form of dissent.

Freedom was severely restricted, and many species were oppressed under the Empire’s xenophobic policies.

So while Palpatine did achieve order, it was through brutality and dictatorship.

Final Thoughts

While Palpatine’s reign is mostly remembered for its tyranny, there are moments when his rule brought stability and order, at least for certain sectors of the galaxy.

However, these “good” things were always tied to his larger agenda of control, and they came at the cost of freedom and justice for many.

In the end, the benefits of his rule were overshadowed by the suffering and oppression that defined the Galactic Empire.