In the Star Wars universe, the story of Darth Plagueis and Palpatine is filled with intrigue and dark ambitions.
Darth Plagueis wasn’t just any Sith Lord; he had almost figured out how to cheat death itself, using the Force in ways that no one else had before. He was incredibly powerful and knew a lot about the dark side.
But then there was Palpatine, Plagueis’s own apprentice. Aware of the Sith’s Rule of Two, which says there should only be two Sith at a time — a master and an apprentice — Palpatine saw a different future for himself.
He didn’t just want to follow the rule; he believed he could be a better Emperor of the galaxy than Plagueis ever could. Thinking he had more to offer, Palpatine decided it was time to take Plagueis’s place and seize the power for himself.
Darth Plagueis the Wise
Darth Plagueis was known for his incredible power in the Force, a true master of the dark side and a mentor to Sheev Palpatine.
Plaguies’s story is a key part of Sith’s history, filled with a deep desire to know more and gain more power. Plagueis and Palpatine worked closely together, driven by a shared goal to uncover the secrets of living forever.
This quest led Plagueis to experiment with midi-chlorians, the microscopic life forms connected to the Force
Even with his great knowledge and ability to control the Force, Plagueis was so focused on immortality that he didn’t see the danger in Palpatine’s growing ambition. This oversight eventually led to his defeat.
Plagueis was determined to see the galaxy ruled by himself and Sidious. He trusted Sidious completely, which was his biggest mistake, as it led to Sidious betraying him.
Plagueis was so committed to their plan that he reportedly went without sleep for 25 years.
Sidious once remarked, “You were far too trusting Plagueis, no true Sith can ever really care about another, this has always been known.”
The Fall of Darth Plagueis: The Night Palpatine Became the Master
The night before Palpatine’s election as Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, he and Plagueis celebrated their impending victory.
Plagueis, who had grown somewhat complacent and overconfident in his abilities, let down his guard.
Plagueis believed that he and Palpatine were on the verge of achieving their ultimate goal: the Sith’s takeover of the galaxy and the discovery of immortality.
After a night of celebration, Plagueis retired to his quarters to rest.
While Plagueis was asleep and drunk, Palpatine saw his chance. He thought it was the perfect time to act and take over.
Believing that Palpatine had learned all he could from his master and seeing Plagueis as a potential obstacle to his own rise to power, Palpatine chose this moment to betray him.
Palpatine unleashed a torrent of Force lightning on the sleeping Plagueis. The attack was sudden and brutal, catching Plagueis completely off guard.
Despite Plagueis’s immense power and knowledge of the dark side, he was unable to defend himself enough in his sleep.
Palpatine continued his assault until Plagueis was dead, thus ensuring his own ascension to the role of Sith Master.
After killing Plagueis, Palpatine erased all traces of his master’s existence and went on to become Supreme Chancellor, and eventually, the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, as seen in the Star Wars films.
This moment is emblematic of the Sith’s brutal Rule of Two, where the apprentice must overthrow the master to ascend, highlighting the dark path Palpatine chose to pursue his rise to power.
The tale of Plagueis’s fall, later recounted by Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker, serves as a chilling reminder of the Sith’s ruthless nature.
