During the battle with Yoda, Darth Sidious began with a powerful Force Lightning attack, successfully striking Yoda.
However, the tables quickly turned when Yoda retaliated with a Force Push, demonstrating his formidable skills.
Surprisingly, after this, Emperor Palpatine made an unexpected decision: he attempted to flee.
You might wonder why the mighty Sith Lord would try to escape from Yoda.
I think I’ve discovered the reason behind Palpatine’s retreat, and you can find it down below.
Without further ado
One of the greatest duels in Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the climactic battle between Yoda and Darth Sidious.
As the Jedi Order falls and only a few Jedi remain the strongest Jedi Master, Yoda, confronts the Sith Lord.
Initially, Palpatine is extremely confident, likely because he has just executed Order 66, decimating the Jedi Order.
His confidence is evident as he unleashes his powerful Force lightning on Yoda, striking him down. However, this confidence is quickly shaken when Yoda recovers and uses a powerful Force push against Palpatine.
At this moment, Palpatine realizes just how formidable Yoda truly is. Fear starts to creep in, and he attempts to escape, but Yoda blocks his path.
Even Yoda senses Palpatine’s fear and challenges him, saying, “If so powerful you are, why leave?”
Palpatine, understanding that escape won’t be easy, declares, “Darth Vader will become more powerful than either of us.”
This statement serves as both a warning and a promise: if Palpatine were to fall, Darth Vader would avenge him.
Palpatine implies that Vader is stronger than Yoda and that Yoda’s end is inevitable should he face Vader.
Moreover, the novelization of Revenge of the Sith reveals that during the duel, Palpatine grew incredibly confused and frustrated by Yoda’s power and skill.
He sensed Yoda’s sheer determination to destroy the Sith and realized he had never encountered such precision or expertise with a lightsaber.
It’s highly likely that Palpatine feared Yoda might actually kill him, which is why he attempted to flee instead of continuing the fight.