We all remember the tense moment in Revenge of the Sith when Mace Windu strides into Chancellor Palpatine’s office, flanked by three of the Jedi’s finest: Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, and Saesee Tiin.
The Jedi are there on a mission—arrest Palpatine, who they’ve finally uncovered as the Sith Lord manipulating the galaxy from behind the scenes.
But what starts as a calculated confrontation quickly turns into a massacre, as Palpatine draws his crimson lightsaber and, with terrifying speed, cuts down the Jedi Masters one by one.
It’s a moment that leaves us wondering: was Agen Kolar—the first to fall in this scene—the first Jedi Palpatine ever killed himself?
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Was Agen Kolar the First Jedi Palpatine Ever Killed?
So, here’s the big question: was this the first time Palpatine killed a Jedi with his own hands? You might be surprised to find out that, yes, canon suggests this was indeed the first time.
Up until this moment, Palpatine had orchestrated Jedi deaths from a distance, pulling strings and manipulating events to lead Jedi into deadly traps or conflicts.
But as far as we know, he hadn’t actually struck down a Jedi personally—that moment in Revenge of the Sith.
Palpatine’s methods throughout the prequels. He’s the ultimate puppet master, engineering the entire Clone Wars to weaken the Jedi without ever directly engaging them. From Darth Maul to Count Dooku to General Grievous, Palpatine always had agents who could do his dirty work.
It was only when he was finally exposed that Palpatine decided to get his own hands bloody.
Palpatine had carefully avoided situations where he’d need to draw his own weapon. So, when he finally kills Agen Kolar, it’s not just a shocking twist—it’s a massive shift in his strategy.
Palpatine couldn’t afford to stay in the shadows any longer; if he didn’t act now, everything he had planned could unravel.
Palpatine’s Killing of the Jedi Marks the Beginning of the Sith’s Rise
Palpatine kills Kolar almost effortlessly, followed by Saesee Tiin and Kit Fisto shortly after. By the time he’s facing Mace Windu alone, we’re left with a clear impression: this is a Sith Lord at the height of his power.
The casual way he dispatches these Jedi Masters is both terrifying and eye-opening. He’s not simply a mastermind pulling strings—he’s also a warrior who can hold his own against the best of the Jedi Order.
For the first time, the Jedi know the full extent of Palpatine’s deceit and his power. And yet, it’s already too late.
By killing Agen Kolar, Palpatine sends a clear message: the Jedi are no longer safe, not even within the corridors of the Republic they’ve sworn to protect.
Kolar’s death isn’t just the start of Palpatine’s assault on these Jedi—it marks the beginning of the brutal Jedi Purge that will soon sweep across the galaxy with Order 66.
Agen Kolar’s Death Wasn’t the First Time a Jedi Died in Front of Palpatine
In Revenge of the Sith, we see Agen Kolar, Kit Fisto, and Saesee Tiin quickly fall under Palpatine’s blade.
But did you know this wasn’t the first time Palpatine watched a Jedi die right in front of him?
Back in The Phantom Menace, after Qui-Gon Jinn’s death at the hands of Darth Maul, we get a hint of Palpatine’s earlier encounters with fallen Jedi.
Tales of the Jedi expands on this backstory by showing us a significant moment where Palpatine witnesses a Jedi’s death up close.
After Qui-Gon’s death, Count Dooku, who was still part of the Jedi Order at the time, began questioning his loyalty.
In a secret meeting between Dooku and Sidious, they are discovered by Yaddle.
In this tense encounter, Palpatine simply watches as Dooku faces a critical choice: remain loyal to the Jedi or pledge himself fully to the Sith.
Choosing the latter, Dooku kills Yaddle right in front of Palpatine, marking one of the first times Sidious witnessed a Jedi’s death firsthand.
