You know that moment in Revenge of the Sith when Palpatine and Yoda go head-to-head inside the Senate chamber? It’s one of the most epic and ironic duels in Star Wars history. The two most powerful Force users in the galaxy literally tearing the heart of democracy apart, using the Senate pods as weapons.
But here’s something I’ve always wondered: what if the Senate was actually in session when that happened?
Imagine it, hundreds of Senators sitting in their pods, arguing over the war, when suddenly the Supreme Chancellor and the Jedi Grand Master come crashing through the doors, throwing lightning and hurling repulsorpods across the room.
The scene we get in the movie is already symbolic: the Republic’s democracy being destroyed in the same room it once ruled from. But if the Senators had been there to witness it? That would have changed everything.
It Would’ve Made Palpatine’s Jedi ‘Treason’ Story Even Stronger
We have to look at the timeline of the duel between Yoda and Palpatine. As we know, by this time Palpatine had just finished his duel with the four Jedi Masters inside his office, and did you know that right after that, he reported back to the Republic that the Jedi were trying to assassinate the Supreme Chancellor?
From the book Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover, we learned that after his fight with Mace Windu, Palpatine’s version of the story, that the Jedi had betrayed the Republic and attempted to assassinate him, was already spreading across Coruscant. We actually hear about this through a short conversation between C-3PO and R2-D2:
“The Senator was sitting now, leaning distractedly on one of the tasteful, elegant bistro tables that dotted the veranda, while Master Anakin stood above her. ‘I think he’s saying something about rebellion—that the Jedi have tried to overthrow the Republic! And—oh, my goodness, Mace Windu has tried to assassinate Chancellor Palpatine! Can he be serious?’”
That means by the time Yoda confronted Palpatine, the whole Republic had already been told that the Jedi were traitors — and that the “attempted assassination” of the Supreme Chancellor was proof of it.
So if Yoda had fought Palpatine inside the Senate chamber while the other Senators were still in their seats, that battle would’ve only made things worse. To the public eye, it would look like Yoda himself was confirming the Jedi’s betrayal right there in front of the Republic.
Palpatine Could Have Wiped Out the Entire Senate
Another scenario we can think of is that Palpatine wouldn’t let a single soul walk out of that room alive, not after they’d just witnessed the Supreme Chancellor himself dueling the Jedi Grand Master in front of the entire Senate.
Of course, Palpatine could have tried to keep up his act, pretending to be the victim, begging for someone to stop Yoda. But if Yoda had gone straight at him, without hesitation or restraint, then Palpatine’s only option would’ve been to defend himself, and in doing so, he would’ve revealed his true identity to everyone present.
At that point, there’s no reason for him to hold back. He could have unleashed his full power, killing everyone inside that chamber and later blaming it all on the Jedi, just like he always did.
Just picture it: the Senate chamber lit up in a storm of blue lightning, pods exploding, senators screaming, the very heart of the Republic burning in seconds. It would’ve been the ultimate display of the dark side — Palpatine proving he no longer needed the Republic because he already had absolute power.
And in true Palpatine fashion, he could’ve twisted the truth to his advantage. The next broadcast across the galaxy would be simple: “The Jedi attacked the Senate. Master Yoda tried to kill me — and destroyed everything.”
With one lie and a few sparks of Force lightning, he’d wipe out the Republic’s leadership and make himself the only voice left standing.