This has been eating at me—if Anakin wasn’t around, who would Palpatine have turned to as his apprentice?
I mean, Dooku makes sense, but he’s kinda old, right?
Then there’s Maul, but would Sidious trust him again?
And what about Ventress? She’s such a wildcard I can’t decide if she’s the best or worst choice.
TL;DR: If Anakin wasn’t in the picture, Palpatine had options—Dooku for stability, Maul for rage-fueled chaos, Ventress for unpredictability, or some wild card we never saw coming.
Table of Contents
1. Count Dooku: The Safe Bet
Let’s start with the obvious choice—Count Dooku, aka Darth Tyranus. He was already Palpatine’s apprentice, a total badass with a lightsaber, and had serious clout as the leader of the Separatists. Keeping Dooku around would’ve been the easiest move for Palps—no hiring process, no awkward onboarding.
A lot of fans think Dooku would’ve stuck around longer if Anakin wasn’t in the picture. One Redditor nailed it: “If Anakin is not an option, Dooku still lives when Order 66 is executed.” Solid point.
But here’s the thing—Dooku wasn’t exactly spring chicken material. And let’s be real, he probably wasn’t going to make it as Palpatine’s long-term Sith bro. Sidious was all about finding younger, more “malleable” talent, and Dooku was more of a short-term contract kind of guy.
2. The Grand Inquisitor
Now, here’s an interesting option: the Grand Inquisitor. The guy already had a full-time gig hunting Jedi and was basically the HR manager for all the other Inquisitors. Plus, as a former Jedi Temple Guard, he had inside knowledge of the Jedi playbook. Pretty handy, right?
But… here’s where it gets tricky. The Grand Inquisitor wasn’t exactly Vader-level powerful. Sure, he was effective at hunting Jedi, but could he take on the role of the Emperor’s enforcer? Fans seem to think he lacked the raw ambition and brute force Palpatine needed. A good Plan B, but maybe not the Plan B.
3. Ventress: The Wild Card
Oh, Ventress. The Sith apprentice you call when you’re ready to risk it all. She was ruthless, deadly, and had a grudge against the Jedi the size of a Star Destroyer. Palpatine could’ve molded her into a terrifying Sith, assuming she didn’t betray him five minutes in.
Here’s the catch—Ventress wasn’t exactly known for her loyalty. She had a habit of flipping sides when it suited her, which makes her a huge gamble for someone as controlling as Palpatine. But imagine the chaos if she had taken the job. The drama alone would’ve been worth it.
4. Darth Maul: The Comeback Kid
Darth Maul—because what’s better than a Sith apprentice with revenge issues? Maul had the skills, the rage, and the grudge against Palpatine himself. Some fans think Sidious could’ve brought Maul back into the fold if Anakin wasn’t an option.
But let’s not forget, Maul was a lot to handle. He wasn’t exactly a “team player” and had his own ideas about revenge and power. Palpatine needed someone who could follow orders, not start plotting their own Sith takeover on Day 1.
5. Others in the Shadows: The What-Ifs
What if Palpatine went off-script? Imagine Barriss Offee, the Jedi-turned-traitor from the Clone Wars, stepping up to the plate. She’d already proven she could turn on the Jedi, and with the right push, Sidious could’ve turned her into something terrifying.
Or maybe he would’ve scouted fresh talent from the Jedi ranks, picking out someone nobody saw coming. Palpatine was a master at finding and corrupting powerful Force users, so the galaxy’s bench was never empty.