The Emperors' appearance: The result of long term Dark Side usage or the Mace Battle?

I'm pretty sure in the visual dictionary it says that Sidious's face was deformed by the duel with Mace. I'd check one of the other threads if you really wanna know, it might be in one of those.

'Cause if GL says it was deformed in the Mace battle, then it was.

Nah.

For God's sake, it doesn't matter what Lucas might say. Lightning doesn't melt peoples' faces, especially in a way that is PERFECTLY SYMETRICAL. Palpatine's appearance was due to his true age, I can't believe this is being debated.

Logic + Star Wars are very poor bedfellows, DarkAge.

If GL says it, it is so, no matter what.

Originally posted by DarkAge
For God's sake, it doesn't matter what Lucas might say. Lightning doesn't melt peoples' faces, especially in a way that is PERFECTLY SYMETRICAL. Palpatine's appearance was due to his true age, I can't believe this is being debated.

As narcissistic as it may sound, I don't give a rats arse what Georgie says, I'm never going to believe the lightning caused Palpatine's deformation.

So you don't go by what Georgie boy says? Then why do watch the movies?

Err... because I enjoy them...

I don't see what my appreciation of the films has to do with George's intentions. Film is interperative. Things mean different things to different people. If something is not spelled out clearly on the screen then it is up to the veiwer to decide what is happening... and here it is not spelled out.

I like the idea that Palpatine is just so evil his appearance takes that form. That idea adds to my appreciation of the films. And I like to like these films...

Well that's just your own opinion and interpratation. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but when it comes to a fictional universe with the popularity that SW has, then whatever the creator says, goes.

If you fing the melting skin too bizarre, try having a galaxy full of aliens, war, and the Force.

Originally posted by Tangible God
...when it comes to a fictional universe with the popularity that SW has, then whatever the creator says, goes.

Then you preach wonders of your own intellect.

No. I just give my opinion... and say that anyone who doesn't agree with me is a complete moron. 😛

Yes, I am sorry, DD- you can believe the sky is pink if you wish, that is your right. But it is not pink, and that's a fact. And likewise, what GL says about his own creation is also a fact, and any contrary opinion you hold is without value.

For the sake of debates on such a public forum as this I will respect that that is the case and that whatever Master Lucas says is absolute canon.

But I will still never believe it. 😛

From comingsoon.net:

Q: How difficult was it to go from the sublime evil that you play in the first half of the film to a carbon copy of your performance twenty years ago?

McDiarmid: Yes, well it's very interesting. I've said this a few times, but there was a note George gave, not really as a note, we were just talking. And he said this quite casually. He said, "You should think of your eyes, Ian's eyes, Palpatine's eye as his. Sidious' contact lenses. In other words, my face was his mask." Which is an extremely interesting thing to say to an actor. And I knew that in Episode III, as you all did really, that this face would have to burst through my own mask. So, in a sense, I couldn't wait. And I also knew that they would mix it brilliantly - Rob [Coleman] and others - from one face into another. And it would be my sort of Dr. Jekyll Mr., Hyde moment, Dorian Grey moment, when outer good is subverted by inner evil. So I was really looking forward to it and at the moment when Palpatine's voice turns to - oh, you almost got an excerpt! - from one to the other, from lightish grey to dark black. So it was a moment I was really looking forward to and one that I embraced. An when we were filming it, George got closer and closer and closer with that camera-he was practically at my nose for the final shot! So I knew it was a moment I had to do my best to get right.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=11505

"my face was his mask", "this face would have to burst through my own mask", "outer good is subverted by inner evil".

There ya have it... from George to Ian to us.

But, of course it wont end here... Bring on the hearsay objections!.. 🙄

Did you ever think they might be saying that metaphorcally?

Or that they could be talking about a mask that Ian McDiarmid, the actor, might have had to wear, while he was acting.

Of course it's metaphorical... Sidious is literally wearing a mask now is he? The whole situation is metaphorical... outer good being subverted by inner evil. He was using that form to mask his true appearance... I really don't see how that could mean anything else.

Howcome I completely accepted Ian McDiarmid as Sidious, he doesn't look anything like the original, I don't even care! He is killer cool.. 👆
Wasn't the original Palpatine played by an old woman with an enormous anount of make-up btw? (not kidding here)

But I didn't like his transformation, he was much cooler fighting when he was a normal human.

The transformation was done horribly. I was cringing right throughout that scene. Just awful.

Yes, Palpatine was played by a woman in ESB, but Ian played him in ROTJ... and the ESB "monkey-woman" was replaced with Ian for the DVD.

And that Sidious mask did look pretty bad in some shots... but it was alright. It does kinda look like the Emperor in ROTJ... But hey 20 years can do a lot to your appearance. Unless you're Yoda...