Lord Lucien
EDIT: For got to say: don't use the EU or personal speculation answering these. The point is to use what the movie showed and told us. I only brought up everything that could have happened from within the films, so only use the answers and material the films gave us. Surely those answers are there. Somewhere...
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I think you and I were on the wrong page regarding the term 'weakness'. Palpatine's gambit was an act of political and psychological manipulation; that sort of work is contingent upon, requires, certain actions, decisions, and reactions of all involved parties. The Joker's plan to corrupt Harvey Dent in the much lauded The Dark Knight required certain actions to take place outside of the Joker's control; the same goes for Vader's gambit in The Empire Strikes Back; for Tarkin's gambit in A New Hope; for Palpatine's in Return of the Jedi; for every single villain whoever dared to plot in the history of cinema and real life.
I don't know Palpatine's contingency plans for these things, just like I don't know the contingency plans for most movie villains out there.
When I said weakness, I meant in terms of the story. What decisions were made that were illogical, defied reason, etc.
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
To be fair, Tarkin's plan was pretty simple.
Relatively, yes. But Tarkin himself mentions the "awful risk" he's taking by allowing the rebels to escape.
His success was dependent on a precise series of actions.
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
But Palpatine's was complex. Rereading Cloak of Deception and **** does Palpatine win the political acumen award.
That's really weird, because I'm rereading it myself. I'm just at the part where Valorum announces the summit on Eriadu. 😬
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
I'm past that. Quite frankly, no other SW novel has as much political intrigue, and no other one does it as well. James Luceno is amazing.
This is Luceno's magnum opus, in my opinion. Labyrinth of Evil and The Unifying Force are somewhat close seconds.
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
And Tarkin does rule, IMO. Anyone who comes from Eriadu with a military background and then goes on to tell Vader what to do rules.
Tarkin is one of my very favorite characters. CW3D managed to portray him fairly accurately.
Originally posted by Nephthys
Personally I see a plan that has that many ways for it to completely **** up and explode in Palpatines face! to be relatively weak.Soooooo many things could have gone wrong for him.
As I explained something to which no one seems to have a reasonable rebuttal: Palpatine's is hardly the only plan in cinema and real world history to have been potentially derailed by alternate occurrences and decisions.
This line of thought is tantamount to claiming that the Star Wars movies in general has a weak plot because Shmi could have had an abortion and then we'd be nowhere.
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
I have yet to read either.
Labyrinth of Evil has badass!Dooku, badass!Grievous, badass!Sidious, though with slightly less political intrigue. The Unifying Force is such an epic conclusion to NJO that it deserves a read through for that alone.
Originally posted by Stealth Moose
I aparrenly need to see this.
There's a decent arc with Captain Tarkin in it.
Originally posted by Turr_Phennir
As I explained something to which no one seems to have a reasonable rebuttal: Palpatine's is hardly the only plan in cinema and real world history to have been potentially derailed by alternate occurrences and decisions.This line of thought is tantamount to claiming that the Star Wars movies in general has a weak plot because Shmi could have had an abortion and then we'd be nowhere.
I did not say that its weak for reliance on coincidence, luck and shit just going right for him, but instead to the sheer quantity of said variables. His plan is (possibly) weak because it just had so many ways to destabalise.