Palpatine's Public Image as an Emperor

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
Before the PT, I had always assumed that the Empire was a militaristic force that invaded the Republic with clones, defeated it, and set up shop. All the cronies and officers being well aware of their ruler's powers. He talked one of the Jedi in to his way of seeing things, and that guy helped him hunt down and defeat the only people capable of doing anything about the situation.

Simple, but effective. Like Star Wars itself. I never imagined some boring, tiresome, joyless political nonsense, and a completely retarded coup d'etat 1,000 years in the making. Maybe if the progenitor (the OT) had been the kind of tale that had room and atmosphere for such a set-up, then the resulting prequels and EU would feel at home. Something akin to Dune.

But the Star Wars trilogy's strength (in part) was the damn fine execution of a simple, straight forward story and concept. This is why I hate most of the EU--it tries to make the whole thing in to something it never really was, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. The elements that don't stray too far feel the most genuine and are the most entertaining.

I'm not against complexity or intrigue, but I am against trying to turn Dora the Explorer in to Jason Bourne. The ceaseless need people feel to amp everything up (see: every gritty remake ever) is f*cking wearying.

And water is wet.

Originally posted by Emperordmb
Well yes, but I'm not sure how aware the public would be of Darth's Sith connotation given that prior to Vader it hasn't been prominently used for over a thousand years.

Well imagine not knowing what the word president meant. An average person would start wondering about its meaning at the age of 10. So all the politicians and educated citizens of the empire would most certainly know what Darth meant.

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
Before the PT, I had always assumed that the Empire was a militaristic force that invaded the Republic with clones, defeated it, and set up shop. All the cronies and officers being well aware of their ruler's powers. He talked one of the Jedi in to his way of seeing things, and that guy helped him hunt down and defeat the only people capable of doing anything about the situation.

Simple, but effective. Like Star Wars itself. I never imagined some boring, tiresome, joyless political nonsense, and a completely retarded coup d'etat 1,000 years in the making. Maybe if the progenitor (the OT) had been the kind of tale that had room and atmosphere for such a set-up, then the resulting prequels and EU would feel at home. Something akin to Dune.

But the Star Wars trilogy's strength (in part) was the damn fine execution of a simple, straight forward story and concept. This is why I hate most of the EU--it tries to make the whole thing in to something it never really was, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. The elements that don't stray too far feel the most genuine and are the most entertaining.

I'm not against complexity or intrigue, but I am against trying to turn Dora the Explorer in to Jason Bourne. The ceaseless need people feel to amp everything up (see: every gritty remake ever) is f*cking wearying.

I imagined it exactly the same before seeing PT. However, I still liked Palpatine. Manipulative evil geniuses are always my favorite characters in movies. Tbh its the only thing I liked in PT. Well that and the duel of the fates soundtrack.

There are many writers working separately so this was inevitable for EU. If it had been like the LOTR universe, things would make more sense since all the stories came from 1 person but then it wouldn't be this big and endless. I agree with what your saying though.

Most of the OT EU was before the Prequel era. The Darth Title back in the day wasn't even a Sith thing, people literally thought that was Darth Vader's first name. I don't know if any post TPM OT era EU expanded on that, but yeah. As for the Emperor, in the EU only people like Sate Pestage knew he was a Sith, in fact most people thought Darth Vader was the real guy running the Empire, while the Emperor was a complete myth or just a figurehead.

Originally posted by The Merchant
in fact most people thought Darth Vader was the real guy running the Empire, while the Emperor was a complete myth or just a figurehead.

Are you assuming that or do you have proof if you don't mind me asking?

It's in EU novels, don't really remember that much TBH but I remember that someone I think Wedge made a remark about it. But I do know for sure that is what a lot of the Galaxy thought. The Emperor shut himself away from almost everything until A new Hope when he decided to dissolve the Senate completely, originally focusing on his powers in the Dark Side.

Well it makes sense. After all, this is not a political movie so I can understand some deficiencies

Star Wars 7 should be like 40 years preior to the phantom menace, a political movie, palpatines rise to power, how the republic slowly fell apart. And the stark hyperspace war.

Or at least make a documentary about it. LOL

Originally posted by PTforthewin
Star Wars 7 should be like 40 years preior to the phantom menace, a political movie, palpatines rise to power, how the republic slowly fell apart.

Honestly, I would prefer that to post ROTJ

Palpatine was seen to the galaxy at large as a benevolent old man, if I remember correctly. Vader's job was to be the face of the power of the Empire and the enforcer. Palpatine just had to make it seem like everything he was doing was for the greater good to the public at large. He was only evil in private.