Darth Plagueis The Wise
Star Wars character
Darth Plagueis as he appears in Star Wars Legends material
First appearance
Created byGeorge Lucas
In-universe information
Full nameHego Damask II (Legends)
SpeciesMuun
GenderMale
TitleDarth Plagueis
OccupationDark Lord of the Sith
Magister of Damask Holdings (Legends)
AffiliationSith Order (Canon)
Sith Order, InterGalactic Banking Clan and Damask Holdings (Legends)
FamilyHego Damask I (grandfather; Legends)
Caar Damask (father; Legends)
MasterDarth Tenebrous
ApprenticeDarth Sidious
HomeworldMygeeto (Legends)

Darth Plagueis the Wise is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. A Sith Lord with the ability to cheat death and create life, Plagueis is the enigmatic mentor of Sheev Palpatine / Darth Sidious, who, in accordance to the Sith's Rule of Two, eventually betrays Plagueis by murdering him in his sleep, taking his place as Sith Master. The character was first mentioned on-screen in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, in which Palpatine frames his life and death as a "legend" to pique Anakin Skywalker's curiosity about the dark side of the Force. Plagueis has a more prominent presence in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Development

The character of Darth Plagueis was conceived by George Lucas as early as the first draft of the screenplay for Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), or possibly earlier. The first draft dates from April 2003.[1]

Appearances

Revenge of the Sith

Darth Plagueis is first mentioned in the 2005 prequel film Revenge of the Sith. While attending the opera, Palpatine, who is secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, tells Anakin Skywalker about "the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise". Palpatine explains that Plagueis was so powerful and wise, he had mastered the dark side of the Force to such an extent that he could cheat death and create life; unnatural abilities which are unknown to the Jedi. Ironically, Plagueis was unable to prevent his own death at the hands of his apprentice (who was none other than Palpatine himself), who killed him in his sleep.[2] Later in the film, Palpatine, as Sidious, tempts Anakin to the dark side by promising to use its power to prevent Anakin's pregnant wife Padmé Amidala from dying, as Anakin had foreseen.

The Rise of Skywalker novelization

Darth Plagueis is mentioned in Rae Carson's novelization of the 2019 film The Rise of Skywalker. In the book, it is revealed that Palpatine had discovered Plagueis' "secret to immortality", using this knowledge to resurrect himself after his death in Return of the Jedi.[3] The novel further explains that Plagueis had attempted to create a powerful connection with Palpatine known as a 'Force dyad', a concept mentioned in the film as occurring naturally between Rey and Ben Solo.[3][4] Plagueis' inability to use his powers to save himself from death is also detailed in the novelization; Plagueis "had not acted fast enough in his own moment of death" to prevent Palpatine from killing him.[3][5]

Legends

In April 2014, Lucasfilm rebranded most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film Star Wars as Star Wars Legends and declared them non-canon to the franchise.[6][7][8] Star Wars Legends literature elaborates on Plagueis' life, apprenticeship under the Bith Sith Lord Darth Tenebrous, and mentorship of Palpatine, up until his death at the latter's hands.

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis
AuthorJames Luceno
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesStar Wars Legends
GenreScience fiction
PublisherDel Rey
Publication date
January 10, 2012
Pages496
ISBN0-345-51128-X
Followed byStar Wars: Maul: Lockdown 

The character is the focus of Star Wars: Darth Plagueis, a Legends novel written by James Luceno and published on January 10, 2012. The novel covers the later life and machinations of Darth Plagueis (born Hego Damask II), over a roughly fifty-year period pre-dating and culminating concurrently with the climax of The Phantom Menace. The novel details Plagueis betraying and overthrowing of his own master Darth Tenebrous; his work as head of a powerful banking consortium on the Muun homeworld; his discovery, recruitment, and training of the teenaged Palpatine of Naboo; and the efforts of Plagueis to undermine the Galactic Republic and ensure the dominance of the dark side of the Force. Even though Plagueis' plans to undermine the Galactic Republic were stopped by Palpatine, who betrayed and murdered him, Palpatine still succeeded in wiping out the Galactic Republic and driving the Jedi Order into ruins for his own plans.

Daryl Thomen of Newsday called Darth Plagueis "the best Star Wars publication to date."[9]

Reception

Despite never appearing on screen, Darth Plagueis has remained a popular Star Wars character. The scene in which the character is mentioned in Revenge of the Sith has become an Internet meme.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Rinzler, Jonathan W (2005). The Making of Star Wars, Revenge of the Sith. New York City: Del Rey. ISBN 0-345-43139-1.
  2. ↑ "The Legend of Darth Plagueis - Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith". StarWars.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Carson, Rae (2020). Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Expanded Edition. Del Rey. ISBN 978-0593128404.
  4. ↑ Agar, Chris (March 4, 2020). "Star Wars: Every Reveal About Palpatine In The Rise of Skywalker Novel". Screen Rant. Valnet Inc. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  5. ↑ Bacon, Thomas (March 24, 2020). "Star Wars Debunks Rise of Skywalker's Plagueis/Palpatine Fan Theory". Screen Rant. Valnet Inc. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  6. ↑ McMilian, Graeme (April 25, 2014). "Lucasfilm Unveils New Plans for Star Wars Expanded Universe". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  7. ↑ "The Legendary Star Wars Expanded Universe Turns a New Page". StarWars.com. April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Disney and Random House announce relaunch of Star Wars Adult Fiction line". StarWars.com. April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  9. ↑ Thomen, Daryl (January 19, 2012). "Latest Star Wars novel worth the wait". Newsday. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  10. ↑ Hathaway, Jay (January 27, 2017). "Star Wars' Chancellor Palpatine Has Conquered the Meme Landscape". The Daily Dot. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
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