A major Star Wars villain actor teased a major Sequel Trilogy retcon with another possible comeback. 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker unexpectedly brought back Emperor Palpatine, a villain deemed dead at the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The Emperor's dark essence had endured through forbidden Sith rituals and a hidden cloning program on the ancient Sith world of Exegol. While he was ultimately defeated by Rey Skywalker, a new update teased another potential return.
Speaking at his panel at SpaceCon San Antonio (via Popverse) in June 2026, Ian McDiarmid teased his potential return to the Star Wars franchise, admitting that he doesn't really believe Palpatine is truly dead:
"But think I’m dead now, but don’t quote me….I don’t believe he’s dead.”
Even after The Rise of Skywalker's seemingly final victory, McDiarmid refused to close the book, mirroring how Palpatine himself always has one more hidden plan or ritual waiting in the shadows.
Palpatine has a long history of "cheating death," and this recurring motif is central to his character. Palpatine is a Sith Lord whose hunger for power extends beyond the mortal realm, rooted in the dark side's promise of unnatural abilities.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker showcased Palpatine's most dramatic return in Star Wars canon. Following Darth Vader's act of throwing Palpatine down the reactor shaft in Return of the Jedi, Palpatine's consciousness survived via essence transfer, a forbidden Sith technique that allowed his spirit to flee his dying body and inhabit a clone on the hidden world of Exegol.
Interestingly, the novelization of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker already teased Palpatine's return. The line from the novel suggested that Palpatine is still alive and could possibly return, with Poe Dameron unsure if the Sith Lord is truly dead:
"General Leia thought they'd destroyed the Emperor at the Battle of Endor," Poe said. "But he came back. More powerful than ever."
"You think he might come back again," Finn said.
"Maybe," Poe said, staring off in Zorii's direction. Of course Poe would worry about that. He was acting general now, and like any good general he was anticipating what fight still lay ahead. "Or some other evil will rise. Evil always rises."
"Naw," said Finn. "Not for a long time, anyway."
Palpatine's repeated defiance of death makes him more than a villain, considering he is the living embodiment of the Sith creed.
Will Palpatine Ever Return in Star Wars? Why This Retcon Is a Bad Idea
While Emperor Palpatine is unlikely to physically return in the near future, Ian McDiarmid's latest comment leaves the door open.
If Palpatine does return, the upcoming Rey Skywalker solo movie could be the perfect avenue for a possible comeback, which could be anchored to her Palpatine bloodline and could theoretically invite lingering dark side threats or Force visions. Despite that, current indications point toward new stories and moving forward with rebuilding the Jedi Order plot rather than recycling the Emperor again.
Bringing Palpatine back in The Rise of Skywalker via the infamous "Somehow, Palpatine returned" line remains one of the most criticized creative choices in the sequel trilogy. Reviving Palpatine cheapens Rey's victory, making her arc feel less final because the ultimate evil wasn't truly defeated.
Palpatine's return came across as a desperate reset button to tie everything back to the familiar Sith Lord instead of developing new threats. If the galaxy's greatest villain can keep coming back, death in the Star Wars universe loses meaning. A Palpatine comeback could severely affect Rey's story in this new era by sidelining the potential for fresh villains and reducing complex themes.
