25 Greatest Characters in Star Wars History

5. Darth Plagueis

(Write-up by David Harris (Razor), Dork Side of the Force Editor in Chief)

Before there was Darth Sidious as the evil Emperor of the Galactic Empire, there was his master, Darth Plagueis. If you thought Palpatine was cruel and sinister, then you would be shocked at the level of evil that Plagueis went to.

Plagueis became a Sith apprentice in the time of the Rule of Two, which meant he craved the power his master had, and when the first opportunity presented itself, he killed his master, thus becoming a Sith Lord…or the Sith Lord. Shortly after that, during a visit to Naboo, Plagueis in his guise as Hego Damask, a high ranking member of the banking clan, came across the force sensitive Palpatine.

Plagueis took Palpatine on as an apprentice and the two used all their considerable means toward the scientific research of midi-chlorians. Plagueis the Wise was sure that he could manipulate the force to bring about the birth of the Chosen One…which he did in the form of Anakin Skywalker.

In true Sith fashion, Palpatine trained his own apprentice (Darth Maul), and plotted to kill his master so that he could be the Supreme Sith Lord.

On the night of his ascension to the galactic senate as Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine/Darth Sidious lured his master (Plagueis), back to his apartments where the two Sith Lords drank wine in celebration. Plagueis was convinced that he had talked his apprentice into doing away with the Rule of Two, so that they could reign as equals, together.

Once Plagueis had passed out due to being drunk with wine, Sidious shot Force lighting into his master, killing his earthly body. Sidious knew of Plagueis’ desire for immortality, but did not think he had achieved it. Once his master was dead, Sidious felt a disturbance in the Force which he attributed to his apprentice’s, Darth Maul, death at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Fast forward to 2015 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The rumor for a while now is that Kylo Ren is being controlled by a Sith Lord more powerful than any Sith that has been seen for hundreds of years. Whispers of a tomb being inhabited by the Force ghost or presence of Darth Plagueis the Wise have been circulating the rumor mills. How cool would it be, if the master of Darth Sidious the Emperor, was actually alive the whole time, just waiting to make his move? I guess we will have to wait and see.

Next: Speaking of Darth Sidious