The Rise of Skywalker: 5 questions on Emperor Palpatine having a family
2. Did Palpatine have other children?
We know for a fact that Sheev Palpatine, Darth Sidious himself, had one son. Whether biological or the result of cloning, this son seemed to be a complete unknown to viewers and the galaxy until The Rise of Skywalker. Could there by other children hidden in the shadows as well?
Each theory about how Palpatine sired his son leads to different paths for a family. If he was married, and a woman truly cared about him or the power he afforded them, then the number of children could be just one; an heir, a symbol of their union, etc. If his son came through a member of a “harem” or group of women kept close to Palpatine for his enjoyment, then where there is one child there could certainly be more.
The cloning theory would best lend itself to the most children. While Jango Fett requested just a single un-altered clone to adopt as his son, he was a single father traipsing around the galaxy performing dangerous jobs. Ask “The Child” from The Mandalorian how safe that is.
The Emperor of the Galactic Empire would have a much easier time raising as many children or replicas as possible. If Palpatine took the time, effort and cost to make a clone, why would he not make a host of clones?
Imagine if, through one method or the other, his children were all strong in the Force? He could effectively be forming his own personal Sith Order, filled with either his children or his direct replicas. Could the Sith acolytes chanting on Exogol simply be Palpatine clones? While that particular thought seems far-fetched, it’s not impossible given the near-limitless bounds of cloning technology and its untapped potential in the Star Wars universe.
The idea of Palpatine overseeing a royal family a la a more traditional fantasy story — Game of Thrones, for example — is a fascinating one. It would be a major overhaul of canon to fit one in, so the odds are very slim. But more children in secret? That’s an untapped vein that could reveal itself down the line.