Darth Sidious/Sheev Palpatine Respect Thread (Canon)

[DoA]

"There is only one plan—one great design which shall govern the universe—mine.""

---

This is going to be my take on the canon version of my favorite Sith lord, Darth Sidious. And as such, it will feature accolades and feats solely from the canon continuity.  I know that a canon respect thread for him already exists for him but it lacks what in my opinion is a significant amount of material and therefore does not accurately portray the greatness of the Galactic Emperor. I would like to give credit to Azronger, ShootingNova, Zapan871 for some of the accolades and other quotes that are included.


This respect thread will be separated into the following sections:

• Overall Power
  
• Force Lightning
  
• Telekinesis
  
• Telepathy
  
• Force Sense/Precognition/Farsight
  
• Combat Skill
  
• Force Augmentation
  
• Knowledge/Alchemy
  
• Midi-chlorian Manipulation
  

[DoA]

Darth Sidious was the most powerful being in the galaxy during the events of the Clone Wars and Son of Dathomir.

By restoring Maul’s powers, Talzin hoped to defeat Sidious and become the most powerful being in the galaxy.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/mother-talzin

"I was apprenticed to the most powerful being in the galaxy once. I was destined to become... so much more."

Darth Maul, Star Wars:The Clone Wars - Revenge

Darth Sidious is even more powerful than the Jedi:

"Ian is a classical Shakespearean actor; you know, the last thing in the world that he can do, or wants to do, is be a Jedi Master. You know, he is not a Jedi Master, he's got to be even more powerful than the Jedi."

Rick McCallum, Star Wars Episode III: Becoming Sidious

Darth Sidious is much more powerful than any dark sider that Yoda has faced:

But always before, his own years of study and practice and his own strength with the Force had been more than enough to prevail. This time he wasn't sure.

[...]

Strong, this Sith Lord is, Yoda thought as their lightsabers whirled and clashed and whirled again.

[...]

Following him was like walking against hurricane winds. Never had Yoda faced one so strong in the dark side.

Revenge of the Sith Junior Novelization

The Emperor's power made him too strong for Grand Master Yoda to defeat:

Grand Master Yoda goes to the Senate on Coruscant to confront Darth Sidious, but he is unable to defeat the Sith Lord in combat.

Star Wars: Galactic Atlas

Yoda and Darth Sidious each used his side of the Force to try to defeat the other. But the Sith Lord's powers were too strong.

Revenge of the Sith Junior Novelization

The Jedi Master and the Sith Lord dueled in the Senate chamber, but Sidious was too strong for Yoda to defeat.

https://www.starwars.com/coruscant-history-gallery

In a desperate attempt to stop the Sith from gaining control of the galaxy, Yoda battled Palpatine in the Senate chamber. But the revealed Sith Lord was too strong for the former Jedi grandmaster. Yoda was forced to flee, going into exile on Dagobah.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/galactic-senate

Master Yoda made a last-ditch attempt to stop him, and their fight spilled over into the now-empty Senate rotunda. Darth Sidious overwhelmed Master Yoda with the destructive energy of the dark side, and the Jedi Master fled Coruscant.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/emperor-palpatine-darth-sidious

Yoda confronted Sidious in the heart of the Senate chambers. This erupted into an intense duel between these masters of the Force, a fight that Yoda ultimately lost and was forced to flee.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/yoda

Yoda is eventually outmatched by Sidious. Beaten, Yoda retreats into a maintenance tunnel and is rescued by Bail Organa.

https://www.starwars.com/films/star-wars-episode-3-revenge-of-the-sith-story-gallery

Though Yoda is a tough combatant, the Emperor uses his Sith powers to release lightning bolts and hurl floating platforms at his foe. Ultimately the battle proves too much for Yoda, who barely escapes and is whisked away to safety by Senator Bail Organa.

Ultimate Star Wars

Note: Yoda is stated to be the most powerful Jedi:

Star Wars: Galactic Atlas

Darth Vader says that he has to obey the Emperor due to the latter's power:

"You don't know the power of the dark side. I must obey my master."

Darth Vader, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Darth Sidious' mere holographic presence radiates enough power for Ventress to regard him as more steeped in the dark side than Vos and possibly even Dooku had ever been

The count seemed to want to protest, but at that moment a hologram appeared. Dooku fell to his knees, his head bowed. Ventress had seen Darth Sidious before, but had never beheld his face. Nor would she likely see it now. He wore the same heavy robes and dark cowl that he always had, concealing his features even now, when he assumed he would only be talking to Dooku.

“Darth Tyranus,” intoned Count Dooku’s Master. Even though he wasn’t physically present, the simple sound of his voice—rasping, papery somehow, like the rustling of ancient parchment—sent a shiver through Ventress. This man was steeped in the dark side of the Force, saturated with it, in a way that she was certain Vos, perhaps even Dooku, had never been. She tightened her grip on her lightsaber.

Dark Disciple

Darth Sidious is far more powerful than Darth Maul:

IGN: And there are some other notable beats there at the end, besides, obviously, the death of Savage. There’s the fact that Maul begged for his life. I'm curious, should we take that at face value or was it a ruse?

IFiloni: Yeah, I think that’s pretty literal at that point. I think that what you understand about Maul is that he is still not nearly as powerful as Sidious

Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Dave Filoni talks about the Death Watch/Darth Maul arc and the casualties along the way

Ian McDiarmid claims that Darth Sidious is much more powerful than either Anakin or Obi-Wan:

I had no idea that also that I'd be involved in the big action sequence, in the beginning of the picture when Ewan and Hayden rescue me very cleverly. As you now all know it's my plot. Everything in that film is practically my plot so they didn't need to rescue me. I'm only there as a kind of decoy in order that Anakin does his first piece of killing on my behalf which is Count Dooku.And so when we're racing away, me again being hypocritical because as you find out later in the film I have as much, if not, more power, well, much more power frankly than either of them.

Ian McDiarmid Discusses Being in the Star Wars Saga

Darth Sidious is the embodiment of the dark side:

Cunning and evil, the Emperor is the embodiment of the dark side.

Star Wars: Galactic Defense

Darth Vader claims that the Emperor is significantly more powerful than Bendu, who can generate lightning powerful enough to destroy several fully-shielded starfighters and a AT-AT walkers:

And once, again, Vader found himself curious to see whether Thrawn could truly deliver everything he'd promised.

"Very well," he said. "But understand this. All the strength of the creature you faced on Atollon pales in comparison with the power of the Emperor. Are you truly willing to risk his anger?"

Thrawn: Alliances

The Emperor's mastery of the Dark Side gave him "true power":

Only half of his face can be seen underneath the hood. In that glimpse, the boy can see the awfulness there: as if dark magic has distorted his visage. It is a good reminder that this man has true power unlike anything Galli has ever seen, and with that, the boy quickly stifles any threat in his mind lest the old sorcerer have the ability to pluck stray thoughts from inside his skull.

Aftermath: Empire's End

The Emperor's mere presence is so overwhelming that it is likened to a collapsing star and the consumptive void it creates.

Palpatine has the presence of a collapsing star and the consumptive void that results from it. It draws you in. It takes something from you. It is a flensing, frightening force.

Aftermath: Empire's End

[DoA]

The Emperor is capable besting even the greatest of the Jedi with Force Lightning:

Outwardly frail, Palpatine was in truth a cunning warrior capable of besting even the greatest Jedi warrior in lightsaber combat or by conjuring powerfully destructive Force lightning.

Star Wars 101: Servants of the Dark Side

Causing Darth Maul, who has insane pain tolerance and durability, to scream and writhe in pain with Lightning:



A single burst of Darth Sidious' lightning is powerful enough to exorcise Mother Talzin out of Count Dooku's body:


Darth Sidious stalemates Mother Talzin in a lightning clash despite the latter having her powers amplified:




Note: The duel takes place at the heart of Mother Talzin's power, on Dathomir is stated to explicitly benefit her.




Darth Sidious kills Mace Windu with Lightning:





Before Mace's blow could land, a desperate Anakin ignited his own saber and struck off Mace's hand. Sidious then blasted Mace with Force lightning, killing the Order's great champion.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/mace-windu-biography-gallery

The Emperor incapacitates Yoda with Lightning:



The Emperor disarms Yoda of his lightsaber with Lightning:



The Emperor's lightning is so powerful that it takes all of Yoda's strength just to divert it :

When Yoda finally managed to get out of the way, the Emperor attacked him with powerful Force lightning. It took all Yoda had in him to divert the energy.

Revenge of the Sith: 6 stories in 1

The Emperor fries the pilots of a freighter with Lightning while simultaneously telekinetically manipulating it:

Engines exploded into flame and spit smoke. His Master raised his hands, forming one into a claw emitting jagged bolts of Force lightning that connected him for a moment to the ship. Vader imagined the interior of the craft lit up with the bolts of his Master’s power, the pilots screaming and writhing in pain as the dark side seared their flesh. The Emperor clenched his other hand, taking a mental hold on the ship with the Force. Vader, too, lifted a hand and reached out with the Force toward the other ship.

Lords Of The Sith

The Emperor oneshots pair of Lyleks with Force Lightning:

Beside Vader, his Master gestured with both hands and jagged lines of Force lightning shot forth, striking two of the foremost lyleks, lifting the creatures from the ground and driving them backward, tumbling, hissing, screaming in agony, dying.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor unleashes omnidirectional Force Lightning that chars and kills an entire group of Lyleks:

Below, an explosion of Force lightning shredded a handful of lyleks and left his Master standing in the center of a circle of charred, dead creatures.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor’s lightning is powerful enough to burn the Lylek queen inside and out despite its carapace being durable enough to negate Darth Vader’s lightsaber:

His Master raised both hands and sent a storm of Force lightning into the queen, enmeshing her in sizzling blue lines. She screamed and spasmed in agony, her mandibles parting wide to reveal the rows of her teeth as the lightning tore at her carapace and the organs underneath, burning her inside and out.

Lords of the Sith

“Go,” the Emperor said. Vader sprinted forward and leapt high. The moment he reached the apex of his jump, his Master seized him with the Force and flung him the rest of the way so that he landed atop the queen's back. Immediately she bucked, tentacles flailing, and he drove his lightsaber down into her back. To his surprise, the blade only bit partially and then slipped to the side.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor instantly overpowers Luke Skywalker with Force Lightning:



Then he raised his arms and extended his gnarled fingers towards Luke. Blinding bolts of blue lightning shot from the Emperor's hands, and Luke was suddenly enveloped by crackling bands of energy. He tried to deflect the lightning but was so overwhelmed that his knees buckled.

Return of the Jedi Junior Novelization (2014)

Knowing he would gain no prize today, the Emperor fired a surge of Force lightning designed to torture and kill. Struck by the intensity of the Emperor's power, Luke crumpled to the floor and begged his father for help.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/darth-sidious-biography-gallery

[DoA]

Darth Sidious kills a pair of Mandalorians with a Force Choke, strangling them to death even without gesturing:




Darth Sidious effortlessly hurls a pair of Mandalorians to the wall while Choking them, and leaving them to strangle to death:




Darth Sidious telekinetically hurls Darth Maul and Savage Opress against a wall and pins them there:




Darth Sidious effortlessly pulls Darth Maul and Savage Opress from a balcony:




Darth Sidious knocks out Darth Maul with a Force Push:




Darth Sidious sends Savage Opress flying with a Force Push:




Darth Sidious ragdolls Darth Maul:




Darth Sidious Force chokes Tyranus via hologram while the Count is on Serenno and Sidious is on Coruscant:




The Emperor casually hurls multiple senate pods at Yoda:








The Emperor pulls a freighter out of the sky:

The Emperor clenched his other hand, taking a mental hold on the ship with the Force. Vader, too, lifted a hand and reached out with the Force toward the other ship. Vader enmeshed himself in the Force, in his seething, ever-present wrath, and used it to take hold of the freighter and drive the entire ship toward the ground. He grunted with the effort, his respirator increasing his rate of breathing to account for the exertion.

The ship, its damaged engines unable to compensate enough against the downward push of Vader's power, went nose-down and streaked into the ground. Vader imagined the screams of the pilots as they watched the forest race toward them. The ship disappeared behind the tree line and exploded into a fireball that reached above the forest's canopy and caused the ground to vibrate. A cloud of black smoke rose into the darkening sky. A second boom sounded behind him, his Master having driven the second ship into the ground the same way.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor collapses some trees on groups of Lyleks, killing them:

The Emperor gestured with a free hand, using the Force to topple trees. They fell into the horde, crushing lyleks, knocking down other trees that crushed still more. The survivors clambered over the dead without pausing, continuing their frenetic pursuit.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor casually collapses a tunnel:

The Emperor gestured casually, and the tunnel’s ceiling came down in a shower of rock and dirt. The sound of frustrated hisses and roars carried through the rubble. The four men stood in the light of Vader’s lightsaber. He deactivated it, casting them in darkness. The captain turned on his helmet lights.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor hurls a group of Lyleks to the wall hard enough to crack their exoskeleton, killing them:

At the same time, his Master unleashed a destructive wave of power that cast three of the huge creatures backward and into the wall, cracking exoskeletons and leaving them broken, twitching, dying.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor lets lose a blast of power that shatters the bodies of multiple Lyleks:

A blast of power from somewhere under the throng of creatures drove four lyleks ten meters into the air, their bodies shattered by the force of the impact, limbs and tentacles showering down in a macabre rain. His Master stood in the center of the circle of surviving lyleks, his hair mussed, his robe torn, his lightsaber in hand, but otherwise seemingly unharmed.

Lords of the Sith

As if on command, the lyleks surged toward them from all sides. As one, Vader and his Master channeled the Force and unleashed blasts of power that slammed into the advancing creatures, shattering several and casting six or seven hard against the walls. Still the lyleks came on, chittering and grasping and slashing.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor and Darth Vader unleash a Force Blast more powerful than a grenade:

Vader and the Emperor stepped around Deez, faced the tons of rock and dirt, and both felt deeply into the Force. As one, they raised their hands, summoned their collective power, and loosed a sudden blast that was more powerful than a grenade. Rock and dirt exploded outward, no doubt traveling high into the night sky.

Lords of the Sith

Note: Lyleks have carapaces tough enough to deflect blaster bolts and just a few Lyleks are enough of a threat to force the local population to fortify entire cities. What makes this feat more impressive is that The Emperor accomplished these feats while holding back considerably:

The guards fired, their rifles writing red streaks in the air. The bolts struck the lyleks but bounced off their carapaces, deflecting into the trees.

Lords of the Sith

"These are apex predators", Goll said in disbelief. "We fortify our cities out of fear of facing a handful of these. And this group of four, facing a horde on foot?"

Lords of the Sith

He felt the Emperor's eyes on him, the intensity of the gaze, the weight of his expectations, and Vader knew that the day's events had been only half about depleting a rebel movement before it could grow. They had also, as Vader had suspected, been about testing him, forcing him to face the ghosts of his past and exorcise them forever and fully. He saw that more clearly now; saw, too, that his Master was right to administer the test. It also explained why his Master had shown so little of his true power throughout the day. Perhaps he'd wanted Vader to rely on himself to overcome the challenges they'd faced. Or perhaps he'd wanted to seem weaker than he was, to draw out any treacherous ambitions Vader may have held.

Lords of the Sith

[DoA]

Count Dooku reveals to Obi-Wan that Darth Sidious was influencing the minds of hundreds of senators:

"The truth...what if I told you that the Republic was now under the control of the Dark Lords of the Sith?”

"No! That's not possible. The Jedi would be aware of it."

"The dark side of the Force has clouded their vision, my friend.”

Attack of the Clones

The Emperor reads Darth Vader’s thoughts:


Perhaps Vader would attempt to kill his Master one day. Sith apprentices ordinarily did. They must, if they were trained well. An apprentice was unquestioningly loyal until the moment he wasn't. Both Master and apprentice knew this.

But our relationship is different, Master," Vader had said then. "Perhaps," his Master had said. "Perhaps."

Or maybe self-delusion was part of the training a Master instilled in an apprentice.

“Your thoughts are troubled, my friend,” the Emperor said, his voice loud in the quiet. The Emperor often referred to him as a friend, and perhaps they were friends, in some sense, though Vader saw purpose in the use of the term. He thought his Master used a term he might use with a peer to emphasize that Master and apprentice were not, in fact, peers.

“No, my Master. Not troubled.” The Emperor chuckled, the sound coming out a cackle. 'Troubled’ perhaps misstates the matter. Your thoughts are on violence.”

Lords of the Sith

Vader, still pondering his Master’s words, drifted into the Force, let its rough currents pull him where it willed. As was so often the case, he saw moments from his past, a series of inchoate, violent, pain-filled images and sounds.

His decapitation of Darth Tyranus, the first kill his Master had asked of him.

Padmé’s screams.

His murder of the younglings in the Jedi Temple, their eyes wide with a fear that only fed his righteous wrath.

Padmé’s screams, her pain.

Treachery.

Mace Windu’s shouts of rage as he’d realized the truth.

Padmé’s screams.

Traitor.

The fires of Mustafar, his hatred for Obi-Wan, who’d feared him and tried to keep him from his destiny, who’d tried to take Padmé from him, who’d put him in the armor.

Padmé’s screams, her despair. “No, Anakin! No!”

Vader opened his eyes, his fists clenched, his anger overflowing, to see his Master standing across the fire from him, staring at him, staring at him. His Master’s expression unreadable, his features partially hideden by the depts of his hood.

Vader sensed the anger in his Master, sensed, too, the threat that lived in that anger.

Lords of the Sith

For a moment, caught up in the aftereffects of his vision, Vader wondered what it would be like to face his Master in battle, to take his small, frail body in his hands, lift it from the ground and…

He cut off his thoughts, but his Master had sensed them, for his face split in a dark smile.

“I see you, apprentice.”

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor telepathically enslaves a Twi’lek

“Come here, girl,” the Emperor said, putting the power of the Force into his command.
Unable to resist, the girl walked out of the tree line until she stood, small and vulnerable, before him.

(…)

The girl, under the sway of the Emperor’s power, seemed scarcely to notice the danger. She simply stood there, staring vacantly, her face aglow in the red light of the crossed blades.

Lords of the Sith

Gallius Rax muses that the Emperor can read his thoughts:

Only half of his face can be seen underneath the hood. In that glimpse, the boy can see the awfulness there: as if dark magic has distorted his visage. It is a good reminder that this man has true power unlike anything Galli has ever seen, and with that, the boy quickly stifles any threat in his mind lest the old sorcerer have the ability to pluck stray thoughts from inside his skull.

Aftermath: Empire’s End

[DoA]

Darth Sidious senses Darth Maul’s actions from across the galaxy:

Throughout this time, Maul dueled Obi-Wan Kenobi on numerous occasions, and in an act of pure hatred, killed Obi-Wan’s former love, Duchess Satine Kryze. His revenge would prove double-edged, however, as the act created a dark side ripple sensed by his former Master, Darth Sidious.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/darth-maul

Maul's hateful act garnered unwanted attention, however: across the galaxy, Darth Sidious detected a tremor in the Force and soon left for Mandalore.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/darth-maul-biography-gallery

Darth Sidious senses Anakin Skywalker’s anger:

“Are you going to kill me?”
“I would certainly like to.”
“I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. Makes you stronger.”

Revenge of the Sith

From across the galaxy, Darth Sidious senses that Darth Vader is in danger:

"Tell Captain Kagi to prepare my shuttle for immediate takeoff. I sense Lord Vader is in danger."

Revenge of the Sith

The Emperor knows that everyone within the rear compartment of his shuttle has died even without seeing it.

Vader considered his response for a moment. When he spoke, he did not bother to lie. “I…was thinking of something else for a moment.”
His Master nodded. “I guessed as much. And I’m pleased that you told me the truth, though I think it only a half-truth. I any event, your lapse has left four corpses in the rear compartment.”

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor is able to sense things through the Force that even Darth Vader cannot:

Vader didn’t ask how his Master knew that four men had died. His Master simply knew things, many things, most thing, and that was explanation enough.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor is able to sense a dark-side presence within the Unknown Regions, while Darth Vader is unable to do so:

The Emperor was convinced that something waited for him out there-some origin of the Force, some dark presence formed of malevolent substance. He said he could feel the waves of it radiating out now that the way was clear. The Emperor called it a signal-conveniently one that only he could hear. Even his greatest enforcer, Vader, seemed oblivious to it, and Vader also claimed mastery over the dark Force, did he not?  

Aftermath: Empire's End

The Emperor foresaw Darth Vader’s confrontation with Ahsoka:

When she says, “It wouldn’t be the first time,” it’s an admission. She’s saying, “I know who you are. I know you’re Anakin Skywalker. I know you used to screw up all the time.” When he turns to her, he says, “It was foretold that you would be here,” because the Emperor told him that this was going to happen. That he would face his former apprentice.

https://www.starwars.com/news/fates-fulfilled-dave-filoni-reflects-on-star-wars-rebels-season-two-part-2

The Emperor senses a Shatterpoint:

All things flow toward this moment.” His voice goes soft and his head eases back into his hood. “I sense…chaos. Weakness. I sense a shatterpoint.”

Aftermath: Empire’s End

The Emperor was already aware of the Rebel Force on Endor:

Vader said, “A small rebel force has penetrated the shield and landed on Endor."

“Yes, I know." the Emperor replied in an almost bored tone as he slowly rotated his chair to face Vader.

Return of the Jedi Junior Novelization

The Emperor was aware of Darth Vader’s desire to continue searching for Luke Skywalker:

The Death Star will be completed on schedule," Vader reported.

"You have done well, Lord Vader," the Emperor replied, his voice a decrepit rasp. "And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker."

"Yes, my master."

Return of the Jedi Junior Novelization

The Emperor senses Luke Skywalker’s anger.

“Good," the Emperor said, closing his yellow eyes and smiling. "I can feel your anger. I am defenseless."

Luke glanced at his lightsaber, still resting near the Emperor's right hand on the throne's armrest.

"Take your weapon!" the Emperor challenged. "Strike me down with all of your hatred, and your journey toward the dark side will be complete."

Return of the Jedi Junior Novelization

[DoA]

Darth Sidious trained Darth Maul,  one of the "most efficiently" and "most highly" trained  Sith Lords in the history of the Sith Order, which goes back for at least 6, 000 years:

A deadly, agile Sith Lord trained by the evil Darth Sidious, Darth Maul was a formidable warrior and scheming mastermind.

https://www.starwars.com/databank/darth-maul

One of the deadliest, most efficiently trained Sith in the Order's history, Darth Maul's tattooed face is as symbolic of his utter devotion to the dark side, as it is marking his hatred of the Jedi.

Ultimate Star Wars

Apprentice to Darth Sidious, Maul is one of the most highly trained Sith in the history of the order.

Ultimate Star Wars

Darth Sidious is a mastery of every weapon and every style:

"Sidious is a master of every weapon and every style."

www.theforce.net/episode3/jtf/palpatine.asp

Darth Sidious is proficient enough with a lightsaber that he can wield it in either hand with equal ease:

"Pertaining to whether Sidious is right-handed or left-handed with a lightsaber, he's ambidextrous. He's just that good."

http://www.theforce.net/episode3/jtf/palpatine.asp

Darth Sidious’ fighting abilities are beyond anything experienced in the Star Wars films:

"Sidious' abilities are beyond anything we've experienced."

http://www.theforce.net/episode3/jtf/palpatine.asp

Darth Sidious’ fighting style is constantly changing, making it nearly impossible to get the better of him:

"It took a really long time for Nick (Gillard) to work out Sidious' fighting style, and he has a style that's constantly changing. His style is one in which you'll never get the better of him. It is ambiguous --- he'll fight less than you and draw you in; you're a sucker if you think you're going to better him."

http://www.theforce.net/episode3/jtf/palpatine.asp

Darth Sidious’ unique fighting style makes him, in a sense, more dangerous than Yoda:

Grievous wasn't the only villain given his own unique lightsaber method. For Episode III Gillard also was tasked with designing an impressive style for a character fans saw fight only briefly (via Force lightning) in Return of the Jedi -- the Emperor.
"He's better than Yoda in a way because he has the extra power of the dark side," Gillard explains. "His character is so shrouded that his fighting style should be shrouded as well. The Emperor is deadly dangerous."

http://archive.li/hFbAz

Darth Sidious is capable of besting the greatest Jedi in combat:

Outwardly frail, Palpatine was in truth a cunning warrior capable of besting even the greatest Jedi warrior in lightsaber combat or by conjuring powerfully destructive Force lightning.

Star Wars 101: Servants of the Dark Side

In terms of dueling, Darth Sidious is at the highest level, rivaled only by Yoda and Anakin:

Level nine, the highest level of lightsaber fighting, is occupied by a small number of capable sword masters, including Yoda and Darth Sidious

http://www.theforce.net/episode3/jtf/palpatine.asp

In the Jedi levels of lightsaber fighting, Obi-Wan is an eight, while Anakin, Yoda and Darth Sidious are nines.
[/i]

http://www.theforce.net/episode3/jtf/palpatine.asp

'Hayden Christensen is one of the best there is,' says Gillard. 'I've seen hundreds of sword fighters, people who do it for a living, and he leaves them all in his wake. His style has changed a bit since Episode II, when he was only a level seven. On this he's a level nine.' For the curious, Gillard does not reveal any Jedi who has achieved level ten. The highest is nine, occupied by a small number of capable sword masters, including Yoda and Darth Sidious. At so high a ranking, it comes down to individual fighting styles as well as the circumstances of the surroundings that make difference.”

http://web.archive.org/web/20051202222123/http://starwars.com/episode-iii/bts/production/beacon126.html

Darth Sidious easily outduels both Maul and Savage. Holding the upper hand during the entire fight whilst toying with them and enjoying himself:

Meanwhile, Sidious duels the Sith brothers, never wavering from his position of superiority.

http://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/clone-wars/the-lawless-episode-gallery

Upon arrival, Sidious declared the Sith brothers to be his rivals. In an intense duel, he killed Savage and toyed with Maul, ultimately deciding not to kill his former apprentice.

http://www.starwars.com/databank/darth-maul-biography-gallery

Well, that was definitely one of our biggest challenges, Maul and Savage versus Sidious, because we wanted to have an epic lightsaber fight. We hadn’t really had a big one in awhile, and I really thought this is our chance to show everyone why Sidious is the Sith Lord. Why no one can compete with this guy.

http://www.starwars.com/news/interview-dave-filoni-on-star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-five-part-2

At the end of the day, with Sidious, nobody was really going to be able to touch him. He had to be the strongest, most dangerous guy. And you could see at a certain point, he just puts his lightsabers away at the end of the fight and says, “I’m done with this,” and goes in and mauls Maul, so to speak. I love the part where Maul begs at the end, because that’s the thing about Sith. At the end of the day, if you break them…

http://www.starwars.com/news/interview-dave-filoni-on-star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-five-part-2

IGN: He really always does have the upper hand in that fight.

Filoni: And he's enjoying himself while he does it.

Dave Filoni talks about the Death Watch/Darth Marc

Darth Sidious almost instantly disarms Mother Talzin:

[DoA]

I.STRENGTH

---

Darth Sidious easily wards off the combined strength of Maul and Savage while laughing



Darth Sidious sends Savage Opress flying with a kick, stunning the latter for several seconds






Darth Sidious overpowers an enraged Darth Maul in a bladelock



Darth Sidious matches Grand Master Yoda in blade locks







Darth Sidious lifts Darth Vader into his feet with uncanny strength:

He grasped it two-handed again, preparing another blow, but she reared up hard, bucking, and flung him to the floor. He landed near his Master, who grabbed him by the arm and heaved him to his feet with uncanny strength.

Lords of the Sith

---

II.SPEED

---

Darth Sidious kills Saesee Tiin, Agen Kolar before either of them can react, and kills Kit Fisto shortly afterwards even whilst simultaneously fighting Mace Windu:


Before the Jedi could react, Palpatine sprang into action and killed all of them except Mace Windu.

http://www.starwars.com/databank/palpatine-biography-gallery

The Emperor deflects blaster fire from a freighter:

Lost in the Force, Vader anciticpated the shots that would have hit him, saw the approriate angles of impact and deflection, and used the rapid spinning of his lightsaber to turn first one, then a second, then a third shot into the tree line but at back at the ships, the heat and energy of the bolts driving him backward, warming the hilt of his weapon, a heat he could feel even through his glove. His Master did the same with his lightsaber, the graceful arcs of its red line weaving a protective shield around him and turning the second ship's shots back at it.

Lords of the Sith

Note: The shots from the freighter can vaporize armored Royal Guards:

The shots churned the ground, destroyed trees, heated the air of the clearing; one slammed into the chest of a Royal Guard and vaporized all of him save for his helmet.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor kills a dozen or more Lyleks, moving so fast that his lightsaber appears as a blur to Darth Vader:

Vader turned and looked down to the floor below, where his Master, surrounded by a dozen or more lyleks, was spinning, whirling, leaping, his lightsaber moving so fast it blurred. He looked tiny amid their bulk but moved with preternatural speed, his blade stabbing and slashing and severing. He was laughing, the familiar cackle somehow audible above the sounds of the horde.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor evades attacks from the Lylek queen, who's speed was compared to that of a lightning strike:

Frustrated, the queen rushed toward them with surprising speed. Her huge body slammed into them both, knocking them backward. Quick as a lightning strike, she struck with snapping mandibles.

Lords of the Sith

The queen exploded into motion and so, too, did Vader and the Emperor. A tentacle lashed at Vader and he leapt over it, sidestepping a second tentacle, and chopped down with his blade. He missed as the queen snapped the tentacle back, his blade putting a charred furrow in the stone of the floor. He leapt high over her, flipping at the apex of his trajectory, and as he descended he took his blade in a two-handed grip and pointed it downward to impale her.

She lurched sidewise and lashed out with a tentacle, which struck him squarely and knocked him to the floor. She turned as though to advance on him, but his Master sprang before her, jumping, twirling, and ducking under the rapid swings of her tentacles and the spikes of her legs. His lightsaber slashed rapidly at every opening, striking the tentacles but scarring them only, not severing them.

The queen lunged toward his Master and he flipped backward, landing a few paces away.

Lords of the Sith

He saw his Master dodging the rapid, repeated strikes of the queen's tentacles. The Emperor twisted and spun and leapt, slashing with his lightsaber where he could, and where the blade bit into the thick tentacles it opened black gashes that leaked a thick ichor. The pain seemed only to make her angrier.

Lords of the Sith

The queen roared and loosed a flurry of strikes. Working in tandem, they parried her blows, counterstruck, opened dozens of holes in her tentacles, their blades spinning blurs before them. Her very bulk slowly pushed them backward, and from time to time they had to turn their attention to a lylek that rushed them or tried to jump them from the side. Moving almost as one, the two Sith Lords turned and spun around an unspoken central point, parrying, slashing, killing.

Lords of the Sith

The Emperor fell flat to the floor to avoid the bite and she slammed her legs down at him like so many pikes, each blow chipping the stone of the floor. He rolled and spun underneath the mountain of her body while Vader slashed at her tentacles, the ichor from her many wounds spraying in all directions. She was trying simply to smash his Master with her mass, but Vader perceived her intent, raised a hand, and held her up, straining, grunting for the fraction of a moment that it took for his Master to roll out from under her. And then they were at her again, their blades humming and cutting. She hissed, wounded tentacles flailing, legs stomping, and bounded backward in a crouch.

Lords of the Sith

Ian McDiarmid hyperbolically claims that Darth Sidious "five hundred times" faster than anyone else within the prequels:

But I didn't know he could use a lightsaber, and twice as fast, in fact, no, five hundred times as fast as anyone else.

Star Wars Episode III: Becoming Sidious Webisode

Ian McDiarmid claims that Darth Sidious can move at twice the speed of light or the speed of sound:

Because George has always preferred actors to do it whereever possible, if we need a bit of enhancement and I think I fight at twice the speed of light if not sound, so it isn't humanly possible to do what I do.

Ian McDiarmid Audio Interview with Pablo Hidaglo

Ian Mcdiarmid claims that Darth Sidious is the "fastest fighter" in the universe::
It was to my astonishment when I got the script and I saw that indeed I had a lightsaber, and that I seemed to be fastest fighter in the universe.

Ian McDiarmid Audio Interview with Pablo Hidaglo

---

III.DURABILITY

---

Darth Sidious is resilient enough to survive being bisected from the waist, just like Darth Maul:

Like his master, Maul is resilient and has the uncanny ability to cheat death, surviving a potentially fatal encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo.

Studying Skywalkers: Darth Sidious Is Your Master Now

Sidious is unharmed by Savage charging into him:



Sidious is unharmed falling for the balcony of the Sundari Royal Palace, at least a dozen storeys tall.




Sidious is unharmed by a kick from an enraged Darth Maul




The Emperor withstands a Force Push from Yoda:




The Emperor is unharmed after being telekinetically slammed into a wall by an enraged Darth Vader:




The Emperor is unharmed by the Lylek Queen ramming into him:

Frustrated, the queen rushed toward them with surprising speed. Her huge body slammed into them both, knocking them backward. Quick as a lightning strike, she struck with snapping mandibles.The Emperor fell flat to the floor to avoid the bite and she slammed her legs down at him like so many pikes, each blow chipping the stone of the floor.

Lords of the Sith

[DoA]

Darth Sidious recites an incantation in the Balc language, performing a dark side ritual to create an illusion to attack Yoda:



Producing a knife, Sidious cuts Dooku's hand, allowing a single drop of blood to fall into the water-filled basin. He and Dooku together zap the water with their Force lightning, while Sidious recites an ancient Sith incantation in the Balc tongue. Sidious dips his face towards the basin. He now wields the power of dark illusion, and will lead Yoda into a trap.

https://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/clone-wars/sacrifice-episode-gallery

With only the need for a beacon to hone into, The Emperor, through Sith alchemy and sheer force of will, is able to gain access to the World between Worlds, a quintessential collection of all space-time, without the need for a specialized gateway created by the Mortis Gods:

Yeah, well the thing is, the Emperor could see what was happening in the World Between Worlds because Ezra entered it. Ezra was what he was focusing on and using his Sith Alchemy he was able to get sort of a hand grip in, but he couldn't actually go in.

Star Wars Rebels, Rebels Recon 4.8

The Emperor nigh-instantly overpowers Ahsoka Tano and Ezra Bridger with pyrokinesis via Sith Alchemy, despite the two being in the World between Worlds

[DoA]

Darth Sidious knew Midi-chlorian manipulation and may have used it to create Anakin Skywalker:

“Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. ... He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying.”

“He could actually save people from death?”

“The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.”

“What happened to him?”

“He became so powerful … the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep."

Revenge of the Sith

"What he realizes in issue 25, and it was a very pointed choice to not show possibilities, everything he's seen is stuff that's already happened... What's the point of doing anything other than this? This is all there is for me.

"The big thing that he realizes, the thing that he says 'yes' to is that he's trapped. That he knows that there's no other path for him, he sees where his path is leading: that vision on the last couple pages...this figure with a blue lightsaber waiting down the road for him."

https://www.starwars.com/news/charles-soule-darth-vader-interview

[DoA]

Thanks for reading!

[Rohirrim]

Nice job!

[DarthAnt66Moderator]

Great thread. For the Force lightning stuff, don't forget him shocking Vader in the 19 BBY comic and the end of ROTJ.

[The Fallen WarriorLevel Four]

Great thread. For the Force lightning stuff, don't forget him shocking Vader in the 19 BBY comic and the end of ROTJ.

You had to say it didnt ya. Shame ant. Shame.

[NevesYtneves (DC77)Level Seven]

God's work DOA.

[The Adventurous JediLevel Seven]

Nice work DoA.

[Master AzrongerModerator]

Some of the images in the durability section aren't showing, and you missed a few more statements saying the Emperor was too much for Yoda. Beyond that, phenomenal job. It's always soothing to see His Imperial Majesty properly respected.

[MasterCilghalLevel Three]

Well done, a great respect thread.

[DoA]

@Rohirrim  @ArkhamAsylum3 @mastercilghal Thanks!

[DoA]

God's work DOAA.

Thanks.

That's a weird way of spelling Sheev  

Great thread. For the Force lightning stuff, don't forget him shocking Vader in the 19 BBY comic and the end of ROTJ.

Thanks.

I was going to add those. But I'm still looking for the quote from Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side stating the Emperor didn't even use the full potency of his powers against Vader or something along those lines. I'll post it when I find it.

Some of the images in the durability section aren't showing, and you missed a few more statements saying the Emperor was too much for Yoda. Beyond that, phenomenal job. It's always soothing to see His Imperial Majesty properly respected.

Thanks.

Which of the images aren't working? I just previewed the durability section and all of them seemed to be working fine.

Also, I've just added a couple more statements regarding the Emperor's fight with Yoda. Although I don't think the quotes saying that the Emperor proved too strong to defeat is mutually exclusive with Yoda being too strong to defeat either. And IIRC, R of the S Junior novel does state that they were mutually overwhelmed.

[Master AzrongerModerator]

@GodEmperorTarkin



Also, I didn't see these in the thread:







Though Yoda is a tough combatant, the Emperor uses his Sith powers to release lightning bolts and hurl floating platforms at his foe. Ultimately the battle proves too much for Yoda, who barely escapes and is whisked away to safety by Senator Bail Organa.

Ultimate Star Wars

[DoA]

@GodEmperorTarkin

That's odd.

They seem to work fine for me.


I'll upload them to CV and link them from there.
Is the durability section the only one which isn't properly displaying any images?

Also, I didn't see these in the thread:







Though Yoda is a tough combatant, the Emperor uses his Sith powers to release lightning bolts and hurl floating platforms at his foe. Ultimately the battle proves too much for Yoda, who barely escapes and is whisked away to safety by Senator Bail Organa.

Ultimate Star Wars

Added. Thanks.

[Master AzrongerModerator]

@DoA This should probably be updated

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