General plot spoilers
Spoiler
The prologue of the book apparently takes place during the events of The Phantom Menace, after Sidious has been elected Chancellor. He has just killed Plagueis and is enjoying the exquisite sensation of the disturbance in the Force wrought by his Master’s death; after confirming the kill, he ponders Plagueis’s own history and appears to flow-walk back through time to experience it.
From there, the book takes place at 67 BBY during the final days of Plagueis’s apprenticeship to Darth Tenebrous.
Bane’s order apparently lost the ability to transfer their essence when one of their number died, losing the technique until Sidious rediscovers it sometime after the rise of the Empire.
After killing his Master, Plagueis experiments in the Force and eventually discovers a teenage Palpatine on Naboo and trains him in the Sith arts.
The second section of the book jumps several years ahead to where Palpatine is an adult and focuses on his own political and Force-related machinations.
The third section introduces Darth Maul and concludes the relationship between Sidious and Plagueis.
Qui-Gon, Valorum, Jabba the Hutt, and Dooku all appear; Dooku’s corruption by Sidious is apparently shown.
Plagueis is apparently aware—but not responsible—for the Chosen One’s birth and believes it is the result of the Force striking back at Sidious for shifting the balance in favor of the dark side.
The circle completes itself; Sidious and Plagueis celebrate Sidious’s election; Sidious inebriates Plagueis and kills him via Force lightning.
From there, the book takes place at 67 BBY during the final days of Plagueis’s apprenticeship to Darth Tenebrous.
Bane’s order apparently lost the ability to transfer their essence when one of their number died, losing the technique until Sidious rediscovers it sometime after the rise of the Empire.
After killing his Master, Plagueis experiments in the Force and eventually discovers a teenage Palpatine on Naboo and trains him in the Sith arts.
The second section of the book jumps several years ahead to where Palpatine is an adult and focuses on his own political and Force-related machinations.
The third section introduces Darth Maul and concludes the relationship between Sidious and Plagueis.
Qui-Gon, Valorum, Jabba the Hutt, and Dooku all appear; Dooku’s corruption by Sidious is apparently shown.
Plagueis is apparently aware—but not responsible—for the Chosen One’s birth and believes it is the result of the Force striking back at Sidious for shifting the balance in favor of the dark side.
The circle completes itself; Sidious and Plagueis celebrate Sidious’s election; Sidious inebriates Plagueis and kills him via Force lightning.
Spoiler
Plagueis is an obscenely wealthy Muun who operates a business empire under the alias Hego Damask.
After killing Tenebrous, he plans to dismantle the Rule of Two—he believes himself to be the Sith Lord who will achieve immortality and triumph over the Jedi.
Plagueis’s reputation as an obsessed mystic is apparently confirmed in this novel; he is said to be relatively unskilled in the martial aspects of the Force.
He has learned to observe the actions of midichlorians through deep study and meditation in the Force.
He is attacked by his Master’s secret apprentice, a Bith called Vemis; Plagueis manages to defeat him and, rather than kill him, holds him captive and conducts Force experiments on him in order to manipulate midichlorians.
Plagueis discovers Palpatine on accident and determines it is “the will of the Force” that brought them together.
Plagueis is aware that Sidious is training Maul, but has never met him—he in fact advises Sidious to train him in the manner of a Sith Assassin.
Plagueis eventually discovers the ability to manipulate midichlorians and the ability to resurrect the dead; he uses the former power to reverse his aging and the latter during his Force experiments.
Plagueis eventually regards Sidious as something of a trusted friend or non-threat. He believes he will rule the galaxy from the shadows with Sidious as his co-conspirator and public face.
Plagueis trained himself in the Force not to sleep, hence why Sidious gets him drunk instead.
After killing Tenebrous, he plans to dismantle the Rule of Two—he believes himself to be the Sith Lord who will achieve immortality and triumph over the Jedi.
Plagueis’s reputation as an obsessed mystic is apparently confirmed in this novel; he is said to be relatively unskilled in the martial aspects of the Force.
He has learned to observe the actions of midichlorians through deep study and meditation in the Force.
He is attacked by his Master’s secret apprentice, a Bith called Vemis; Plagueis manages to defeat him and, rather than kill him, holds him captive and conducts Force experiments on him in order to manipulate midichlorians.
Plagueis discovers Palpatine on accident and determines it is “the will of the Force” that brought them together.
Plagueis is aware that Sidious is training Maul, but has never met him—he in fact advises Sidious to train him in the manner of a Sith Assassin.
Plagueis eventually discovers the ability to manipulate midichlorians and the ability to resurrect the dead; he uses the former power to reverse his aging and the latter during his Force experiments.
Plagueis eventually regards Sidious as something of a trusted friend or non-threat. He believes he will rule the galaxy from the shadows with Sidious as his co-conspirator and public face.
Plagueis trained himself in the Force not to sleep, hence why Sidious gets him drunk instead.
Spoiler
Palpatine apparently is in many ways the main character on whom the novel is ultimately focused.
Palpatine introduced as a 17-year-old malcontent of status and wealth who tires of the corruption and stagnation in the galaxy.
Plagueis tries to see Palpatine in the Force and is apparently horrified and an intrigued by what he sees.
At Plagueis’s urging, Palpatine murders his entire family and joins the dark side. The actual murder is apparently exceedingly brutal: Palpatine, untrained and raw, uses the Force to bludgeon and brutalize his family and their many trained guards to death-- breaking necks, strangling, removing limbs, etc.
Sidious apparently learns from Plagueis the ability to resurrect the dead. His power to hide himself in the Force while drawing on massive amounts of power is hinted to be natural, though Plagueis explains how this is possible.
Sidious retrieves Maul from Dathomir; his mother wished to spare him enslavement by the Nightsister order.
Plagueis perceives a filial relationship between Maul and Sidious, but this may simply be a deception; other reviewers say Sidious isn’t really concerned when Maul is killed.
Sidious’s rise to power in the Senate is a major section of this book, and apparently includes his corruption of Count Dooku.
Reviewers say that Sidious is portrayed to be utterly evil but a few have also said that he has moments of emotion; apparently, as he kills Plagueis, he emotionally unleashes himself upon him: Boasting about his deception, berating Plagueis for his foolishness, and blaming Plagueis for convincing him to kill his family. On the other hand, spoilers have also indicated that Palpatine is something of a Jack-the-Ripper personality who is predisposed to murdering and it is hinted that this is one of the reasons why he relocates to Coruscant: to indulge his murderous fetish in a place where crime and corruption are ubiquitous and his own misdeeds are easy to conceal.
Palpatine introduced as a 17-year-old malcontent of status and wealth who tires of the corruption and stagnation in the galaxy.
Plagueis tries to see Palpatine in the Force and is apparently horrified and an intrigued by what he sees.
At Plagueis’s urging, Palpatine murders his entire family and joins the dark side. The actual murder is apparently exceedingly brutal: Palpatine, untrained and raw, uses the Force to bludgeon and brutalize his family and their many trained guards to death-- breaking necks, strangling, removing limbs, etc.
Sidious apparently learns from Plagueis the ability to resurrect the dead. His power to hide himself in the Force while drawing on massive amounts of power is hinted to be natural, though Plagueis explains how this is possible.
Sidious retrieves Maul from Dathomir; his mother wished to spare him enslavement by the Nightsister order.
Plagueis perceives a filial relationship between Maul and Sidious, but this may simply be a deception; other reviewers say Sidious isn’t really concerned when Maul is killed.
Sidious’s rise to power in the Senate is a major section of this book, and apparently includes his corruption of Count Dooku.
Reviewers say that Sidious is portrayed to be utterly evil but a few have also said that he has moments of emotion; apparently, as he kills Plagueis, he emotionally unleashes himself upon him: Boasting about his deception, berating Plagueis for his foolishness, and blaming Plagueis for convincing him to kill his family. On the other hand, spoilers have also indicated that Palpatine is something of a Jack-the-Ripper personality who is predisposed to murdering and it is hinted that this is one of the reasons why he relocates to Coruscant: to indulge his murderous fetish in a place where crime and corruption are ubiquitous and his own misdeeds are easy to conceal.
