Darth Sidious clone?

[Publius]

One of the reasons I'm inclined to believe that there are two people in the Sidious/Palpatine discussion is because of all the stuff they both are involved in, a lot of it in secret. It's not impossible that they are one person but being Supreme Chancellor and then sneaking off to the crappy part of town...wouldn't people be wondering where Palpatine was since there had to
be reports of war starting?

According to Mr Michael Allen Horne's Dark Empire Sourcebook (West End Games, 1993), the Emperor has the ability to be in two places at once (via an ability identified as "Doppelgänger"); the Supreme Chancellor's absence could go unnoticed if he were simultaneously present and elsewhere.

Stylistically, there is great significance to the fact that an arrangement of "The Imperial March" was included in "Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale" as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine observed the parade formations of the Grand Army of the Republic in the finale sequence of Attack of the Clones. This is, as far as the style of the films is concerned, a clear statement that the Republic and its clonetroopers is the same as the Empire and its stormtroopers.

Additionally, "The Emperor Arrives", which -- as the name implies -- was used as the Emperor's theme music in Return of the Jedi, was included in "The Appearance of Darth Maul", in The Phantom Menace. In fact, a variation of the chant from "The Emperor Arrives" was also included as the children's chorus in "Augie's Great Municipal Band" in The Phantom Menace's finale sequence. This makes a clear, direct connexion between the man who will be Emperor and Darth Maul, whom Darth Sidious trained, and between the man who will be Emperor and the victory celebration on Naboo, which the newly-elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine attended.

Publius

[Emperor Palpatine]

Sith ghost? These are all EU stuff., I believe. George Lucas would never use such an idea.
And we saw a solid Sidious both in EP1 and 2, so he can't be a ghost. This is completely baseless.

Like someone said, why can't Sidious and Palpatine be the same person? And I don't think Palpatine had split personalities. He is merely putting on an act as Senator/Supreme Chancellor. His true colours are unveiled as Darth Sidious.
As for not being called Sidious, try calling an Emperor by his name. No way!

Plus, Dooky himself said "The Darth is in control of the Senate." Who else can he be but Sidious? We will know eventually that Palpatine himself was a Dark Lord, and we know there can be only two Sith at a time. Since Dooku was already a Sith, how can Palpatine and Sidious be separate Sith?

Palpatine clone. That's not really logical as well. Why would a clone of Palpatine be needed?

As for Palpatine being altered by the Dark Side, I guess he is merely old. How many years would've past sine Anakin grew to his age in Ep2? However, the time span is still quite short, though, since anakin is already 9. I doubt he was 29 in EP2. 20, maybe. But that would only mean 10 years had past. 10 years isn't really much to alter someone that much to be that old and white like a ghost.
That means Palpatine MIGHT indeed be altered by the Dark Side.

WJTW

[Kurgan]

I'd also point out that the words "Sith" and "Palpatine" are never mentioned in the classic trilogy onscreen (but yes, in the novelisations they are).

He's just "the Emperor" or "My Master" or "Your Highness" so for all we know he's known far and wide as Emperor Sideous. ; )

It could have been seen as a kind of ceremonial thing, like a Roman Emperor or a Pope, changing his name for the office. But probably nothing that cool will happen...

[Lord_Xerxes]

God, will this pointless arguement ever die?!

Why can't you people just accept the fact that Darth Sidious is his SITH NAME. The same way Darth Vader is the Sith name of Anakin Skywalker, that Darth Tyrannus is the SITH NAME of Count Dooku, and that Darth Maul is the SITH NAME of Kameir Sarin. Having the Sith name of Sidious does not change the fact of who he is. It's just his Sith name and title.

This arguement is like saying that Count Dooku and Darth Tyrannus are two different people because throughout AOTC, Dooku is referred to as Dooku...but in close of the movie, he's referred to as Tyrannus...so he MUST be a clone.

Palpatine is playing to lives. In one, he is a Senator on the rise to dictatorship, on the other...he's a Sith Lord. The Senator life is just like a character he plays. Once he puts himself into power and becomes the Emperor. So now he has a new name/title.

Which title is more relevant...Emperor of the whole fucking Galaxy or Lord of the Sith? Tough decision there. He just stops using the Sidious name because it was a behind-the-scenes title so that the people he didn't want to know he was Palpatine didn't know. How well would his plans go if everyone knew he was Palpatine? He basically used the Trade Federation to start a war. If they'd have known it was him, they could have been like "Uh...Your Supreme Chancellor is causing a war? WTF?!"

Is it getting drilled into your heads yet. They are the same GOD DAMN FUCKING PERSON.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Almost no one save the high-ups in the Imperial heirarchy knew Palpatine was a Sith Lord. Even those who knew of Palpatine's powers in the Force such as Xizor and Grand Admiral Thrawn never displayed knowledge of Palpatine's position as reigning Sith Master.

There are several possibilities.

Either a) Palpatine eventually treats his title and position as Sith Lord and Master as a mere formality, and another honor, nothing more, regarding himself above such concepts. In Dark Empire it seems apparent Palpatine believes he is one with the Dark Side, with references scattered about referencing Palpatine as "Master of the Dark Side" which leads to the possibility that Palpatine moved beyond the Sith and simply doesn't bother with such a "mundane" title.

b) Palpatine maintains the Sith tradition of secrecy when dealing with himself. He does not inform any of his position as Sith Master, and the true dynamics and rules of the Sith Order, including the "rule of two" are not publicized. All anyone knows about the Sith are their past incarnations and that Vader is a reigning Sith Lord.