Palpatine's Lightsaber?

Enola Straight · Post by **Enola Straight** » 2003-07-18 10:53am

Does the Emperor have and/or use a lightsaber?

TrekWarsie · Post by **TrekWarsie** » 2003-07-18 12:03pm

He uses one in the first Dark Empire comic book.

Tribun · Post by **Tribun** » 2003-07-18 03:43pm

I wonder if he got a Darth-Maul-style light saber.....

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-07-18 03:46pm

Tribun wrote:I wonder if he got a Darth-Maul-style light saber.....

In DE, no, he uses a regular lighsaber. And unless something incredibly lame happens in EpIII, we won't be seeing Palpatine ever handle a lightsaber in the movies.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-07-18 03:46pm

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:
Tribun wrote:I wonder if he got a Darth-Maul-style light saber.....
In DE, no, he uses a regular lighsaber. And unless something incredibly lame happens in EpIII, we won't be seeing Palpatine ever handle a lightsaber in the movies.

Yes, best we leave the lameness to DE.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-18 03:50pm

Oh, hush.

I admit that DE II was somewhat lame (and from what I've heard, the less said about Empire's End, the better), but DE I was quite good in my opinion...

EDIT: And if anybody out there thinks the idea of Palpatine using a double-bladed lightsabre is actually cool, I'll find out where you live and personally kick you in the crotch.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-07-18 04:13pm

It might have been back pre-TPM when he was young. Not old grizzled old woman Palpatine though.

Dorsk 81 · Post by **Dorsk 81** » 2003-07-18 04:20pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Oh, hush.

I admit that DE II was somewhat lame (and from what I've heard, the less said about Empire's End, the better), but DE I was quite good in my opinion...

EDIT: And if anybody out there thinks the idea of Palpatine using a double-bladed lightsabre is actually cool, I'll find out where you live and personally kick you in the crotch.

Any links that show him with it?

The idea of him using a double ended lightsabre is an interesting idea, as in it would be interesting to see him trying not to break a bone trying to weild the thing!

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-18 04:27pm

Keep in mind that it's Palpatine as a newly resurrected clone, so he only looks about 30. There are two fights in the DE graphic novel: one in the cloning chamber on Byss with Luke, and another aboard the Eclipse in orbit of Da Soocha V with Luke and Leia.

I have both GNs and the WEG sourcebook, but I don't know if I have time to do any scans...

Dorsk 81 · Post by **Dorsk 81** » 2003-07-18 04:42pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Keep in mind that it's Palpatine as a newly resurrected clone, so he only looks about 30. There are two fights in the DE graphic novel: one in the cloning chamber on Byss with Luke, and another aboard the Eclipse in orbit of Da Soocha V with Luke and Leia.

I have both GNs and the WEG sourcebook, but I don't know if I have time to do any scans...

Ah right, I was just thinking about what....someone said about how they age real quick.
Ah well, don't worry about it, I'll have a look for it somewhere online later.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-07-18 05:22pm

Stravo wrote:
Darth Garden Gnome wrote:
Tribun wrote:I wonder if he got a Darth-Maul-style light saber.....
In DE, no, he uses a regular lighsaber. And unless something incredibly lame happens in EpIII, we won't be seeing Palpatine ever handle a lightsaber in the movies.
Yes, best we leave the lameness to DE.

Yeah, because purists evidently think Palpatine never could or ever did train on a lightsabre.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-07-18 05:36pm

Illuminatus Primus wrote:
Stravo wrote:
Darth Garden Gnome wrote:In DE, no, he uses a regular lighsaber. And unless something incredibly lame happens in EpIII, we won't be seeing Palpatine ever handle a lightsaber in the movies.
Yes, best we leave the lameness to DE.
Yeah, because purists evidently think Palpatine never could or ever did train on a lightsabre.

Actually HE"S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. Funny thing is that when a supervillain pulls the clone trick bullshit people roll their eyes and say how corny and comic booky that is...but wait...it's Palpatine. We CAN'T say that's corny.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-07-18 05:41pm

Stravo wrote:Actually HE"S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. Funny thing is that when a supervillain pulls the clone trick bullshit people roll their eyes and say how corny and comic booky that is...but wait...it's Palpatine. We CAN'T say that's corny.

Yeah, which had precisely diddly shit what to do with him having a lightsabre? At least I'm hijacking threads with bullshit like this--my rebuttal stuck to the topic of the lightsabre. There's other topics or create a new one to whine about it.

And I never felt it was far fetched with Palpatine, he was so to personify evil. And to me its not a stretch with the Force and cloning and other things in Star Wars that Palpatine wouldn't try to cheat death. It especially seems silly that Vader would make a big fuss worrying about trying to usurp Palpatine when he looks like his days are numbered and Vader could just wait and then get Luke to join him risk-free.

And Palpatine's clones had clearly lost the power and focus and vision that he once had. He was a broken, shadow of the evil which had been overthrown by Vader. It was Luke and Leia's job to finally take up the mantle and destroy the undying abomination to the Force.

But I will not discuss this again in here. If you have a strike against Palpy with a lightsabre, post it here. The vitrol against Vietch doesn't belong hijacking this thread.

That said, I would be amazed some people think Palpatine never used a lightsabre. Its clear Maul was trained on one as a pure Sith, and Palpatine had to be a young apprentice at one point. And a Maul novel says he dueled with Sidious.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-07-18 05:48pm

I for one have no problems with Palpatine wielding a lightsaber, though in ROTJ he seems to have a sort of dispariging attitude towards them.

"Ah yes, the weapon of a Jedi, much like your fathers's" You can take from his sneer as he talks about th elightsaber that he is ABOVE using or ever needing one. He has Vader and Luke whipping around their blades and he never seems ill at ease at all, in fact he seems supremely confident that he can kill Luke whetehr he has a lightsaber or not.

"So be it...JEDI. If you will not turn, you will be destroyed" *cue Force lightning*

In other words Palpatine has grown powerful enough so that to him, carrying or using a lightsaber is almost a sign of weakness. If we do not see one on him or Sidious in Ep. III I think that's a firm showing that Palpatine eschews lightsabers for a far more powerful weapon...his brain.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-18 05:55pm

Or more correctly, his control of the Dark Side of the Force...

mauldooku · Post by **mauldooku** » 2003-07-18 08:19pm

How skilled was Palpy at lightsaber combat in DE?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-18 08:24pm

Good enough to be at least a match for Luke/Luke and Leia...

Dorsk 81 · Post by **Dorsk 81** » 2003-07-18 08:30pm

Plus he used to duel with Maul who proved he was a match for at least one jedi and a padawan (which is probably the equivilant of Luke and Leia).

Darth Mall · Post by **Darth Mall** » 2003-07-18 10:04pm

maybe he only used his lightsabre in DE because he had lost his great dark powers as said by Illuminatus and he used his lesser but yet still strong sabre skills in his "younger" body.
tough to get back to par he must o spent a long time training. maybe thats why it took him so long to get back out of the core

. I mean he had been stuck in an old body and he could just call those red gaurd people if someone attacked him.. or simpler yet blasted them w/ force lightning

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-07-18 11:43pm

Or because Luke was a Jedi Master.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-07-18 11:45pm

Obi-wan demonstrated that a lightsaber trumps force lightning.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-07-19 12:05am

Howedar wrote:Obi-wan demonstrated that a lightsaber trumps force lightning.

Force lightining from a Sith Lord not a Sith Master. Its quite possible that at higher levels of mastery the Force lightning could arc around the blade or simply fire off in a wide stream instead of a concentrated burst. Palpatine wa NOT concerned about Luke or Vader in his presence with a lightsaber. plapy did not consider hismelf unarmed or helpless.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-07-19 12:22am

Stravo wrote:
Howedar wrote:Obi-wan demonstrated that a lightsaber trumps force lightning.
Force lightining from a Sith Lord not a Sith Master. Its quite possible that at higher levels of mastery the Force lightning could arc around the blade or simply fire off in a wide stream instead of a concentrated burst. Palpatine wa NOT concerned about Luke or Vader in his presence with a lightsaber. plapy did not consider hismelf unarmed or helpless.

I love the assumptions Stravo spins from his literary interpretations and "the way he sneers."

He was confident because a) he had the foresight and psychological control to believe that no matter what, he wouldn't be destroyed (overconfident yes, but isn't that EXACTLY what Luke said?), b) Darksiders have more than Force Lightning, c) he probably had other clones on the Death Star II, and he should live forever.

But mostly a). Its backed up by the movie and the whole point, that Palpatine used his manipulation and control as a weapon, and that he was overconfident.

And Stravo, observed instances of Force Lightning can be blocked with the Force or a lightsabre.

I suggest you back up your Argument From Ignorance about a kind of Force Lightning never observed.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-07-19 01:07am

Stravo wrote:
Howedar wrote:Obi-wan demonstrated that a lightsaber trumps force lightning.
Force lightining from a Sith Lord not a Sith Master. Its quite possible that at higher levels of mastery the Force lightning could arc around the blade or simply fire off in a wide stream instead of a concentrated burst. Palpatine wa NOT concerned about Luke or Vader in his presence with a lightsaber. plapy did not consider hismelf unarmed or helpless.

Its entirely possible that you should support these wild-ass ideas with evidence, instead of just pulling stuff out of your ass to support your pet theory.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-07-19 01:14am

Down boys, down!!!

Don't make me stick you two in a corner.

::taps foot::

I've read a coupld of the Dark Empire series. So I'll leave it at that. However, isn't it mentioned that Maul fought Sidious in a sabre duel in Shadow Hunter? I wouldn't be surprised if he had at one point early on. Which really makes me think that Dooku only carried one out of tradition, whether he was with the Jedi order or not. As well as Yoda using one against his old Padawan. Either way.

As for Stravo. I have to side with ICUP on this one. The only instances of force lightening we have are as follows.

Episode II ::
Anakin charges in, gets picked up and tossed. Never saw it coming.
Obi Wan raises his sabre and blocks the attack

Episode VI ::
Palpatine uses the force lightening on Luke, who is weaponless. He gets his ass charred. Kingsford style.

The Last Command ::
Luke and Mara block the unweildly force lightening attack of Joruus C'boath.

So we have instances where they are blocked. I see where your coming from. But there's almost no way to tell if somone could put out enough to actually get around the sabre. This would include being powerful enough to out 'force' (no pun) your oponent. Whose to say Obi Wan didn't actually use the force to channel the lightening in to where he could use his sabre? Either way it goes.