Anyone who has seen the first trailer for Star Wars Episode 9 would know that Emperor Sheev Palpatine is set for a major comeback this December. But how exactly has the Sith Lord survived all this time? New speculations suggest that Palpatine was never completely gone after the events in Return of the Jedi. It is possible that the Emperor had been the one who gave the Supreme Leader Snoke the idea of creating the First Order in the first place.
It's no secret that Palpatine was killed when Darth Vader betrayed the Emperor to save Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi. However, Star Wars Episode 9 is making it clear that the Sith Lord is still the main villain, thanks to the first trailer. Of course, it's possible that Darth Sidious will only appear as a Force ghost in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. On the other hand, it could be revealed that the Sith Lord may have been the mastermind behind the creation of The First Order.
A theory suggests that Snoke was influenced by more than just a thirst for power and knowledge about the Dark Side of the Force. There is a possibility that Palpatine himself appeared as a Force ghost to Snoke, leading him to find an obsidian stone in the depths of Darth Vader's castle in Mustafar. In addition to that, the Emperor may have trained Snoke on some of the ways of the Sith, including the use of Force lightning. However, Palpatine's greatest influence on Snoke could be organizing a way for the Galactic Empire to continue.
It seems like a plausible way to explain Snoke's sudden rise to power despite having no previous affiliations with the Empire or the Sith. After all, Snoke was initially just some guy who was interested in dark artifacts before he inexplicably rose to become Supreme Leader of the First Order. Perhaps Star Wars Episode 9 will reveal that Palpatine's Force ghost had been controlling Snoke all this time. However, Snoke's death in Star Wars: The Last Jedi triggered the Emperor to find the new Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.
The theory certainly makes sense for a lot of reasons and could explain why Palpatine is coming back in Star Wars Episode 9. However, it is important to point out that these are only based on speculations, so it would be best to take it with a grain of salt.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will premiere on December 20.
