Well no question that they want an empire that had the right look to it. That goes back to KOTOR. Seriously you do not see Tenebrae as Palpatine cranked to 11. That is the impression I have gotten the whole time. There is no question they based him on Palpatine. They did the same with Malgus. Look at the Deceived trailor and tell me they we not trying to make him as cool as possible. One might even argue Vader but better. Bioware is not dumb. They know how to play to the crowd.

Oh yes we do. I still celebrate Life Day. "This holiday is yours, but we all share with you the hope that this day brings us closer to freedom, and to harmony, and to peace. No matter how different we appear, we're all the same in our struggle against the powers of evil and darkness. I hope that this day will always be a day of joy in which we can reconfirm our dedication and our courage. And more than anything else, our love for one another. This is the promise of the Tree of Life." ―Princess Leia Organa

Definitely some fair points in there so let me address them. I would length of unnatural life and rule implies more power but does not equate it no. In fairness I see it as part of the whole bit Bioware seems to be going with him. Palpatine wants to rule the galaxy, Tenebrae wants to eat it. There is also the whole apotheosis bit. Tenebrae is trying to become a god. It sure seems like Bioware is trying to make the stronger Sith. Also, as someone else pointed out, by making all the Sith Empire's stuff look a lot like the Galactic Empire's stuff and having the some of the Sith dress like Sidious, it actually makes Palpatine look like he was imitating them. Bioware really makes it look like Palpatine is trying not to be Bane or Qel-Droma but Tenebrae. Which is funny because the game is actually imitating the movies. But since it comes first timeline-wise... I do not think he makes it to Bane, unless they do a major retcon. I was using hyperbole there. On the foresight bit, btw I was always of the opinion that Palpatine was not as good at it as he made it out to be. I know when I saw ROTJ way back when I saw it as part of his tricks. Oh he had some of it but nothing overwhelming. He got glimpses like everyone else. He just played that he knew everything. That was the old days, back when we thought Vader was way more powerful but Palpatine was keeping him in check through more trickery and cunning. Palpatine was not a super-sith, he just very manipulative and very smart. Ah well, EU & Lucas disagreed and here we are. The reality is that Bioware was trying to make a bigger badder Palpatine. EU writers and novelization writers already made him the Sith above all Sith. The jury is still out because times are a changing. The Mouse ultimately is in the driver seat now. PS Speaking of Scrouge. They definitely went for parallels there didn't they.

Star Wars Christmas Special. A must see.

Well Special Edition proves that even the Original Trilogy is not immune to tinkering either. Yes, EU may be in for some massive retinkering. At least Trek got the alternate timeline bit when it got reset I do struggle with the question because so much is in flux and we do not know how the rest goes down with Tenebrae.

They may very well not make someone stronger the Palp in the movies. Who knows indeed? However there will be Sith. There has been Sith in every movie so far and I doubt they will ditch it. Just like there will be Skywalkers and droids. Again my point on canon is that it changes and details in the movies change-special edition anyone? So simply put nothing is above being tinkered with in Star Wars. Plus if you toss in EU the mix gets even more muddled. Now let me say this, as things stands now, I struggle with Palpatine being stronger than the Tenebrae. The length of reign and Tenebrae's end, while confirmed, is so far away (maybe during Palpatine's lifetime even). So my point about him is the same as yours about the new movies-who knows. So much of Palpatine's story is known and the other unknown it is hard to say. I am not saying that the recorded evidence does lean toward Palpatine, it does. I am saying the jury is out because Tenebrae is not done and Palpatine's story may change..

You grossly underestimate things. Novels have been retconned before. Details in the novelization of a New Hope have been retconned out. Vitiate is dead for now and that could change just as Palp was dead at Endor till Dark Empire came out. Having watched the SW universe evolve over the years, I have seen it change tons. So never assume something is untouchable cause it ain't. Things change all the time. What you did was not understand that I wasn't saying this was going to happen, I was saying that canon shifts radically and it could be something this crazy. Edit: Go back and look a pre-Prequels details on the Clone Wars and post. Then tell me how some change is impossible.

Like I said over at the other thread, canon is in flux. Who knows who is going to be more powerful after the game is done. I would not be surprised to find out Palpatine is being possessed by Tenebrae or other such crazyness.

Movie novelizations do not count for much considering the novelization of a New Hope had there being Galactic Emperors before Palpatine. It is in Ben's talk with Luke about the fall of the Jedi. C-Canon gets messed all the times as well. And I agree, we have to wait and see. I could easily see them raising the stakes to sell tickets. I completely see the post-ROTJ EU stuff getting invalidated by the new flicks for instance. Even with the game too boot. The Sith Emperor may indeed ascend, who knows?

And there you have it. Debates about who is the most powerful Sith (or nearly anything for that matter in Star Wars) ultimately fail for one reason above all. Star Wars canon is constantly in flux. That means that the Sith Emperor's and Palpatine's stories may not even be done yet. The new movies may invalidate tons of things in EU and say that he was weak. Think I am full of it, go do the research and see how the movies have massively shifted canon over the years. You did a lot of research and present a lot of evidence for your point. Bravo. That being said I struggle to agree and that is for simple fact: time. I look at Palpatine who rules for just over 40 years (in one form or another) and then I look at Tenebrae who rules for over 1200 years. I look at Palpatine who lives (including spirit jumps and all that) less than 100 years and Tenebrae who live somewhere between 1400 and just over 5000 years. Then again when the next novel, the next video game, the next comic book or the next movie comes along everything may change again.

Let us not forget companions. Most players are guys and 3 of the Imperial classes start with a gal to romance.