question about palpatine

[Dave_Bodom]

I can see the revealing true form, at the time though i just assumed he was putting all his strength into it and it was draining him away

[Rayla_Felana]

Sithisis and Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary support the theory of revealing his true form, Gary M. Sarli from Wizards of the Coast representing the official Star Wars Roleplaying Game, stated both theories had flaws with them:

 

"There are problems with both these ideas: The idea that he was physically damaged by the Force lightning doesn't match Return of the Jedi. Luke was being hit by Force lightning for some time, and he wasn't scarred like that. On the other hand, if Palpatine was using an Illusion-assisted Disguised check… he couldn't possibly keep it up continually. Moreover, Illusion is a mind-influencing Force power. It doesn't work on droids or recordings (in other words, someone might notice that he doesn't look the same in recorded speeches), nor would it work when projecting a holographic image across the galaxy. Finally, one would wonder why he maintained the illusion in his earlier holographic appearances as Darth Sidious. It would seem more prudent to "turn it off" to preserve the Palpatine identity."

―Gary M. Sarli

 

He went on to state this:

 

"Palpatine, who has delved extensively into Sith lore, was using an almost-forgotten technique to hide his true self."

―Gary M. Sarli

 

The technique Sarli identified was aptly titled "mask," which used Sith alchemical techniques to alter the user's features, either to make them appear more horrific or to conceal them with a fairer appearance. This was considered different from a mundane disguise (which was temporary) or cosmetic surgery (which needed much more time to use). Instead, this alchemical mask altered the subject at the molecular level, rendering the subject's genuine appearance undetectable by sensors or even by a medical examination. The mask could be dispelled by another dark side power—in Palpatine's case, Force lightning—and should the subject fail to repel the dispelling power, the mask would be dropped and the subject's true face would appear. The sudden transformation would physically distort the subject with dark side energies, making any future attempt to use the "mask" ability, even to create a mundane disguise, far less successful.

Making use of Sarli's theory, the likely hypothesis is this: Palpatine had for some time been using the near-forgotten "mask" ability to alter his true features to appear as the benevolent middle-aged man he claimed to be. The power kept his true face hidden from both organic and mechanical observers, even under the closest scrutiny, but because it worked at the molecular level, he could not simply "turn it off" at will, requiring the use of the black cloak and hood to hide his face from his co-conspirators, such as the Neimoidians in The Phantom Menace or Grievous in Revenge of the Sith. When confronted and disarmed by Windu, Palpatine resorted to the use of Force lightning, but Windu used his lightsaber to deflect much of the lightning back at Palpatine's face. The power of the lightning was the triggering event that dispelled his "mask," and though even then he may have had the ability to save the "mask," Anakin Skywalker was present to witness the entire exchange, and according to Sarli, Palpatine may have voluntarily failed the save and dropped the mask when it no longer served his purposes—he used the damage both to sway Skywalker into intervening on his side, and to convince the Senate and the Galaxy at large that the Jedi had attempted to murder him. The consequence of this is that Darth Sidious's true face, whatever it was before this point, was distorted into the ruined countenance that would be seen for the remaining Star Wars films.

[LordQordisz]

Personally I cannot buy the battle showing his true form. Obviously he showed his true colors when he fought Mace, that is, being a Sith Lord. However, I think his face was disfigured due to the battle. He was a human. His true form was what it always was, he was just disfigured. Now his new form was a disfigured one. He was human, he was Sith. So his true form is human and he is Sith. Just my thoughts. It's like Anakin. Vader was not his true form as opposed to how he looked before he lost to Kenobi. Obviously he was Vader, but I mean he was disfigured when he had to wear the suit. That was his true form just as it was when he was a Jedi it's just that the previous one was before his almost total disfigurement. Edited January 26, 2012 by LordQordisz

[undeadsithdread]

Personally I cannot buy the battle showing his true form. Obviously he showed his true colors when he fought Mace, that is, being a Sith Lord. However, I think his face was disfigured due to the battle. He was a human. His true form was what it always was, he was just disfigured. Now his new form was a disfigured one. He was human, he was Sith. So his true form is human and he is Sith. Just my thoughts. It's like Anakin. Vader was not his true form as opposed to how he looked before he lost to Kenobi. Obviously he was Vader, but I mean he was disfigured when he had to wear the suit. That was his true form just as it was when he was a Jedi it's just that the previous one was before his almost total disfigurement.

 

i did not know sidious showed his sith eyes before the lighting.