Darth Sidious

Darth Sidious, a Force-sensitive human male, was the Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor who ruled the galaxy from the fall of the Galactic Republic to the fragmentation of the Galactic Empire. Rising to power in the Galactic Senate as Senator Sheev Palpatine, he was elected to the office of Supreme Chancellor and, during the Clone Wars, accumulated wartime powers in the name of security. As the Emperor, he dropped the facade, no longer needing to cultivate two identities, and henceforth ruled as Darth Sidious in thought and action though he was known as Emperor Palpatine. His machinations brought an end to the last era of peace in galactic history, replaced a millennium of democracy with New Order fascism, and restored the Sith to power through the destruction of the Jedi Order.

A native of the Mid Rim planet Naboo, Sheev Palpatine was born around 84 BBY during the last century of the Galactic Republic. Inherently gifted with the Force, he became Darth Sidious during his apprenticeship under Darth Plagueis. But the Rule of Two dictated that only two Sith Lords could exist at any given time; therefore Sidious killed his Sith Master and took Darth Maul as his first disciple in the dark side of the Force. As Palpatine, he cultivated a political career on the Core World Coruscant, serving as his homeworld's representative in the galactic capital. Driven by a desire for greater power, Sidious manipulated the Trade Federation into a dispute with the Royal House of Naboo, resulting in a chain of events that led to his election as Supreme Chancellor in 32 BBY. Taking Darth Tyranus as his new apprentice, Sidious spent a decade fomenting political unrest until entire star systems seceded from the Republic to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The ensuing Clone Wars commenced in 22 BBY, spreading conflict across the galaxy and strengthening Chancellor Palpatine's control of the government and military. When the Jedi moved to arrest him, having learned of his true identity, Sidious commanded the clone troopers to execute Order 66, turning the entire Grand Army of the Republic against its Jedi Generals. Shortly afterward, the Republic was officially reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, with Sidious becoming the self-proclaimed Emperor in 19 BBY.

The Emperor ruled the galaxy for a generation with Darth Vader as his last apprentice. His reign remained relatively unchallenged until the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

Early life and political career
A human male, Sheev Palpatine was born to a very influential family on the Mid Rim world of Naboo around 84 years prior to the Battle of Yavin. As far as anyone knew, Palpatine had no family of which to speak. At some point, during his youth, he met Darth Plagueis, a Dark Lord of the Sith, who took him as an apprentice with the name of Darth Sidious. As Sidious, he learned all his Master knew about the dark side of the Force, and all the Sith of Darth Bane's lineage had learned about the Force. He was also made aware of Plagueis's discovery of the secret to eternal life: his Master had learned to manipulate the midi-chlorians, and prevent people from dying. Plagueis's obsession with extending his own life eventually passed to Sidious, but he later admitted that he had never been able to learn his Master's secrets. In his public persona as Sheev Palpatine, he embarked on a career in politics and eventually, with the aid of his Master, ended up representing his homeworld in the Galactic Senate. With his rise to power guaranteed and his Master's instruction complete, Sidious killed Plagueis in his sleep, betraying him just as Sith apprentices in the past had always done with their Masters once their training was completed.

Once elected as Senator for Naboo, he quickly joined Chancellor Skor Kalpana's ruling party, and noticed the fervent bickering and corruption that mired the Galactic Republic. He began to establish relations with those who'd become his future collaborators, such as Wilhuff Tarkin. The duo met for the first time when Tarkin was still a cadet of the Sullust Sector Spacefarers Academy, and while Palpatine was still apprenticed to Plagueis. Taking an interest in the younger man, Senator Palpatine resolved to help him to join the Judicial Department, according to Tarkin's desire but advised him to also consider a political career. In the following years, their relationship became more and more confidential. Palpatine often lauded Tarkin for his talents and skills and remarked they were very similar: they both came from planets at the edge of the galaxy but were destined to have great repercussions on the history of the galaxy itself. Tarkin eventually became one of the few people who called Palpatine by his first name.

The Rebellion (Season 1)

 * Bespin (NPC'ed by Luis800000)
 * The Dark Side of the Force (first appearance)