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Palpatine's rise to power began as the Old Republic Senator for the planet Naboo. He instigated the removal of Supreme Chancellor Valorum from power getting himself elected as Supreme Chancellor in his place.
His power base rose and he eventually proclaimed himself Emperor, disposing of the Jedi Knights with the help of former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. He turned Skywalker to the Dark Side of the Force, appointing him a Dark Lord of the Sith with Skywalker taking the name Darth Vader. He was also instrumental in training Vader to use the Dark Side.
He subdugated hundreds of star systems and ordered the construction of a massive space station known as the Death Star and a fleet of powerfull starships. The Imperial fleet would be used to instill terror in the populace and a source of anxiety for the Rebel Alliance formed to resist Palpatine's reign.
He appointed Grand Moff Tarkin as Commander of the Death Star and upon it's completion, permanently dissolved the Senate. Upon the loss of this battle station, which was capable of destroying an entire planet, Palpatine ordered construction of a second Death Star with greater firepower and defences. This second Death Star was placed, by Palpatine, under the command of Moff Jergerrod during most of it's construction phase.
Three quarters of the way through this construction, the location and access codes were leaked, by Palpatine to the Rebel Alliance. His trap had a two fold purpose, firstly to entrap the Rebel fleet and secondly to capture Skywalker's son Luke. His aim was to replace Anakin with Luke as a Sith Lord. This plan backfired when the Alliance managed to destroy the Death Star's deflector shield generator allowing Rebel vessels to enter the uncomplete superstructure in order to attack it's main reactor.
Luke and Anakin were pitted against each other by Palpatine. When Luke finally defeated his father and refused to kill him and turn to the Dark Side of the Force, Palpatine unleased Force lightning on the young Jedi. Luke pleaded with his father to save him whereupon Anakin lifted Palpatine and threw him into one of the Death Star's deep shafts. This was to end Palpatine's reign and his life.
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