Via Starwars.com:
The next time you watch the prequel trilogy or Star Wars: The Clone Wars, pay particular attention to Palpatine. When you start tracking the subtle way he guides conversations and popular sentiment, you may find yourself marveling at him. He’s quite impressive in the original trilogy as well, but if you visit earlier periods, you can see his devotion to his twisted plan. Palpatine was a masterful and patient manipulator. Emphasis on the word patient. He put things in motion long before we saw him in The Phantom Menace and carefully played countless people like pianos. His intelligence coupled with his desire for power makes him one of the most formidable villains you’ll encounter in fiction.

Whether you’re pro-Empire or not, you should note Palpatine’s commitment and follow through. He rarely wasted an opportunity to turn the tides in his favor. These six moments were key in helping Palpatine become the Emperor.

Click below to read the full article.