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'''''Darth Plagueis''''' is a [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] novel by James Luceno set during the final decades of the Old Republic (beginning approximately 67 years before the Battle of Yavin in ''A New Hope''). The plot concerns itself with the life and times of the titular character, [[Emperor Scientist|Darth Plagueis]], and his dual efforts to conquer the galaxy and achieve immortality through manipulation of the midi-chlorians that connect the Force to its users. After [[Klingon Promotion|betraying and murdering his way to the head of the Sith Order]], Plagueis's journeys lead him to discover a young noble named [[The Antichrist|Palpatine]]. [[Galactic Conqueror|Sensing enormous potential]] in the youthful malcontent, Plagueis ensnares Palpatine in the Sith ways and grants him the Sith title of Darth Sidious. The remainder of the book concerns itself with the relationship between these two Sith Lords and how their pursuit of power disrupts [[The Force]] and inevitably leads their fruitful partnership to a lethal conclusion.▼
''Darth Plagueis'' is pivotal in that its content is heretofore unexplored. The history of the saga's [[Big Bad]] is detailed, as are new insights (as experienced through the eyes and actions of the Sith) to galactic events that lead to the Empire's rise. The novel spans decades and even encroaches well into the events of ''The Phantom Menace'', featuring (to varying degrees) characters like [[Head-in-The-Sand Management|Chancellor Valorum]], [[Fallen Hero|Count Dooku]], [[The Dragon|Darth Maul]], [[Villainous Glutton|Jabba the Hutt]], [[Corrupt Corporate Executive|Nute Gunray]], [[The Obi-Wan|Obi-Wan Kenobi]], and [[The Chosen One|Anakin Skywalker]].
▲''Darth Plagueis'' is a [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] novel by James Luceno set during the final decades of the Old Republic (beginning approximately 67 years before the Battle of Yavin in ''A New Hope''). The plot concerns itself with the life and times of the titular character, [[Emperor Scientist|Darth Plagueis]], and his dual efforts to conquer the galaxy and achieve immortality through manipulation of the midi-chlorians that connect the Force to its users. After [[Klingon Promotion|betraying and murdering his way to the head of the Sith Order]], Plagueis's journeys lead him to discover a young noble named [[The Antichrist|Palpatine]]. [[Galactic Conqueror|Sensing enormous potential]] in the youthful malcontent, Plagueis ensnares Palpatine in the Sith ways and grants him the Sith title of Darth Sidious. The remainder of the book concerns itself with the relationship between these two Sith Lords and how their pursuit of power disrupts [[The Force]] and inevitably leads their fruitful partnership to a lethal conclusion.
▲''Darth Plagueis'' is pivotal in that its content is heretofore unexplored. The history of the saga's [[Big Bad]] is detailed, as are new insights (as experienced through the eyes and actions of the Sith) to galactic events that lead to the Empire's rise. The novel spans decades and even encroaches well into the events of ''The Phantom Menace'', featuring (to varying degrees) characters like [[Head-in-The-Sand Management|Chancellor Valorum]], [[Fallen Hero|Count Dooku]], [[The Dragon|Darth Maul]], [[Villainous Glutton|Jabba the Hutt]], [[Corrupt Corporate Executive|Nute Gunray]], [[The Obi-Wan|Obi-Wan Kenobi]], and [[The Chosen One|Anakin Skywalker]].
Tone-wise, ''Darth Plagueis'' is more cerebral, with more emphasis on history, mysticism, and politics than outright action, affording it a similar nature to Luceno's other prequel-era Palpatine-centric novel, ''Cloak of Deception''. It was released January 10th, 2012.
{{tropelist}}
* [[A God Am I]]: Plagueis is hellbent on securing immortality, as he believes it will make him this.
** Sidious/Palpatine eventually declares himself to be the Sith'ari, which is basically the Sith version of [[God Is Evil|God]].
* [[Above Good and Evil]]: One of the reasons Plagueis is intrigued by Palpatine is that he seems to have transcended notions of morality.
* [[
* [[Ambition Is Evil]]: Palpatine, Gunray, Dooku, Veruna, Pestage, Doriana, Jabba, etc. Pretty much everyone with at least one line in the book.
* [[The Antichrist]]: {{spoiler|Palpatine is introduced as a young son of a nobleman who exhibits prodigious intellect and a proportionately high disregard for common morality. He is also said to be a delinquent, having a history of petty crime and being directly responsible for the deaths of two individuals as well as someone who is willing to murder his entire family without ''too'' much prompting.}}
* [[Aristocrats Are Evil]]: Palpatine, definitely. Dooku, kinda.
* [[Arc Welding]]: In addition to numerous references to other SWEU works that don't go beyond a [[Shout-Out]], the novel ties previously standalone Episode I tie-ins into a coherent scheme of Sith machinations.
** In particular, the events in novels ''Cloak of Deception, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter'' and ''Darth Maul: Saboteur'' and comics ''Jedi Council: Acts of War'', ''Darth Maul'' and ''Bloodlines'' from [[Star Wars Republic]] were all previously known to fit into the Sith Grand Plan ''somehow'', until this novel tied them all together and explained the exact role each of those events had.
* [[A Worldwide Punomenon]]: Doubles as an extremely meta and, for a Star Wars novel, somewhat uncharacteristic [[Shout-Out]]--"A Muun [[The Rolling Stones|of wealth and taste]]"
* [[The Bad Guy Wins]]: As with most stories during this era, Darth Sidious achieves all that he desires.
* [[Badass Boast]]: Plagueis and Sidious have these in abundance, {{spoiler|particularly for the latter when he is killing the former}}.
{{quote|
'''Sidious''': No true Sith can ever really care about another. This has always been known. There is no way but ''my'' way.
'''Sidious''': You were doomed the moment you took me as an apprentice! }}
* [[Badass Abnormal]]: Darth Venamis, who goes toe-to-toe with Plagueis and holds his own.
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** ''Book of Sith'', a [[All There in the Manual|supplementary text]] on all things Sith released not long after ''Darth Plagueis'', goes one step further by implying that {{spoiler|Plagueis was ''never'' the [[Big Bad]] at all, being played like a violin by Sidious even prior to his apprenticeship}}.
* [[Bloodbath Villain Origin]]: Palpatine.
* [[The Chessmaster]]:
** Luceno seems intent on removing any potential doubt that Darth Sidious is the pinnacle of this trope for the Star Wars mythos. {{spoiler|As an example, it turns out ''Palpatine'' was the one who engineered Padme's campaign for the throne of Naboo.}} While this may not seem to be a big deal in and of itself, when you consider it along with the events of the films, the impact speaks for itself.
** Plagueis himself is a skilled one, to a lesser extent. {{spoiler|He was involved in the incident at Galidraan that began Dooku's dissent with the Jedi and, more importantly, was the one who gave Sifo-Dyas the suggestion to clone an army for the Republic....}}
*** Bear in mind that {{spoiler|the climax reveals that these things as well as a lot more had in fact been manipulated by Sidious himself.}}
**** Palpatine becomes one over the course of the novel.
* [[The Chosen One]]: Both Palpatine and Plagueis are anxious and obsessed with meeting Anakin Skywalker.
** Namely, the reason they want to meet him is because he's not only the result of a botched experiment, but also the one destined to destroy them due to the midichlorians retaliating for the unethical experiment.
* [[Continuity Cameo]]: A ''lot''. Sifo-Dyas, Qui-Gon Jinn, Wilhuff Tarkin, Finis Valorum, etc.
* [[Continuity Nod]]: Tons and tons, on the verge of [[Continuity Porn]]. Luceno gets an A+ for effort: the plot intricately weaves itself in with ''Cloak of Deception'' and ''The Phantom Menace''. To get a general idea, about 99,8% of all names in the book are from previously established sources, sometimes so obscure the larger [[Expanded Universe]] ignored them all they until now.
* [[Curb Stomp Battle]]: Plagueis vs. Captain Lah and the crew of the ''Woebegone''. A 17-year-old, untrained Palpatine vs. {{spoiler|his family and their bodyguards}}.
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* [[The Force]]: The prequel films mention repeatedly that the Force is imbalanced and that the dark side is ascending. The origin of the imbalance begins in this book.
* [[Foreshadowing]]: An Itkotchi prophetess foresees the ensuing Clone Wars, Order 66, Galactic Empire, Death Star, and Galactic Civil War. Needless to say Plagueis moves quickly to [[Have You Told Anyone Else?|silence her]]; Palpatine reminds Anakin that he will monitor his career with great interest; Master Sifo-Dyas is persuaded that the Republic needs an army....
* [[Foregone Conclusion]]: Any fan who has seen
* [[Freudian Excuse]]: Unambiguously averted. Unlike his predecessor Bane, young Palpatine's feelings towards his family are a little...''extreme''. To elaborate, Palpatine's father does hate him, but for the simple reason that Palpatine has transparently hated ''him'' from the moment he was born (though his dad covering up his crimes did help Palpatine develop an "I can do no wrong" mentality).
* [[Heel Face Turn]]: Darth Gravid.
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* [[Immortality Immorality]]: Darth Plagueis all the way.
* [[Insult Backfire]]: During the final argument between Palpatine and his father:
{{quote|
'''Palpatine''': I don't need anyone's permission.
'''Cosinga''': Precisely. You're an animal at heart.
'''Palpatine''': King of the beasts, Father. }}
* [[Ironic Fear]]: Plagueis' motives come from his fear of death.
{{quote|
* [[Lone Dalek]]: It's hard not to feel sorry for Darth Venamis.
* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: Palpatine.
{{quote|
* [[Nice Job Fixing It, Villain]]: Sidious and Plagueis just ''had'' to upset the order of the midichlorians in a botched experiment of crafting a Sith Weapon. Well, it certainly bit them in the butt afterwards when the midichlorians {{spoiler|retaliated by creating [[The Chosen One|Anakin Skywalker]] to destroy them once and for all.}}
* [[Oh Crap]]: Plagueis has this when he learns that Anakin's been taken to the Jedi.
* [[Pet the Dog]]: Plagueis is pretty nice and polite to any droids in his service.
* [[The Power of Hate]]: This is the reservoir of power that Sith are trained to tap into, [[The Power of Love|unlike the Jedi]].
{{quote|
** Unfortunately for Plagueis, Palpatine was ''always'' ready to murder him, as soon as he had [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|outlived his usefulness.]]
** Ironically, he did to some extent also value Palpatine in a way similar to that of a son, even stating that they break the Rule of Two set up by Bane. [[Too Dumb to Live|Because he clearly has no clue who he's dealing with]].
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* [[Psychopathic Manchild]]: Palpatine becomes a very high-functioning version of this.
* [[Out-Gambitted]]: Plagueis plays a mean game throughout the novel, but he's not quite good enough to beat his apprentice.
* [[One-Man Army]]: Both Plagueis and Sidious show their worth against hundreds of adversaries at least twice.
** [[Arrogant Kung Fu Guy|Darth Maul]] thinks he's this, much to both Plagueis and Sideious' displeasure over his pride.
* [[Robot Buddy]]: Droid 11-4D to Plagueis {{spoiler|and later to Palpatine}}. He's pretty much an "evil" R2-D2.
* [[Self-Made Orphan]]: Sidious, under Plagueis's instruction.
* [[Smug Snake]]: Plagueis, Maul, and Naboo's King Veruna all [[Hoist
* [[The Sociopath]]: The ''nicest'' thing you can say about [[Complete Monster|Palpatine.]] He really was just born a bastard.
* [[The Starscream]]: Plagueis to Tenebrous, Sidious to Plagueis; averted with Maul and Sidious.
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* [[Start of Darkness]]: Dooku and Gunray all the way. To a lesser extent, Palpatine, who was sociopathic from the very beginning.
** Arguably, one for Sate Pestage as well. Plagueis had given Palpatine Pestage in the belief that he'd be useful to the Sith Lord, and while he wouldn't be called 'innocent' he probably wouldn't have become so twisted if he hadn't been under the influence of the Sith Lords. Since he was, fast forward a few decades later and he becomes Grand Vizier of the Galactic Empire.
* [[Sympathy for
** Possibly played slightly straight with Darth Plagueis, however: Plagueis literally was destined to become a Sith before he was even born, meaning he literally had no other choice to be anything except to be a Sith, if supplementary items for the novel (such as the Tenebrous Way) are of any indication.
* [[Tyrant Takes the Helm]]: ''Supreme Chancellor'' Palpatine, anyone?
* [[Undying Loyalty]]: Atypical of Sith Lords, Maul is deeply devoted to his Master.
* [[Unwitting Pawn]]: Pretty much everyone in the book is a pawn of the Sith in one form or another. {{spoiler|The book's climax reveals that Palpatine regards Plagueis himself as this, too.}}
* [[Villain Protagonist]]: Carrying on the tradition established by the ''[[Darth Bane]]'' series.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Star Wars Expanded Universe (Franchise)]]▼
[[Category:Darth Plagueis]]
[[Category:Literature]]
[[Category:Star Wars novels]]
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