Darth Plagueis is first mentioned in the 2005 prequel film Revenge of the Sith. While attending the opera, Palpatine, who is secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, tells Anakin Skywalker about "the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise". Palpatine explains that Plagueis was so powerful and wise, he had mastered the dark side of the Force to such an extent that he could cheat death and create life; unnatural abilities which are unknown to the Jedi. Ironically, Plagueis was unable to prevent his own death at the hands of his apprentice (who was none other than Palpatine himself), who killed him in his sleep.[2] Later in the film, Palpatine, as Sidious, tempts Anakin to the dark side by promising to use its power to prevent Anakin's pregnant wife Padmé Amidala from dying, as Anakin had foreseen.
The Rise of Skywalker novelization
Darth Plagueis is mentioned in Rae Carson's novelization of the 2019 film The Rise of Skywalker. In the book, it is revealed that Palpatine had discovered Plagueis' "secret to immortality", using this knowledge to resurrect himself after his death in Return of the Jedi.[3] The novel further explains that Plagueis had attempted to create a powerful connection with Palpatine known as a 'Force dyad', a concept mentioned in the film as occurring naturally between Rey and Ben Solo.[3][4] Plagueis' inability to use his powers to save himself from death is also detailed in the novelization; Plagueis "had not acted fast enough in his own moment of death" to prevent Palpatine from killing him.[3][5]
Legends
In April 2014, Lucasfilm rebranded most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film Star Wars as Star Wars Legends and declared them non-canon to the franchise.[6][7][8]Star Wars Legends literature elaborates on Plagueis' life, apprenticeship under the Bith Sith Lord Darth Tenebrous, and mentorship of Palpatine, up until his death at the latter's hands.
The character is the focus of Star Wars: Darth Plagueis, a Legends novel written by James Luceno and published on January 10, 2012. The novel covers the later life and machinations of Darth Plagueis (born Hego Damask II), over a roughly fifty-year period pre-dating and culminating concurrently with the climax of The Phantom Menace. The novel details Plagueis betraying and overthrowing of his own master Darth Tenebrous; his work as head of a powerful banking consortium on the Muun homeworld; his discovery, recruitment, and training of the teenaged Palpatine of Naboo; and the efforts of Plagueis to undermine the Galactic Republic and ensure the dominance of the dark side of the Force. Even though Plagueis' plans to undermine the Galactic Republic were stopped by Palpatine, who betrayed and murdered him, Palpatine still succeeded in wiping out the Galactic Republic and driving the Jedi Order into ruins for his own plans.
Daryl Thomen of Newsday called Darth Plagueis "the best Star Wars publication to date."[9]
Reception
Despite never appearing on screen, Darth Plagueis has remained a popular Star Wars character. The scene in which the character is mentioned in Revenge of the Sith has become an Internet meme.[10]
