Palpatine’s Monstrous Brilliance: How Democratic Decline Is Presented in ‘Clone Wars’
For many years, I resisted watching “The Clone Wars,” a computer-animated “Star Wars” series that premiered on Cartoon Network, Netflix and Disney Plus over its seven-season run. I thought the show, which is about the events between Episode II (Attack of the Clones) and Episode III (Revenge of the Sith), was for kids.
Even those who are mostly unfamiliar with the “Star Wars” movies know it’s a saga about good versus evil that centers on the Skywalker family. What’s less appreciated is that it’s also a series about the decline of democracy to authoritarianism.
The central political power in the Star Wars universe during the Clone Wars and prequel trilogy (Episodes I-III) is the Galactic Republic, a democratic union comprised of thousands of planets each represented by a senator in the Galactic Senate. Senators would elect one among them to serve as Supreme Chancellor, the head of the government.
Darth Sidious, a Sith disguised as Senator then Chancellor Palpatine, orchestrates the Clone Wars — fought between the Republic, defended by the Jedi, and an alliance of secessionist planets called the Separatists — to justify the transformation of the Republic into the Galactic Empire, the fascist political power in the original trilogy (Episodes IV-VI).
As a congressional reporter and former political science major, the legislative intrigue and democratic backsliding in “The Clone Wars” were more interesting to me than what I termed the “pew pew pew” scenes.
At a basic level, Palpatine was able to turn the democratic Republic into the fascist Empire because he was the leader of both sides of the Clone Wars. But instead of enacting his power grab through brute force, Palpatine patiently amasses greater authority, stamping out the major resistance one might expect with a sudden coup d’etat. It would take 20 years for the Rebel Alliance of the original trilogy to seriously challenge the Emperor.
What follows is my take on the ways in which “The Clone Wars” presents how Sidious consolidated political power to become the Galactic Emperor.
I. Republic Not Serving the Needs of the People
This first tenet is not something Palpatine did but rather circumstances he took advantage of. It was repeatedly stated and shown in the series that there was widespread corruption in the Republic.
For example, during the battle of Ryloth in season one, the Jedi encountered difficulties allying with a resistance group against the Separatists on the planet because the group’s leader opposed their senator, who was the epitome of a slimy politician.
In an episode from season three, Senator Padme Amidala (the secret wife of Anakin Skywalker, who becomes Darth Vader) meets with a Separatist senator to discuss peace negotiations. During the episode, the viewer learns that many Separatists left the Republic not for any nefarious reason but because they were fed up with the Republic’s corruption.
(But don’t get too sympathetic toward the Separatists, they also enslaved people and used innocents as a defense shield during a battle).
It’s also evident based on the varying class levels the “Clone Wars” characters encounter during their adventures (perhaps best exemplified by the poorer residents of Coruscant, the Republic’s capital, living in the lower, dirtier parts of the city while the wealthy live in the fancy upper sections) that there’s steep inequality across the galaxy.
There are examples of the Republic not providing for its citizens. During a speech to the Senate, Padme tells the story of one of her aides, who rarely has electricity or running water because human services funds are instead going to the Clone Wars.
“But if we continue to impoverish our people, it is not on the battlefield where [the Separatists] will defeat us,” she says. “But in our own homes.”
The Republic, arguably rightfully, lost the trust of its people. This distrust created a ripe opening for Palpatine to dramatically change how the Galaxy was governed with minimal opposition.
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II. Chip Away at Trust in Institutions
Sidious was literally able to defeat the Jedi by creating for them an army of clones (why it’s called the Clone Wars) who each had a chip in their head, unbeknownst to the Jedi, to make them kill all the Jedi at Sidious’ chosen time.
But Sidious effectively defeated the Jedi by scapegoating them for the war.
In a season two episode, Ahsoka Tano (Clone Wars’ protagonist and Skywalker’s Padawan) is chasing after a criminal who stole her lightsaber. During the chase scene on Coruscant, Palpatine is essentially shown giving a PSA about the war.
“The accusations that the Jedi created the Clone War to give themselves more power over the government is absurd, and I will not stand for it,” he says.
Considering Sidious sparked the war to elevate his own power, it’s safe to assume those accusations against the Jedi originated from him. Or, he at least discreetly encouraged them. And the disinformation campaign was effective.
At the end of season five, there’s a bombing at the Jedi Temple. Instead of rallying in support of the Jedi, there’s an anti-war demonstration outside of the Temple.
During the last season, Ahsoka meets a Coruscant resident who believes the Jedi started the Clone War. (The Separatists initiated the war.)
Clearly, the Jedi were not celebrated war heroes.
When Sidious executed Order 66 in Episode III for the clones to kill all the Jedi, the Chancellor turned Emperor legitimized the action by claiming the power-hungry Jedi were attempting to overthrow the Senate. He was able to do this because of the public’s great distrust of the Jedi that was built over years of war.
III. Allies in the Senate
In Episode II, the Senate grants Palpatine emergency authority to create the Clone Army.
“I love democracy. I love the Republic,” he says when he accepts this authority. “The power you give me I will lay down when this crisis has abated.” (He doesn’t.)
It’s also revealed in the prequel movies that the Senate removed term limits for Palpatine, so he could stay in office for the duration of the war.
It could be argued the Senate gave this power to the Chancellor out of necessity because of the war, which Palpatine created. Or, perhaps Palpatine used his Sith powers to force the Senate to grant him additional authorities. (Senators were regularly threatened in “Clone Wars.”)
But “Clone Wars” shows us that Palpatine did, in fact, have allies in the Senate.
In a season three episode, the legislative body considers a bill to significantly increase funds for the war, indirectly aiding Palpatine’s efforts. Senators for three commerce guilds (conglomerates had their own representation in the Senate) coordinated with the Separatists on an attack against Coruscant to spur passage of the additional war funding.
Whether senators sided with Palpatine because of the war, out of fear or due to a shared interest, the Senate effectively surrendered its power to the Chancellor. Because the body rubber-stamped all of Palpatine’s emergency authorities, it gave the appearance of being democratic when, actually, Palpatine was using democratic means to justify anti-democratic ends.
…
Watching “Clone Wars” is a fascinating experience. Unlike most other TV shows that have to drop hints throughout their runs about how they will conclude, the viewer already knows how the heroics, espionage and adventures throughout the series fit into the broader arc of the “Star Wars” saga.
In an iconic scene from “Revenge of the Sith,” Palpatine announces to the Senate that the Republic will be reorganized into an Empire. One would think the Senate might resist such a plan, but they do not.
Padme comments, “So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause.”
“Clone Wars” helps explain why they clapped.
Cover photo from Pixy
