Helmets and masks seem to be a mainstay for Sith Lords and other dark siders inStar Wars, and it’s always been a little odd thatEmperor Palpatinenever got his own. The likes ofDarth Vader, his Inquisitors, and Kylo Ren all had masks, and that’s only considering the mainStar Warscontinuity. Going intothe history ofStar Wars, there’s Darth Revan, Darth Nihilus, and Darth Momin who also all wore helmets/masks. So, why didn’t Palpatine get one? While that question has never been answered, one thing is for sure: the Jedi should be thankful he didn’t.
InDarth Vader#22 by Charles Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli, fans are given a full introduction to the aforementioned Darth Momin, who helps Vader build his fortress on Mustafar. And when Momin is introduced, he’s not a long-lost Sith who partners with Vader - in fact, he’s not even technically alive. Darth Momin is nothing more than a mask that contains the essence of the ancient Sith Lord who has long-since died. And the most interesting part? Darth Momin’s spirit can possess anyone who wears his helmet, which basically means this Sith had achieved some form of eternal life.
Throughout the events ofDarth Vader#22-24, Darth Momin takes over a number of host bodies, from Stormtroopers and Imperial Officers to Mustafarian natives and literal giant bugs. Any living creature that puts on Momin’s mask forfeits their lives, and their bodies become Darth Momin’s to control.
Not only that, but after Momin helped Vader create a doorway into the astral plane of the dark side, his original spirit used the mask as a beacon to the physical world, and once Momin’s spirit put on the mask, he was fully resurrected.
Emperor Palpatine’s Quest for Eternal Life Could Have Been Achieved with a Mask
Palpatine Could Have Linked His Spirit to a Mask & Returned from the Grave like Darth Momin
In bothStar Wars Legendsand canon,Emperor Palpatine was obsessed with attaining immortality. To his credit, Palpatine mastered the Sith art of essence transfer, as shown inThe Rise of Skywalkerand theDark Empire Trilogy. In bothLegendsand canon, Palpatine transferred his spirit into a clone body upon his death inReturn of the Jedi, and whenever one of his clone hosts began to deteriorate (as they couldn’t hold his spirit for very long), Palpatine would simply transfer his essence to another.
Palpatine’s ultimate goal was to find a living host to possess, rather than jumping from one clone body to the next. InLegends, Palpatine wanted to possess the infant son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, Anakin Solo, and in canon, Palpatine’s plan was to take over the body of his own granddaughter, Rey. Palpatine even manages to possess a living host when he accidentally inhabits the body of a Jedi named Brand at the end of theDark Empire Trilogy, proving he could take over a host inhabited by another soul.
Emperor Palpatine’s Legends Death Gave Order 66 Victims the Perfect Revenge
Emperor Palpatine dies in both Star Wars Legends and canon, but the Legends version is better, as it gives Order 66 victims the perfect revenge.
Emperor Palpatine’s plan was sound, and nearly worked both times he attempted it (inLegendsand canon, respectively). However, after learning about Darth Momin, it seems Palpatine went about attaining eternal life all wrong. Palpatine could have linked his spirit to a mask, and then used one of his Acolytes (indeed, Exegol was full of them) to build a bridge between the physical and metaphysical planes, just as Momin did with Vader. At that point, Palpatine could simply copy Momin’s actions and return from the grave - and there’d really be nothing the heroes could do to stop him.
Sith Masks Can Do More than Grant One Eternal Life
Some Sith Masks in Star Wars can Grant One Immense Power in the Dark Side
Not only can Sith masks potentially grant eternal life, but they can offer living Sith vast amounts of power in the dark side of the Force. InStar Wars Legends’ Knights of the Old Republic#29, fans are introduced to the Helm of Dathka Grausch, which - as described in the comics - “projects D-class emanations through the Force, amplifying the wearer’s abilities on scales six and eight”. This helmet makes a dark sider nearly ten times stronger in the Force, and if Palpatine had a helmet like that, then the already immensely powerful Sith Lord would be unstoppable.
Star Wars Unlocked Darth Vader’s Maximum Power in 2024, Turning Him into a Living Superweapon
Darth Vader is an immensely powerful Force-user in Star Wars, but he’s never been stronger than he was in 2024, as he became a living superweapon.
All-in-all, in bothStar Wars Legendsand canon, it’s been well-established that helmets and masks worn by the Sith can increase their power and even help them achieve some form of eternal life. While some helmets offer no such perks (like those of Darth Vader, the Inquisitors, or Kylo Ren), it’s clear that others do.Emperor Palpatinecould have followed that trend to not only become far more powerful than he already was, but to accomplish his quest for immortality - in other words, the Jedi should be thankful he never got one inStar Wars.
Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
The senator for Naboo, Palpatine rose to power and influence during the dying days of the Republic. In reality, his public persona was just a mask; he was really Darth Sidious, greatest of the Sith Lords, and he used his political skills and Machiavellian cunning to bring down both the Republic and the Jedi. Palpatine ruled his Galactic Empire for decades, until he was betrayed by his apprentice, Darth Vader. Even this wasn’t enough to stop the Emperor, however, as he was resurrected by his followers - only to be defeated once again.
