Palpatine is a fictional character in George Lucas' science fiction saga Star Wars. The character, portraye by actor Ian McDiarmid in the feature films, is the main antagonist of the saga; introduced in the original trilogy as the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, an aged, cowled and pale-faced figure, who rises to power in the prequel trilogy through deception and treachery as a peaceful, democratic middle-aged politician of the Republic, while in reality, is Darth Sidious, a Dark Lord of the Sith who initiates and manipulates the Clone Wars to destroy the Jedi and usher in the totalitarian Galactic Empire. His Sith apprentices include Darth Maul, Darth Tyranus, and Darth Vader.