'Star Wars Rebels' Season 4 Spoilers: Palpatine Will Not Be Featured
Despite the earlier rumors claiming that Ian McDiarmid could potentially lend his voice to Palpatine in "Star Wars Rebels," showrunner Dave Filoni has confirmed that the upcoming fourth and final season of the animated series will not feature the villain.
"Star Wars Rebels" final season is not slated to arrive until the middle of this month, but fans can already expect that the animated series will not feature Palpatine, also known as Dark Sidious, at all. While major battles between the evil Empire and the budding Rebellion are sure to happen, Palpatine, who orchestrated all the troubles, will remain in the background and will never be featured at all.
Because of Filoni's confirmation, it is now suspected that Palpatine will focus on bigger matters in the animated series' timeline. After all, the rebellion against the Empire is not as open and public at the point in the "Star Wars Rebels" timeline. With some of the Empire's best generals dealing with the rebellion, there is indeed no reason for Palpatine to get worried and involve himself in the battles or threats against his reign as the Emperor.
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Some opine that Palpatine's exclusion from "Star Wars Rebels" season 4 is actually beneficial for the animated series in one way or another. For one thing, his non-appearance in the last and final season of the animated series will spare it from being overcrowded with villains.
While the master tactician, Thrawn, had a limited appearance in the previous season of the anime series, thanks to the Darth Maul storyline, it is now suspected that he will return bigger and badder in the upcoming episodes of "Star Wars Rebels" season 4.
As the recently released trailer for the series also confirms that Grand Moff Tarkin and Governor Pryce are returning, it is apparent that "Star Wars Rebels" season 4 already has a lot of rebels thrown into the mix, and that Palpatine's presence is, indeed, not needed.
"Star Wars Rebels" season 4 premieres on Disney XD this Oct. 16.
