A Thousand Stars: Episode V, Part 20

We know this is the evil Empire, and we've had a few references to the Emperor himself, but it's not till this point in Episode V that we finally see him. And he is creepy.

First off, he's in holographic form, so he's already an eerie, wraith-like blue. And his figure is purposefully projected larger than life, so even the imposing height of Vader becomes insignificant as he bows before his master. (Incidentally, this hologram-appearance provides a clue for us in the prequels, when both Palpatine and his sithly alter-ego first show up as holograms.)

A full view of his face reveals withered, sunken features that further emphasize the ghoul-like resemblance. It's fascinating to me that for the original release, long before they cast the excellent Ian McDiarmid for Episode VI, the emperor was played by an old woman! It was uncredited, and two women were filmed for it with extensive makeup, so we may never know for sure which version was chosen. They also superimposed chimpanzee eyes to heighten the unsettling, not-quite-human effect. Though I fully support re-shooting the segment with McDiarmid to maintain continuity, the original choice really emphasizes how much Lucas wanted the emperor to seem 'off' somehow, someone who has been fully distorted by the ravages of the Dark Side.

Next time, startling revelations...