Several characters betrayed the Galactic Empire, with prominent examples including Lando Calrissian, who reluctantly handed over his friends to Vader under duress but later redeemed himself, and various high-ranking officials like Sate Pestage, who schemed for power after Palpatine's fall, and even some Stormtroopers. Betrayals often stemmed from self-preservation, disillusionment, or personal ambition, like Moff Gideon's ultimate goals diverging from the New Republic's vision for the Empire's legacy.
During the Battle of Umbara, Jedi General Pong Krell was revealed to be a traitor to the Galactic Republic, having deliberately attempted to get as many of the clone troopers under his command as possible killed in an attempt to become the Sith apprentice of Count Dooku.
San Tekka was a member of the Church of the Force and a believer in the ideals of the Jedi Knights. He believed that the Jedi were essential to the balance of the Force and helped the Resistance find the vanished Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, unable to stand idly by as despair and darkness grew in the galaxy.
In Return of the Jedi, after four years of conflict and near constant harassments by Vader's forces, the Alliance achieves a decisive victory over the Empire during the Battle of Endor.
In short, Order 66 remains one of the most tragic betrayals in all of Star Wars, with Palpatine standing out as the biggest traitor of them all.
Luke's discipline and commitment to the Jedi way make him more powerful than Anakin in their primes.
Sheev Palpatine (/ˈpælpətiːn/ PAL-pə-teen) is the main antagonist of the Star Wars franchise. He first appeared in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back as the Emperor.
The saddest Star Wars deaths often involve poignant sacrifice, broken relationships, or innocent lives lost, with fan favorites including Kanan Jarrus (heroic sacrifice for his family), Duchess Satine (Obi-Wan's lost love, brutally killed by Maul), Clone Trooper 99 (innocent loyalty and tragic end), Tech (sacrifice for his squad), Padmé Amidala (heartbreak and loss of hope), and Han Solo (fatherly tragedy). These deaths resonate due to their emotional impact, the characters' potential, or the deep impact on other heroes.
Some fans interpret these hints as evidence of a literal father-son relationship. However, Lucasfilm has officially denied that Palpatine is Anakin's biological father, clarifying that while the Sith may have influenced events, there was no direct act of paternity.
In Star Wars lore, Order 37 was a grim Clone Trooper contingency plan to capture a wanted individual (often a Jedi) by taking a civilian population hostage, locking down the area, and threatening mass execution if the target wasn't surrendered, making it a horrific tactic used by the Empire to force Jedi compliance. It was considered more brutal than Order 66 because it targeted civilians directly, forcing Jedi to often turn themselves in to save innocent lives, as seen on planets like Bellassa.
The clone commando RC-1136, known as Darman Skirata, got Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan pregnant during the Clone Wars, resulting in their son, Venku Skirata, a Force-sensitive child born outside the Jedi Code's restrictions. Their forbidden relationship and child's birth were detailed in the Republic Commando novels, highlighting the complexities of clone troopers' development and the strictures of the Jedi Order, as Etain was killed shortly after Order 66 while protecting her family.
Darth Vader is not a credible threat to Palpatine and hasn't really shown an inclination to overthrowing and killing his master, which defeats the purpose of the Rule of Two. Luke, though, would be both a credible threat, and more likely to attempt to overthrow his master when he feels he is in the position to do so.
The Lost Twenty, also known as the The Lost, was a name given to the group of twenty Jedi Masters who left the Jedi Order throughout its history. According to Yula Braylon of the Jedi High Council, the Lost Twenty became disillusioned with the Jedi way of life.
Likely unaware of his true nature, Snoke was an artificial genetic strandcast created on the planet Exegol by the resurgent Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor Darth Sidious as a proxy and the product of cloning experiments.
In terms of pure evil that would go to Sidious as he had the greatest dedication to the Dark Side of possibly any Star Wars Character. The guy was a true Evil Supremacist. Sidious is often ranked among the most evil characters ever, period. Mauls silence made him the darkest.
Barriss betrayed Ahsoka by framing her for murder. When Anakin revealed her friend Barriss to be the culprit, Ahsoka was devastated and then felt betrayed. Barriss' betrayal still haunted Ahsoka. Also, she understands that Barriss was right about the republic even though she took it the wrong.
Anakin Skywalker, once the prophesied Chosen One, fell to the dark side through fear, pride, loss, and manipulation. His bond with Padmé, mistrust of the Jedi Council, and belief in Palpatine's promises led to his tragic transformation into Darth Vader.
Revenge of the Sith
Palpatine explains that Plagueis was so powerful and wise, he had mastered the dark side of the Force to such an extent that he could cheat death (mostly saving people he cared about from death) and create life; unnatural abilities which are unknown to the Jedi.
Darth Nihilus . He is basically a pure dark side being. His mortal form was apparently consumed by his hunger for the dark side of the Force.
Form VII (Juyo), the "Ferocity Form," was banned by the Jedi Order because it required channeling aggression, anger, and other intense emotions to fuel its wild, relentless, and unpredictable attacks, which closely skirts the dark side and risks corrupting the user, a direct violation of the Jedi Code's emphasis on peace and emotional control, even though Mace Windu later adapted it into the controlled Vaapad variant for a select few.
For Palpatine, Rey was never simply a granddaughter—she was an heir, a vessel, and ultimately a pawn in his twisted endgame. In his final gambit, Palpatine did not seek an apprentice in the traditional Sith sense.