Did Palpatine throw the fight against Windu?

[darthmorbius]

To answer a question, why Palp needed Anakin.

He needed an Enforcer.  That was EXACTLY what Vader became.  He became an extension of the Emperor's will.

The Emperor made policy, and Vader enacted it ruthlessly.

Palpatine knew that he needed someone to enact his orders.  He couldn't do everything.  If you get the chance, read the book Rise of Darth Vader.  It takes place during Order 66 and immediately after.  It goes on to show how pissed Vader is at Palpy because of his choice at a life support suit.  Palpatine COULD have chosen something more practical for Vader to wear, but PALPY wanted an intimidating presence to be known in his Empire.  Also, many people did not know that the Emperor was "the Sith".  Reading the book, you begin to find out the deceptive plan that Palpatine has had all along.

In the book, you find out that the Jedi Order believes VADER is the Sith Lord that has been manipulating things behind the scenese, and now the Sith Lord is working for the Emperor.

The ONLY one that the Emperor ever feared was Anakin.  But it was a gamble the Emperor was willing to take, if it meant having the Chosen One on his side.  He just had to find the right way to control him.

I'll take it one step further.

I believe that Palpatine saw what was going to happen on Mustafaar.  I believe that was one of the reasons why he specifically sent Vader there.  By allowing him to be crippled the way he was, he could:

1) Drive home the final nail by making Vader believe he killed padme
2) Yank on the leash of his pitbull.  By allowing Vader to become crippled, Palpatine KNEW that Vader would forever be vulnerable to Sith Lightning, by not having any ORGANIC ARMS.  What was Palpy's speciality?  Sith Lightning.  Palpatine SAW that he was not yet strong enough in the Force to control Vader at his full potential, so he had to do something to control him further, should he decide to try to one day take Palpy out.  (Which in the Rise of Darth Vader, it talks about Vader's nearly immediate desire to find his own secret apprentice **insert Fore Unleashed here** and destroy Palpatine.  Vader knows that Palpatine put him in the suit on purpose.  He constantly complains that he has to use the Force just to be able to walk in the thing, which is a constant drain on his Force Powers.

By the time Return of the Jedi occurs, Palpatine believes he has reached ultimate power and can control anyone.  That is why at that time, he starts to look to replace Vader with Skywalker.   He believes he can fully control the potential of what Anakin would have been.

Those that haven't read The Rise of Darth Vader, I stronly recommend it.  It truly gets inside the head of Vader and explains many things why he did what he did...including slaugthering the younglings.  I believe the book has been given Lucas' blessing and is considered canon, because it and The Force Unleashed were both created to flow seemlessly together, from what I've read.

To repsctfully add to Vader's post. Do not forget that in Empire, Vader is the one that makes the suggestion to "turn" his son to the dark side. His motivations stem from his need for Luke to act as HIS enforcer to overthrow Palpatine. This is also touched on very briefly in the novelization of ESB, while Vader is communicating with Luke via the Force, during Luke's exodus to Dagobah (Meditation chamber scenes during the Falcon asterroid chase).

It is touched on further in the pivotal "I am your father" scene. "You can destroy the Emperor, He has forseen this! Join me, and we can rule the galaxy as father and son!" This also states Vader's displeasure with his current role as Palpatine's Dog of War. Thus proving that Sidious truly set up a very complex game of Dejarik, and checkmated the Jedi council.

Palpatine KNEW that Anakin was struggling with his emotional dischord. He knew Anakin would turn to Master Windu with his concerns, after getting smacked in the face with the revelation by Sidious. (Windu was the Highest ranking Jedi on the council that remained on Coruscant at the time).  Palpatine considered Master Windu a possible threat, but also a possible ally to his cause, but he wanted ANAKIN.
Therefore, he PURPOSEFULLY revealed himself knowing that Anakin would run off to Windu, and Windu would come.

Anakin showing up to HELP Windu capture and detain the Sith Lord only furthered Sidious's resolve, and gave him the trump card needed to overthrow Windu.

[HAN SOLO]

This is kinda funny....I just read my SW Insider# 95, p. 64 and they have an article pertaining this fight. Most just technical like how the stage was made and so on, but it also describes Sidious take on the fight. The verdict.....He never set the fight up He believed he was more powerful than the Jedi. He does not set-up them up per say in the sense as in say "they are coming and I will set this trap for them so that Anakin will see this" but that Sidious has trained for this and will be ready if they come get him. SW Insider supports this by writing that "A group of four Jedi has come to interfere with his ambitions, but Palpatine is prepared." This is re-inforced by the fact that we see "From a private anti-chamber adjacent to his main office, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine monitors the state pf his plans for galatic conquest." Also the fact that Palpatine is a little irritated by the Jedi arriving early and though he is perpared to fight the Jedi prosecutors because of his previous conversation with Anakin, they catch him off guard. (Perhaps disappointed Anakin wasn't there also, it doesn't say, but this makes sense too.) It goes on to say he is irritated with the fact that "Master Windu proves to be more troubesome" and now has to fight to survive. Anakin was originally supposed to watch the fight in turmoil. (I think this would have been to unrealistic and that the final cut is much more believable) After Mace defeats him and has him pinned, "Palpatine feigns weakness and pleads for his life" and "Anakin is forced to choose loyalties." So...Sidious sets up a play, but only when he is down and out and Anakin is there. We all know the rest...

      This is totally opposite to the novel of ROTS. Mace is deep in Vaapad and litterally controls the "shadow's" everymove in the duel, then really takes over when he senses Anakin's presence in the chambers before the anti-chambers. Sidious is confronted in the chamber of the room and has difficulty for a bit against the 4. This is where Mace senses Sidious' strength and makes the decision to emerse deep into Vaapad and locate the Dark Lord's "shatterpoint". In fact Matthew Stover describes Mace as almost enjoying this duel and doesn't give into fear. This how the other three are caught off guard and  Mace realizes that fear is the key to the Dark Side's strength. He will not allow the Dark Lord to gain the upper hand and with the overpowering speed of both the Force and Vaapad, Mace engages him with equal lightning speed. Sidious starts to succomb to fear and Mace senses it and uses it against him. Mace defeats Sidious by severing his lightsaber in half. They proceed to have an intense lightning verses lightsaber fight that drains both. Palpatine loses and Mace finds the Dark Lord's shatterpoint. This blinds him to Sidious's true plan. It's ony when Mace loses his hand, that he realizes Anakin's true intentions to have Palpatine alive. (Padme....WHAT?!?!?!) Then we know the rest. And yes....Mace dies. Both the book and the SW Insider state this. So no, he does not get rescued by someone or uses the Force to cushion his fall or everybody else's zany theories.

     So, there are two "Official" Star Wars points of view. Seems like this whole saga is "from a certain point of view". :D

[darren77th]

I think that Mace had him beat.  I can not remember where i read it from, but I seem to remember that Mace was reguarded as the one of the best if not the best in lightsaber combat..  I have heard the argument that, well yoda could not beat him,s o Mace couldn't.  Well yoda was probably the strongest in the force, but not lightsaber combat.  Yoda could not beat Sidous,  and he could not beat Dooku.

The problem that has pleagued the Sith, is their arogance.  Darth Maul sould never have lost in his fight.  He got cocky when you thought he had Kenobi on the ropes.  What did  he do, he screwed around and taunted Kenobi leading  him to be cut in half.  no fast forward to ROTS.  Sideous figures he can handle everyone, but gets his a_ _ handed to him because he got cocky too.

[Master Mac]

I think that Mace had him beat.  I can not remember where i read it from, but I seem to remember that Mace was reguarded as the one of the best if not the best in lightsaber combat..  I have heard the argument that, well yoda could not beat him,s o Mace couldn't.  Well yoda was probably the strongest in the force, but not lightsaber combat.  Yoda could not beat Sidous,  and he could not beat Dooku.

The problem that has pleagued the Sith, is their arogance.  Darth Maul sould never have lost in his fight.  He got cocky when you thought he had Kenobi on the ropes.  What did  he do, he screwed around and taunted Kenobi leading  him to be cut in half.  no fast forward to ROTS.  Sideous figures he can handle everyone, but gets his a_ _ handed to him because he got cocky too.

First off, I firmly believe Yoda WOULD have beaten Dooku if that fight had gone on longer. I don't know if you noticed, but that fight lasted literately 2 minutes before Dooku distracted Yoda by dropping rocks on Obi and Ani.

Secondly, Mace was only regarded as being the best in lightsaber combat amongst the Jedi themselves. They obviously had no knowledge of the power of Lord Sidious, or else the entire PT would never have happened  :D I believe Sidious was more advanced in lightsaber combat than Mace, and he simply played possum to get Anakin to fall.

[HAN SOLO]

Quoted from Wikipedia,"Vaapad is able to take the hatred, anger and rage of the opponent and reflect it back at him. In his fight with Palpatine, Mace Windu used Palpatine's own speed and hatred against him, reflecting it back against the Sith Lord and using it as his own power. Vaapad is at once a form of lightsaber combat, a state of mind, and an actual tangible power. To use it required great mastery, discipline and, above all else, purity of heart and spirit. Vaapad users are intense, focused, and introverted; there are even signs of pent-up hostility in them." Plus all the Star Wars evidence I stated in my last post supports the fact that Mace was a better Lightsaber master than Sidious, but Sidious is stronger in the Force. But this is only coming from those associated with the Star Wars Franchise. ;)

But I found this Lightsaber conflict the best in ROTS.

Now let's Play Jedi-ish, ;).

 :D