PT Palpatine's motvations for the Clone Wars

I understand he created the Naboo crisis to gain the power of Chancellor. But why exactly did he want to start the Clone Wars? He controlled the Sith, the Trade Federation and the Republic. He basically already ruled the galaxy. Why create this crazy conflict? Was it just all to turn Anakin and to kill the Jedi, even though he could have done it without a war?

 

He couldn't kill all (or rather, most as it turned out) of the Jedi without Order 66- they had to be taken by surprise.

 

Killin' Jedi and to stage a war to scare everyone into giving him "UNLIMITED POWAH!!!"

 

Cause chaos by starting a fake war to kill Jedi, then do a mass kill of Jedi at the end of the war. Formally take control and declare himself emperor. Also manipulate the only Jedi prophesied to destroy him to switch teams and hunt down the last of the Jedi.

 

Wow. This is a bit off topic, but you just changed my understanding of how Palpatine viewed Anakin. I always kind of thought he viewed him as a prize to be won, but now I'm starting think he viewed him as a threat to be harnessed.

 

He didn't control the Republic, he was the chancellor. His power had limits. It was a democratic society with elected representatives voting in the interest of their people He wanted ultimate power to rule. His plan was to destabilize their society, and in the chaos and fear that he created, establish himself as the sole power.

The signposts along the way

He gets named Chancellor

He secretly creates an army

He gets legislation passed both making the creation of said army legal, and authorizing the use of that army (the clone wars)

He has many emergency powers (never fully listed, but the implication is that not only is he acting as commander in chief of the clone army, but that through these powers he has consolidated more power including but not limited to exceeding his term limits)

And then finally, strips away the pretense of democracy completely, installing himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire.

All of this is made possible by the destabilization of the Republic, through the blockade of Naboo and then through the Clone Wars.

 

By the point he said " I am the Senate " he was very much in control of the republic. He just made it legal when he declared himself emperor.

 

"Palpatine introduced absolute monarchy to the Republic- and they voted in favour of it" so to speak.

 

Not from a legal standpoint. The Jedi had the legal authority to arrest him, it's just that they got killed trying.

 

The Senate at that point still actually had power.

 

That is why I said he made it legal when he made himself emperor. Most of the Senate were his puppets anyways, so it made little difference in terms of legality at that point in time. The Senate gave most of their power to Palpatine when they gave him emergency powers.

 

I agree, he had considerable influence on them by that point and was pretty much in control as you said. I was just making the point that his ultimate goal was to strip them of all power and to be the uncontested ruler. At that point, he had not achieved that goal.

 

I see your point, and you're correct about his ultimate goal.

 

I think that the aspect of the prequel movies that works best was the Palpatine story arc. It's the best part IMO

 

I think Palpatine was just bored.

 

That's the problem with the rule of 2, you don't have many friends

 

When you're a sociopath, having friends (as opposed to pawns) may not matter as much.

 

The whole purpose of this huge thing was called "The Grand Plan" which was masterminded by Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious in the final stages, a plot to destroy the Jedi Order and create a galaxy ruled by The Order of Sith Lords. Unfortunately, Sidious killed Plagueis and he didn't get to sit back and watch the fireworks.

 

His plan was to create a war so the galaxy would cry out for a stronger leader and a stable goverment under the sole guidence of a single leader which in Palpatines case would be him. He also planned to use the war to rid The Jedi Order in one attack. They never saw it coming which is what he wanted in the first place. I admire and respect his tactics since he has used everyone in the Saga to help him in his rise to power but it was also his undoing as well.

 

correct

 

Palpatine needed a militarized Republic to transform it into an autocracy. Every dictator rules by power. Without a powerful army, the Nazis couldn't have done what they did. The Clone Wars gave Palpatine the opportunity to create an army.