CT Why did the DS2 Throne Room have a shaft?

Apologies in advance if this is considered a "minor question", although personally I believe the issue is important enough to deserve its own thread.

So, at the end of ROTJ, Vader throws the Emperor down the shaft in the latter's Throne Room and, as far as we know, kills him.

However, there's something that has always bugged me about this scene. Why in hell's name did the Emperor have a miles-deep shaft in his Throne Room?

It was a potential source of harm for him, as an attacker could throw him down the shaft (as eventually happened). However, even if we assume that he believed himself invincible, or that he was too arrogant to contemplate his downfall, it still doesn't explain why he would want that shaft there. I mean, it's not like it provided him with a beautiful view or anything.

What was the functional purpose of the shaft?

 

It was going to have a big slide in it that ended at a swimming pool, but they weren't done with it yet.

 

As far as I can tell, the only functional purpose of that shaft (and others in SW) has been to spawn millions of jokes about pointless unprotected endless pits throughout the galaxy.

 

At Least the second death star had guardrails near it. the first apparently did not(rewatch the scene were obi wan is turning off the tractor beem or when Luke and Leia get have to use the grapple hook).

 

So he can chill down there.

 

He planned it to be like an opan BBQ, sith love the BBQ!!

 

Engineering; air circulation.
Symbolism: A pit whence the devil is deposited by his right hand (Abaddon), later replaced by the archangle, Michael.

 

After the whole Death Star 1 business there was a big tighten up with Occupational Safety and Health. If ANH was remade Obiwan would need a hand rail and a hard hat to turn off the tractor beam.

 

The Emperor's throne room was at the top of a very long spire. Why they left a large gap around the elevator shaft is beyond me.

 

How do we even know it was a throne room? I can't recall if it was even described as one in ROTJ.

Did the Emperor not arrive a little unexpectedly to help speed up the construction? What if he simply chose the most isolated or suitable place available to him upon arriving? I am aware of the fact it was situated in some sort of tower though, which wouldn't really make sense unless it was specifically designed for him. But even still, I couldn't see him entertaining the prospect of Luke triumphing, nor Vader turning on him at the end, such was his arrogance and over confidence by that point. So, I doubt it would have overly concerned him.

Of course, the shaft is there in reality because it provides an acceptable way of killing off the Emperor, redeeming Vader and ending the trilogy. I doubt there was too much thought put into the whole design by Lucas or the set designers. And like someone said above, this is the same series that had tractor beam control panels, perched on the tiniest of ledges, with no rails in sight. The Empire doesn't do health and safety, clearly, so they were just being consistent if nothing else.

Also, if you were a borderline omnipotent being, able to produce lightning bolts from your hands, then something as irrelevant as a shaft probably wouldn't enter your mind. Even with its precarious position taken into consideration.

 

Because it would've taken too long for Vader to pick him up, carry him to the elevator, put him back down, hold him and open the elevator door with only the one hand, pick him back up, throw him down the elevator shaft. All while screaming NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

I think it was going to be like the Bat-pole (or a fireman's pole) so that the Emperor could slide down it and quickly get to the mess hall.

 

Not to mention, without that shaft, we'd never have gotten that classic montage of Palpatine's final moments as he tries to make amends for all the crimes he's committed. Besides, we don't really know that it was the plummet that killed him...


Sidenote: As any skydiver would tell you, reaching terminal velocity can be quite a fun experience!

 

I was thinking of that video, so well played.

 

So that the guards could kick annoying visitors into it.

 

Palpatine has a chasm fetish.

 

As part of Plagueis's plan that is going to be revealed in the ST.

 

All of these reasons made me laugh

 

You people suck, I'm LOL'ing so hard I woke up the house!

 

Shaft. Giggity.

 

Joking aside, You may notice that the Eperor's throne room is at the top of a tower. The shaft is the structure of the tower.

 

Cuz Palpy is a $&* machine for all the twileks. Can you dig it?