Why does Sidious/Palpatine keep his face hidden even when he meets Dooku meet on Coruscant?

Let me say before I go any further, this thread is not meant to create another debate over whether Sidious=Palpatine or not. I am some of you will be tempted anyway, but again this is not the intention of this thread, but rather to basically answer this simple question.

So as the title of this thread, Why does Sidious(Palpatine)keep his face hidden from Dooku when they meet together on Coruscant in that abandoned hangar?

There were many speculations long before AOTC came out that maybe Dooku does not know Sidious=Palpatine. But given they are the Sith, and plan the events that have been occurring, especially the clones and the Clone Wars; this is just to hard of a theory to be believed. Then there is the likelihood that it was Sidious/Palpatine that taught Dooku to master the dark side to the point that he can manifest Sith lightning as he did.

I believe Dooku knows that Sidious=Palpatine. So with this being the case, why does Palpatine have to cover and keep his face hidden when meeting Dooku??

Does Palpatine keep his face hidden, even in this abandoned hangar in the likelihood of surveillance or other types of hidden cameras?

Or is this just customary that since they both are the Sith, him being the master he even keeps his hood over his face?

And lastly, why did Lucas choose to show this scene with Sidious/Palpatine seemingly keeping his face hidden??

This scene has caused many to question whether Sidious=Palpatine, and whether Dooku even knows this fact. What reason could Lucas have for continuing what really is not a mystery?

Darth Sin!

 

I'm not sure if you will like my answer, but I think it is just to keep his identity hidden from the audience. I think Dooku can easily see the face of Darth Sidious in this scene.

 

because he looks cool feirce in the hood why take it off.

 

Its nothing. Dont read so much into things.

Dont we see dark evil looking hoods, and think 'bad guy'? Puts dooku in his place.

 

Darth_Zidious,

There is nothing wrong with your answer, in fact that is what these boards are all about, that we continue speculating and theorizing on what we have been via the films.

Aguywithabiggun, I can why you would respond in this manner . However, it is not that I am trying to read too much into this, but rather leading into Darth_Zidious thoughts as to why Lucas is still continuing to keep this from the audience.

But at the same time, I was not implying so much that he was trying to keep his face hidden from Dooku, but rather why does he need to cover his face at all when meeting with him?

Nevertheless, why is Lucas continuing to keep this debate going over whether Sidious=Palpatine(And I'm sure he does know this is happening), when by all reason we the audience know that Sidious and Palpatine are one and the same?

Very few characters in the films know that Sidious=Palpatine, and that looks only to be Dooku. And it was not until AOTC, and near the end that the Jedi have heard the name Sidious, and certainly have no idea who he is, what he looks like, or for that fact if he really exists.

Darth Sin!

 

Judging by the debate on the Ep3 boards, it looks like quite a few people don't buy the idea that Palp is Sid (lovely abbreviations ). I think it's one and the same person, but by keeping him hooded in TPM and AOTC Lucas is able to hold onto that tiny bit of doubt. Plus, he could be planning on a cool unveiling for Ep3

 

Psoriasis.

 

Bless you.

 

Darth_Sin wrote:
"Why does Sidious(Palpatine)keep his face hidden from Dooku when they meet together on Coruscant in that abandoned hangar?

For that matter, why does he wear the hood at all after he declares himself Emperor?
Why do we see him in it in TESB and ROTJ? Everyone knows at this point that he is Palpy.

No real reason, I'm sure, other than to look just plain creepy. Think about it. On the surface, Palpy looks somewhat normal. The only reason many of us think he looks creepy is because we know what's going on in that evil little mind of his. Sidious/Palpy wears the hood because that is what a creepy little Sith Lord does.

Besides, there's nothing particularly menacing about an old wrinkly, withered away dude with a cane.

*Prepares to turn everyone's stomach by introducing EU evidence to support his claim*

When Palpy moves on to a new clone body in the Dark Empire stories, he ditches the hood in favor of the appearance of a young and virile Sith Lord (Vader without the mask). Only when his clone starts to diminish does he re-don the hood.

virile - Having or showing masculine spirit, strength, vigor, or power

 

Nevertheless, why is Lucas continuing to keep this debate going over whether Sidious=Palpatine(And I'm sure he does know this is happening), when by all reason we the audience know that Sidious and Palpatine are one and the same?

Although us modern sophisticated types know that Palp = Sid, Lucas has said that the correct order to view the movies is 1-2-3-4-5-6. So those viewers will not know that an Empire is coming. And they won't necessarily know that Palp = Sid until it is confirmed sometime later (either in EP III or later). That is why I think Lucas keeps his identity hidden.

 

Plot device.

 

Darth Sin: lol

If I came off the wrong way, I apologize. All I was implying, in a childish manner no doubt, was that I dont really understand the question here! Maybe IM reading into YOUR post, because if you're simply asking why Sid remains cloaked, even though we all know who he is, then isnt the answer obvious? He's the bad guy!

However, if you're trying to reach deeper, I personaly can't speculate on any hidden reason why George would continue to hide the obvious. Maybe its NOT so obvious to the average viewer. Besides, some (including myself), are leaning into the idea of a clone sidious anyway, so if thats what you're trying to get at..

aguywithabiggun!

 

Because that is how we know him in Return of the Jedi. He keeps his face hidden till the nearly the end the of movie. Character continuity.

 

Remember Sidious didn't suddenly rise to power, so you have to plant the trail to follow. After all why make a movie at all since we all know how it all ends. But we want to know how it all began. That is what these preguels are for.

 

hoods = evil and/or mysteriousness

 

I read a really good idea for this once. Palpatine is really the mask Sidious wears. His true nature is Sidious, so when he's talking to his Sith apprentices, he is free to reveal his true self. When he's being a Senator or Chancellor, he has to put on his mask, which means taking off the hood and acting like a nice old man. Even his voice changes. He has to speak more softly, with less of the rasping and biting tone he normally uses.

 

Interesting idea, Lord_Hydronium. I always assumed that Sidious was the secret identity of Palpatine, and not vice versa.

 

Well, it's rather important that his face stays hidden for such a long time. It's more mysterious. Palpatine = Sidious will be the only suprise left when we look at SW in the right order (I-VI).

 

The only problem I have is that palp seem so out of place for such evil. Sidious is so hateful and rageful and it just drips from him in every word he utters.

So maybe the cloak and hood somehow help amplify the evil so that palpatine can access his dark power? Palp the man, though obviously seething with hidden agendas, doesnt seem controlled by the evil, like palp the monster.

I guess palp's just insane. He becomes sidious, but is sidious real, or a personification of some age old evil?

lol

 

Maybe he´s just schizofrenic!

Seriously, I like the idea of Palp being the "mask" of Sid, but I would like to simplify it a bit:
Sidious loves to wear the hood, simple as that!

 

Quite simply it looks cool.

I'm one of those who doubts that Dooku knows that Sid = Palp but I think that Sidious uses the force to cloud Dooku on this, not a hood.

 

Lord_Hydronium, you are the man!

That is the best description I have heard concerning the Palpy/Sidious identity. And I wholeheartedly agree that the Palpatine identity is the mask for the Sidious identity which is his true self.

And this is probably the major reason he can keep himself hidden from the Jedi. In this thinking, he did not cease to be Palpatine and became Sidious, but was Sidious and created the identity of the unassuming Palpatine.

This actually made me consider Yoda, particularly when he fought Dooku. He loses the cane, brandishes his lightsaber and moves like no other Jedi we have ever seen before. But afterward, he picks up his cane and goes back to his bent over, slow moving state.

It is if he becomes someone else, but in reality this was the real Yoda.

Darth Sin!

 

I really wouldn't look into that soooo much, b/c remember in ROTJ, when the Emperor arrives at the Death Star he is cloaked the same exact way when he's walking with Vader.

This scene in AOTC reminded me of that exact scene in ROTJ, & the feedback I got from it is "the begining of the end" for the Republic, much in the same way as it was for the Empire in ROTJ.

 

Maybe in EIII we will be treated to a "Gollum-esque" split personality showdown between Sid and Palps.

Turning to his left: "But not Master Yoda. He is our friend."

Turning to his right:"You don't have any friends. Nobody likes you!"

etc.........











nudge nudge