The Emperor Reborn: The Expanded Universe

The Emperor Reborn: The Expanded Universe
Palpatine returned in the Dark Horse comic book series Dark Empire, written by Tom Veitch and illustrated by Cam Kennedy in 1991.
In the series (set six years after Return of the Jedi), Palpatine is resurrected as the Emperor Reborn or “Palpatine the Undying.”
His spirit returns from the netherworld of the Force and possesses the body of Jeng Droga, one of the Emperor’s Hands, a group of elite assassins not unlike the Knights of Ren or Snoke’s Praetorian Guard in the Sequel Trilogy.

Then things get really wild. Sate Pestage, one of the Emperor’s advisors, exorcizes Palpatine’s spirit and channels it into a clone created by Palpatine before his death. Palpatine attempts to resume control of the galaxy, but is defeated when Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo, who has received Jedi training from her brother, repel a “Force Storm” conjured by Palpatine and turn it back onto him, destroying his physical form once again.

Tom Veitch discusses Palpatine’s master plan in Return of the Jedi, when the Emperor says, “Strike me down with all your hatred, and your journey towards the dark side will be complete,” he seems indifferent to his own death.
“He feels that whatever the outcome of this confrontation with Luke, he, Palpatine, will conquer.”
According to Veitch, the Emperor chose this moment to come out of the shadows because he no longer feared for the safety of his physical form. With one swift stroke, Luke would fall to the dark side, and Palpatine would be reborn.
“His mastery of the dark side had become such that he was now ready to make a transition he had been working toward for many years — namely the replacement of his aging, diseased, and crippled body with a young clone.”

Operation Cinder
Palpatine had a plan, fitting in with what we know of Force ghosts in the Star Wars canon and some visual hints we’ve seen in Battlefront II comics and video games.

Palpatine recorded his visage into various droids so he could make orders after his death and destabilize the Empire and the Republic.
Palpatine's contingency plan upon his death included sending numerous droids out across the galaxy to give his final orders for what he called “Operation: Cinder,” a method of destabilizing the Empire and the Republic after his death so that no person would ever have the amount of power he did.
These red-cloaked, humanoid figures resembled the Red Guard but used a projection of Palpatine’s face on their own heads.

Possessing a Knight of Ren is a different thing entirely, but the visual of Palpatine existing after death by forcing his identity onto another being is Star Wars canon.

‘The Last Jedi’: Comic Book Containing Spoilers

‘The Last Jedi’: Mark Hamill Says To Avoid ‘Star Wars’ Comic Book Containing Spoilers.

If you don’t want The Last Jedi spoiled for you, then you probably will want to stay away from the Star Wars comic books. Mark Hamill took to Twitter to warn fans — perhaps jokingly, perhaps not — that a 1977 comic book will spoil the upcoming installment of the franchise.

“I’m begging you! For your own good-DO NOT READ this spoiler-laden comic book before Friday December 15th 2017 You’ll thank me later,” Hamill tweeted.

Hamill did not let out any plot details of the aforementioned comic — which shares the same name of Episode VIII.  From his sense of urgency, it seems that it contains major plot points for The Last Jedi — or maybe it’s just a lighthearted joke that people are taking too seriously for the forthcoming movie directed by Rian Johnson.

See the plot summary in my post...IF YOU DARE!

Darth Maul, Darth Nihilous, Darth Bane: Clone Wars Sith Legacy Evolutions Pack

Set of 3 collectible action figures based on characters in the sinister Sith Star Wars legacy.

Includes Darth Bane, Darth Maul and Darth Nihilus

Detailed figures each come with a weapon accessory

Darth Maul: I love the detail, if you look closly you can see pointed yellow teeth. His lightsaber is the darkest of this set. At first I was skepticel about his shirtlessness but I don't mind now. Part of his skirt-thing is cloth, as with everyone's in this set, a cool little addition. I recently bought another Maul figure with a cloth cloak, and I put it on this guy and he looks awsome.

Darth Bane: His lightsaber is puple. His removable armor (face-plate, wrist-gaurds) is pretty tight, however is the only extra the set comes with. His cape is removable, a cool little additon.

Darth Nihilous: This guy is from the video game Knights of the Old Republic 2, and being a game charecter I doubted much articulation. I noticed his left arm (your right side) was bent strangly in the photo. I assumed it could only swivel side to side. How wrong I was. His arm can actually bend like that, which is tight. His lightsaber is red, however lighter than Maul's. His cape is cloth and has an odd feel to it, perfect for Nihilous' character. His hood is removable revealing his hair tied in dreadlocks. His mask is nicly dietailed, and his hand is in a nice force posture.

This is an awsome set.

It's great to finally have some of the Sith Lords from the Expanded Universe. I got this set particularly for Darth Bane, who has become one of my favorite Star Wars characters ever after reading Drew Karpyshyn's Path of Destruction. KOTOR II fans will also want to get Darth Nihilus.

The Darth Bane accessories are probably not technically accurate according to Path of Destruction, which describes Bane's robes as black. Also, Bane's lightsaber is clearly red and is frequently described as having a hook, like Dooku's. But I like them anyway.

Hasbro did a nice job of giving Bane a purple color scheme, with subtle purple highlights on the cape. Also, his lightsaber is amethyst, like Mace Windu's. The overall effect is to give Bane a somewhat more exotic yet royal look, which complements the otherwise ridiculous-looking orbalisks.

I have seen some fans repaint this figure black and give him a red lightsaber, but then Bane looks like just another Dark Jedi. This is one case where Hasbro's "mistake" made for a visually more interesting figure. I only wish they had taken more care with the orbalisks. They are a see-through yellowish plastic, which isn't horrible but almost look a bit too bright. Also, when you take the orbalisks off Bane's chest, there's not much underneath - indeed, he looks like he shed 100 pounds.

Darth Nihilus. He LOOKS like a Sith, with the creepy skull helmet. The tattered cloth cape has a great effect, flowing behind him. In fact, this is one of the few figures I wish had entirely cape clothing because I think it would have given the figure a real sense of formlessness. As it stands, this figure is great. However, my understanding was that Nihilus was like a vacuum of Dark energy. This figure has dreadlocks under the hood, which seems to imply that there was a man behind the mask.

Boba Fett & RA-7: Star Wars Expanded Universe Action Figures

Special Comic Inspired Action Figure Two-Pack with droid RA-7.

Includes Star Wars Comic Book #81

Xizor's VIRAGO: Star Wars EXPANDED UNIVERSE Titanium Die Cast Vehicle

As fast and maneuverable as a TIE Interceptor, but with firepower equal to an X-Wing, the Virago was unmatched in deadly effectiveness.

It was the perfect extension of the personality of its pilot and owner - the cunning, brilliant criminal mastermind Prince Xizor, head of the Black Sun syndicate. It appears to have been destroyed, along with Xizor, by the star destroyer Executor over Coruscant.

From Hasbro.

Cool looking ship for a GREAT PRICE!

Aurra Sing: Star Wars Saga EXPANDED UNIVERSE Action Figure

From Expanded Universe. Saga Collection Wal-Mart Exclusives Aurra Sing (Bespin) Action Figure from the 2006 series.

Weapon: Lightsaber Trained By: The Dark Woman Unusual Accessory: Skull-Implanted Sensor Once a promising if headstrong Padawan, Sing now trades in dark professions: pirate, assassin, and bounty hunter. She specializes in hunting down Jedi under the mistaken belief that they abandoned and betrayed her, and she brandishes the lightsabers of her victims as prized trophies.

During the Clone Wars, her quest for vengeance once took her to Bespin, where she met a young Boba Fett.