“Somehow Palpatine returned” is rightly considered one of the worst lines ever uttered in Star Wars. Fans were already scratching their heads at how a villain we saw tossed into a reactor core on a space station that then exploded could make a comeback, so there was a minor revolt when it became apparent that The Rise of Skywalker was just going to skate past the explanation (and no, Merry Brandybuck muttering about “secrets only the Sith knew” doesn’t count).
Oscar Isaac looks embarrassed to have to say it, with the common comparison that this is as ludicrous as being told in real life “somehow Hitler returned”. But is there another sequel trilogy line that’s low-key just as bad?
Fans on r/StarWars have one nailed down, though it’s only a stinker in retrospect:
When watching The Force Awakens, we, like most viewers, assumed that we’d eventually learn how Anakin’s blue lightsaber made the journey from the depths of Cloud City to Maz Kanata’s bar. But, as it turned out, they didn’t bother with an explanation. A series of comics told some of the story, but much of it remains a total mystery.
Lazy writing?
But by this point, many fans are past caring:
Are we expecting too much?
And do we even really need to know this one detail?
For us, “somehow Palpatine returned” will always be the King of terrible lines (until something worse comes along anyway). Say what you like about the jumbled and vaguely racist garbage that Jar Jar Binks came out with, at least “mesa day starten pretty okee-day witda brisky morning munchen” makes sense in context.
